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, 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.

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.