Halo 3 has Biggest Launch in US Entertainment History

Remember that little game called Halo? Sure you do – but did you know that Halo 3 has just become the biggest entertainment launch in the history of our country?

We have to wonder if Microsoft had their PR people ready for this, as it was bound to be a top-seller. But bigger than Spider-Man 3 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? An estimated $170 million in sales says so, which was harvested in just 24 hours. “Halo 3 has become a pop-culture phenomenon,” said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “Not only is “Halo 3″ setting sales records, it’s also redefining entertainment.”

The success looks fine and dandy from this side of the fence post, though it probably sucks to be working at a games retailer this week. Speaking of which, two execs from GameStop and Best Buy found their quotes in Microsoft’s PR, “With consumer demand for Halo 3 and related products, we expect it to be the biggest video game title generator in GameStop’s history,” said Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for GameStop.

“The initial demand we’ve seen for ‘Halo 3’ has been astounding, and the game is on track to become the number one gaming title of all time,” said Best Buy’s Jill Hamburger. “‘Halo 3’ is a genuine entertainment phenomenon and our customers have responded very enthusiastically to the release.”

All done? Pass the Game Fuel.