It's been four years since we last helped Master Chief battle the Covenant. Questions and uncertainty have swirled as a new developer takes the helm of the storied Halo franchise. But it will all come to a head in November when Halo 4 finally hits shelves.

Microsoft announced that Nov. 6 will be the official release date for the game, the first for developer 343 Industries. Halo 3 marked the end of the first trilogy and the involvement of original developer Bungie, which left the Microsoft fold to explore new ventures. The data transition of the franchise to new developer 343 finished earlier this month.

The end of Halo 3 left many questions about the fate of Cortana and Master Chief. The new trilogy begins four years after the end of the last installment. Phil Spencer, VP of Microsoft Game Studios, said in a release that the launch of Halo 4 will begin "a journey that will encompass the next decade of 'Halo' games and experiences."