Microsoft and Bungie announced today that Halo 3 has sold over 7.3 million copies, and the Heroic Map Pack has been downloaded by over 1 million gamers.

We all know men (especially of the corporate variety) love stroking their own egos, but that's probably only one reason for the announcement.  Maybe they wanted everyone to know that Halo is still going strong, backing their figures with the release of more downloadable content.

Halo-philes can look forward to the Legendary Map Pack, available April 19 on Xbox Live for 800 Microsoft points.  It'll be bringing three new maps to the table, and Bungie has been kind enough to provide descriptions of two out of three:

Ghost Town is a battle-scarred maze of narrow passages and dangerous ruins outside the once-prosperous city of Voi. Collapsed ceilings and shell-battered buildings provide both valuable cover and deadly traps, as catwalks and stairways take the fight from claustrophobic ground combat to dizzying rooftop battles. Ghost Town is a mid-sized map ideal for Team Slayer games and smaller, objective types.

The second map, Avalanche, is a tribute to Sidewinder, a “Halo: Combat Evolved” fan-favorite. This massive, vehicle-oriented objective map adds a twist to its classic predecessor with all new interiors, dramatically reshaped exteriors and brand new vehicle variants. Take a ride and admire the visual variety from the cockpit of the retuned Hornet.

Peachy, but they're keeping a lid on the third map for now.  Apparently, gamers who prefer the more intimate Slayer maps will also be rewarded with some "returning classics" - or so I've heard.