10 Hidden Video Game Details You Can Only Find Once A Year

One of the most critically and commercially successful titles to appear on the Xbox 360, Halo 3 was celebrated as a triumph for the series and marked the final time that Bungie would act as developers for a mainline instalment in the franchise.

Though the title is perhaps best known for its advancement in the story of the series' protagonist Master Chief, Halo 3 has also earned a reputation for containing several easter eggs throughout the single-player campaign.

However, the most elusive of these hidden gems took literally years for avid players to find.

It may have even remained undiscovered to all but a select few who worked on the game before Bungie engineer Jon Cable responded to a fan question about easter eggs by stating:

"There is one Easter egg in Halo 3 that I don't think anyone has found — I stumbled across it in code a while back. It only happens on a specific day... so good luck."

Then, in 2012, it was discovered. If the player loads the campaign on the 25th of December and presses both thumbsticks down, a message will run across the screen wishing Lauren a Happy Birthday. The text was added by developer Adrian Perez as a tribute to his wife Lauren.