Microsoft and 343 Industries are preparing for the 10th anniversary of Halo, and the first of undoubtedly many celebratory salvos will be coming through the Halo Waypoint hub. This Friday, Halo Waypoint will be updated with performance tweaks, a new "Compare with Friends" feature, Instant On streaming video, and two new career levels. It will also reflect your stats for Halo: Reach and allow you to launch the game from WayPoint.

In addition, on Saturday, April 23, WayPoint users will be able to watch a new motion comic called "The Mona Lisa." The comic shows the crew of the UNSC Red Horse discovering a derelict prison ship called the Mona Lisa. Prisoners are nothing if not known for their appreciation of classic art. The crew goes to investigate and, unsurprisingly, ends up battling the Covenant. This is why most people know better than to check out creepy abandoned prisons. Read more »

As promised, Microsoft today opened "the new virtual home for all things Halo" on Xbox 360 in the form of a free downloadable application dubbed "Halo Waypoint."

Waypoint allows players to track their progress through various Halo titles, as well as keep up with the latest news and videos. The program also rewards users with unlockable Avatar goods, like a helmet, for earning certain in-game achievements. Read more »