Newsflash:

Halo 3 Preorders Pass One Million Mark

Published August 9, 2007

Redmond, Washington—As the countdown continues for the entertainment event of the year—the launch of Halo® 3—the video game continues to set records and establish new precedents for an entertainment launch. Today, Microsoft announced that preorders in North America for the exclusive Xbox 360™ title have exceeded the one-million milestone.

In addition, Microsoft unveiled the first exciting details of upcoming promotions from leading consumer brands, including Mountain Dew, 7-Eleven, Pontiac, Comcast, and Burger King Corp.

Master Chief is ready to shatter sales records.

Retailers around the world have begun taking preorders, giving you the opportunity to make sure you get your hands on one of the three versions of Halo 3—Standard Edition, Limited Edition, or the ultra-collectible Legendary Edition.

Presale Records
In fact, demand has been so strong for the Legendary Edition of the game that it is expected to be sold out by the time the game launches on September 25. Retailers have also noted that the presales for Halo 3 are the fastest in videogame history.

"What we've experienced is nothing short of phenomenal," said Bob McKenzie, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop Corp. "Halo 3 has eclipsed many previous records and will prove to be one of the must-have items of 2007."

"The excitement for Halo 3 is incredible," said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy. "From our preorders online and the buzz we're hearing in our stores, we know this release is going to be one of the biggest entertainment events of the year. We're thrilled to be able to bring it to our customers."

"Finish the Fight" on September 25.

For the first time in videogame history and on par with the scope of major movie releases, some of the world's biggest companies have aligned to support the launch. Many plan to offer a variety of promotions that give you the opportunity to obtain unique Halo 3 products and prizes and participate in one-of-a-kind Halo 3-themed events.

"This September, Halo 3 will push videogame entertainment into the forefront of mainstream culture," said Chris Di Cesare, director of creative marketing at Microsoft. "Teaming up with some of the world's strongest and most recognizable brands is trailblazing new paths and cementing video games as big entertainment on par with major event films, and is a testament to the excitement and anticipation intrinsically linked to Halo 3."

Game Fuel
Mountain Dew will unveil the first beverage co-branded with a video game, Mountain Dew Game Fuel. Game Fuel has the same great taste of Mountain Dew with an invigorating blast of citrus cherry flavor and added caffeine for maximum intensity. Game Fuel will come in 20-ounce bottles, two-liter bottles and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and will be available nationwide for a limited time starting August 13, 2007.

In a few select markets, Mountain Dew will offer a special-edition aluminum bottle of Mountain Dew Game Fuel with an exclusive design created by Bungie Studios, the developers of Halo 3. This bottle will be available in very limited quantities, making it a highly sought-after collector's item.

7-Eleven
7-Eleven today confirmed its plans to support the launch of Halo 3 through a variety of in-store promotions, including three Halo 3 collectible Slurpee cups. In addition, 7-Eleven will run a Halo 3 promotion with Mountain Dew Game Fuel and Doritos, with thousands of Halo 3 prizes, including, as grand prize, a chance to win a minor role as a voice actor in the upcoming Xbox 360 video game, Halo Wars™ from Ensemble Studios. 

Pontiac
Pontiac will also provide several exclusive Halo 3-related opportunities. It will host Pontiac Gamers Garage events in select locations, giving you a chance to play the game for the first time before its release. In addition, in support of the launch of its upcoming high-performance G6 GXP Street, Pontiac is offering 1,000 consumers a chance to win a copy of the game, and one lucky gamer will win a limited-edition Halo 3 G6 GXP Street car.

Burger King
Burger King will continue its sponsorship of Xbox 360 with national, in-restaurant support from September 24 through October 22. Halo 3 packaging will offer access to exclusive content by logging on to http://www.bk.com/halo3 beginning September 23. Graphics will be featured on select packaging, including the 42-ounce cup and King FRYPOD™.  

Comcast
Comcast has also joined the Halo 3 campaign and will host exclusive video content, including user-generated movies and machinima, on its Web sites http://gameinvasion.net and http://www.ziddio.com. Comcast will also feature standard- and high-definition Halo 3 videos on its signature ON DEMAND service.

Projekt Revolution
Halo 3 is also the official sponsor of the Projekt Revolution tour this summer, which includes bands Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance. Exclusive Halo 3 VIP events will take place in select cities on the tour, where attendees will receive Halo 3 merchandise and have an opportunity to meet the members of Linkin Park.