There no doubt in anyone’s mind that the upcoming Halo 3 launch is going to be a big deal. Over 1 million copies have already been preordered, and Microsoft expects sales numbers to easily exceed the 2.4 million copies and $125 million Halo 2 pulled in in its first 24 hours. Microsoft has some big events and promotions lined up to make Halo 3’s launch the biggest ever.
Over 10,000 stores in the United States alone are expected to have some kind of midnight Halo 3 launch event on September 25th. Some of those stores will surely be selling the Halo 3-themed Xbox 360 console. Be sure to check out the new Xbox 360 Halo 3 theme and gamerpic, available that week.
Also, Xbox Live Gold will be free for all Xbox 360 owners during the first three days of Halo 3’s launch, September 25th through September 27th, thanks to Best Buy.
Celebrities abound: Microsoft’s “Unite to Fight” launch event will see events in Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York City, all with local celebrities in attendance to do battle with gamers. There will also be launch sessions of Microsoft’s Game with Fame, pitting players against celebs in online matches. Even Bungie will be online that week to school overconfident players.
Finally, Microsoft is give-away crazy! They will be giving away 8,000 Microsoft Points to 144 randomly-selected people, and those lucky people have a chance to win bigger prizes like a Halo-themed Pontiac GXP Street Edition valued at $28,000 or a Samsung home theater entertainment system valued at $3,500. Pontiac is also in on the game, giving away 1,000 copies of Halo 3 to winners before it’s even available in stores.
[Via GamesIndustry.biz — thanks, JV]
