”Now, all three Halo releases for the Xbox Video Game System are assembled in one compelling set.” That’s what EBgames.com has to say about the Halo Triple Pack that’s currently scheduled to be released for $59.99 on October 4, 2005. I suppose it was only a matter of time before Microsoft offered both Halo games and the multiplayer map pack in one package, especially with the launch of the Xbox 360 only a few months away. (It appears that the Limited Collector’s Edition of Halo 2 was not included in favor of the standard edition, but that’s all I could surmise from the cover art and product description on the site.) Newcomers to the series (on whichever compatible Xbox) will appreciate the convenient bundling of all things Halo, particularly if they’re unable to download the last of the free extra maps by summer’s end (due to a lack of broadband or what have you). Otherwise, the deal is not incredibly compelling for aspiring online-enabled fans of the series as the original Halo can easily be had for $20, and Halo 2 for $40 without any sales or coupons. Of course, if you really want that bonus documentary and animated feature that only come from buying the retail version of the map pack, then maybe it’s worth it for you to hold your purchases until October.

And what about folks who have already picked up Halos 1 and 2, and have easy access to free downloadable content? Folks who love bonus content and never hesitate to charge their credit cards when it comes to bonus cases and discs that only cost an extra five bucks? What about folks like me? Would we shell out $15-$20 just to watch a couple of DVD bonus features? MS, make those videos free… you know they want to be! For every other shopper, remember to choose wisely.