The head of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division in the believes that will help save the games industry.

So far 2011's have been pretty dismal, especially over the summer months but Microsoft's Neil Thompson reckons that Halo: Reach could spell the end of the downturn.

He told MCV: "Over the last year, we are moving from more traditional console experiences and over the next two, three months we are going to see a whole new breadth of experiences. I think Halo: Reach is a great new start to that regeneration. And will take us further and other platforms are doing what they are doing as well."

He added: "Halo is the most successful games franchise in history. Big, massive, fantastic, enormous, record breaking, every adjective you might want to use around the biggest franchise in the world. This has more love, care, sweat, tears and resource poured into it than any other. Our expectations are enormous."

By Ewan Aiton