Halo 3: Okay, No Talk Now

As what might be construed as the first piece of innovation since its matchmaking system, Bungie recently announced a new breakthrough feature: The" A-Hole Button".

If you ask me, this was a long time coming.

Essentially, during an online Halo 3 match, you will now be able to press the rarely-utilized "Back" button (see right) on the XBOX360 controller, scroll through a list of players, and smite junior high kids with something even more powerful than a Plasma Sword: the cold shoulder.

While this feature can't protect you against post-game hate messages and sound recordings sent via XBOX Live, at least your message inbox serves as a buffer to ensure you only hear the things you want to hear. With this easy-access muting option now available, playing Halo online should be a much more bearable experience.

(Via Gamestyle, which was via Eurogamer)