Microsoft: Halo 3 to easily outsell first two games
- September 11, 2007 14:13 PM PST
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Microsoft says Halo 3 is "well ahead" to outselling Halo 1 and 2.
"We're well ahead of where we were with Halo 2," said Microsoft's Chris Di Cesare in an interview with Brandweek. "In the year of the summer blockbuster 'three-quel,' the biggest one is going to be one you don't go to a theater to see."
To ensure Halo 3 meets commercial expectations, Microsoft has invested heavily in a five-phase marketing blitz in the hopes of outselling the combined 11 million copies of the first two games.
In addition to early teasers, the beta trial, retail sponsorships, and partner advertisers, more than 10,000 U.S. stores will open early at midnight just to sell the game.
"This is very different from the launch of Halo 2," said Microsoft's vice president of marketing, Jeff Bell. "This time around, we wanted to draw a broader audience."
Despite the franchise's merits, the exposure still comes at a price says Jason Anderson, an IDG video game consultant.
"While Halo 3 may have some of the strongest title awareness of any video game since Grand Theft Auto 3, that awareness isn't free. Part of what sustains that critical mass is the perception that Halo 3 is a big budget, mass media event."
