The countdown to midnight has begun.  Halo:Reach goes live worldwide tonight and gamers will be up late, waiting in line to snag a copy and get some early games in.

Xbox Live is prepping gamers for the release and is currently offering everybody a free Halo inspired theme download.  A special promotion called Invasion Week will be starting tomorrow and running for approximately a week.

From September 14 to September 20, Invasion Week will be assaulting and controlling Xbox Live. Including activities, new gear, prizes, content and even a chance to play with members of Bungie, it seems like there will be something for every Halo fan to enjoy. Additionally, there will be a free ‘Invasion’ theme up for grabs to all Xbox Live members.

Best Buy is offering gamers a $20 gift card with every Reach purchase (Including the Xbox 360 Reach-inspired bundle).  This is a great option for folks that didn’t end up pre-ordering their copy as Best Buy is usually stocked up and rarely runs out of copies on release day.  Most game retailers nationwide are staying open late tonight to accommodate early purchases.  GameStop usually draws quite a crowd to their early releases so I’m assuming a line will form rather early.  WalMart and Best Buy are usually a bit more subdued and might be a better option if you are looking to avoid a crowd.

Bungie uploaded their final batch of pre-release videos to the newly revamped Bungie.net over the weekend – the first gives additional insight into the campaign story and the second showcases a round of Firefight.  Enjoy the videos and we’ll see you online tonight!