343 Industries new Microsoft internal Halo label?

It's Microsoft patent Tuesday, it seems. This time, Superannuation has unearthed a patent filed by MS on July 17 for the term "343 Industries."

The patent stipulates that 343 Industries is for "computer programs, namely, game software for use on computers and video."

Now, the millions Halo fans out there have probably already got a wry smile on their faces as "343" is the name given to the character "343 Guilty Spark" in the Halo universe.

Gamespot speculated that 343 Industries sounds "less like a game and more like a label--a label that would be perfectly apt for the internal division of Microsoft Game Studios dedicated to the Halo franchise."

Microsoft has been contacted by replied simply: ""We have nothing to announce at this time."

We sense a thickening plot.

All will be revealed in due course.