It’s one of the most popular video game series ever to be created. And now, the launch date for the third installment in the Halo trilogy has finally been announced.
Set for release on September 25 (and a day later in Europe), this is one of those games that will likely sell out before most people get a chance to see it. The final chapter in the Halo trilogy is even poised to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide.
Created by Bungie Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360, the announcement comes earlier than expected. No doubt intended to drive sales for the holiday season, the Halo series has been a key in Microsoft’s success with the console.
The press release sent across the wires today says:
Halo 3 will set a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in Master Chief’s epic battle to save humankind.
If it was anyone else, we would write it off as boilerplate PR speak. But this game has proven its worth to the gaming industry; when Halo 2 launched, more than 2.5 million copies were sold on the day of release, generating more than $125 million in sales. It also remains the most-played game on Microsoft’s Xbox Live online gaming and entertainment network, with nearly one billion hours of online gaming logged to date.
“‘Halo 3′ is much more than a video game release; it’s the biggest entertainment event of the year,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business. “On Sept. 25, we intend to deliver a finale that will go down in entertainment history and leave people around the world with an experience that will be shared and enjoyed for years to come.”
Executing a different type of hype-building exercise, Microsoft recently unveiled a multiplayer beta of the game. In a smart marketing move that begins today, the mutliplayer beta will be available to give gamers an early look at some of the multiplayer elements. Digital Journal got a sneak peak last week, but we were not blown away. Details of the full-version game, however, have been kept under a tight lid and we don’t doubt they will kick ass.
For more info, check out [url=http://www.halo3.com]www.halo3.com
