Missing the late, great Sergeant Avery Junior Johnson? So are Bungie. That’s why everyone’s favourite cigar-chomping UNSC hero is back and available as a playable character in Halo 3: ODST’s Firefight mode. If you pre-order the game, that is.

Head along to participating stores now to place your pre-order and you’ll receive a code to download Johnson when the game drops on Sept. 22. Or don’t. It’s up to you.

Remember though, Johnson will only be a playable character in Firefight, Halo 3: ODST’s version of Gears of War 2’s Horde mode, in which you and your co-op partners face off against wave after wave of enemies. It looks like Johnson’s just a character model too, with no unique gameplay characteristics. But hey, it’s Avery Junior Johnson! He’s got a cigar permanently stuck in his mouth! He’s cool! And he’s also probably got mouth cancer!

Check out our impressions of Halo 3: ODST from E3 2009, for more information on the game.