Halo 3: 1.5 million US pre-orders

via Games Industry


With less than 24 hours to go before the game's launch, Microsoft has reported that it has already sold more than 1.5 million copies of Halo 3 in the US.

"The excitement and demand for ‘Halo 3’ has transcended a typical video game release and we’re preparing dedicated registers for its midnight release in our 24-hour stores,” said Darin Dickson, video game merchandise buyer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. “It’s clear that this is one of the most anticipated games of the year and that 12:01 am Sept. 25 will be a memorable moment for thousands of gamers.”

As previously reported, approximately 10,000 US retailers will be open at midnight, with special events taking place in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Miami.

“Our customers have been waiting for ‘Halo 3’ since the day after ‘Halo 2’ launched in 2004,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy. “‘Halo 3’ is going to bring the experience to new levels, and we are excited to help our customers get the best possible game playing experience.”

Halo 3 is the fasting pre-selling game in history, surpassing the previous record-setting pre-sales of Halo 2. The game will be released in 37 countries in 17 different languages.

The game will be available in three versions: the standard edition, a limited edition, and a Legendary edition. The Legendary edition has already sold out in the UK, with all copies being accounted for by pre-orders.

Early retailer reports indicate that the disks in the limited edition have a tendency to come loose in the tin, making them susceptible to scratching. The full extent of the potential problem will not be known until the game is made available to the public.