Microsoft and Bungie announced that there will be two new multiplayer maps for purchase on April 17th for Halo 2. The maps are re-creations of maps from Halo 1 with hidden surprises.

Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios today confirmed the upcoming release of two new, eagerly awaited downloadable maps for “Halo 2.” The maps will be available as premium downloadable content for Xbox and Xbox 360 on April 17.

Fans of the original “Halo” have long requested the addition of some of their favorite maps to the critically acclaimed multiplayer experience of “Halo 2.” These re-creations, developed by Bungie and Certain Affinity Inc., are a perfect way to thank fans for their support as they surpass 800 million hours of “Halo 2” gaming on Xbox LIVE.

The two maps will bring new life to ancient battlefields and legendary skirmishes, as both are new, improved and redesigned remakes of fan favorites from the original “Halo: Combat Evolved.” For the price of $4 for the pair, these maps bring a fresh burst of action to the seminal “Halo 2” online multiplayer experience. Both of the maps will be available through the “Halo 2” in-game content downloader for both Xbox and Xbox 360.*

The king of “Halo” maps has returned at last. Hang ’Em High, arguably the most popular multiplayer map for the original title, has been reimagined for “Halo 2” as Tombstone, with all-new graphics, features and a few hidden surprises. Now fans will enjoy the dangerous catwalks and trenches that made this the most requested “Halo” multiplayer map ever, with a modernized “Halo 2” flavor.

The second map, Desolation, is a symmetrical, Deathmatch-oriented map and a beautiful remake of the original Derelict. With new graphics and effects and a massive gameplay overhaul, the old favorite is now faster-paced and more balanced than ever — perfect for intense “Halo 2” combat.

“Halo 2” is the sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed “Halo: Combat Evolved” and represents the second chapter in the epic “Halo” trilogy. Since its launch in fall 2004, “Halo 2” has maintained its place as the most popular Xbox LIVE title ever. To date, gamers have logged more than 800 million hours of “Halo” multiplayer action on Xbox LIVE, and they are eagerly awaiting “Halo 3,” slated for release this fall. The “Halo” franchise is among the biggest worldwide entertainment properties in history and continues to change the way people think about interactive entertainment.