Halo 3: ODST sales will be "reinvigorated" thanks to Reach beta, says Microsoft

Microsoft's Stephen McGill has said that the Halo: Reach beta will breathe new life into sales of Halo 3: ODST, with a "ton of Halo gamers" expected to buy the game for the first time.

"Naturally, the demand for Halo 3: ODST will be reinvigorated as soon as the public Beta kicks off," the director of Xbox and Entertainment in the UK told CVG.

"We know a lot of our Halo community have the game and are eagerly awaiting May 3rd, but there are also a ton of Halo gamers who know and love the Halo universe, yet didn't try Halo 3: ODST."

A price-drop for the most recent Bungie shooter came in to play during the weekend, with Microsoft promising it will be "a great way" to play both Reach and ODST.

"Now at £24.99 ERP, we're offering a great way for players to experience both ODST and the Halo: Reach Beta," added McGill.

Bungie's previously stated it expects up to 3 million people to be playing the Reach multiplayer beta when it goes live next Monday. Get our most recent impressions of the taster here.

The game itself launches this fall for Xbox 360.