Wal-Mart goes extra mile in Halo 3 launch madness
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Sep 12th 2007 at 10:00AM }
Although we prefer the sexy cool points of walking into a 7-Eleven at 12:01 to just get a copy of Halo 3 and a Slurpee, we can't help but think something will go wrong; however, wandering into a Wal-Mart at 12:01 seems like a guaranteed win -- even if we must mix with the plebeian. Following yesterday's announcement of festivities by Microsoft for the Halo 3 launch, we wouldn't be surprised if a couple more mega-corps announced special Halo 3 launches. BTW, if McDonalds announces that their midnight drive-thrus will be open and selling Halo 3 -- they win.
[Via X3F, Randomn3ss]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
The1 @ Sep 12th 2007 10:02AM
If my Gamestop does not hold a Midnight Maddness event, I will be going to Wal-mart.
NATO_Duke @ Sep 12th 2007 10:48AM
I just cant cant do it. Cant shop Walmart. They are wicked evil! So, unless the Burger King sells it, I guess I am waiting till the morning. Though, I wouldn't be shocked to see Best Buy do this too.
Peter @ Sep 12th 2007 4:40PM
I called my local GameStop and they are having a 9pm madness. Halo 3 tournament starts at 9pm on the 24th and goes until midnight, then you buy Halo 3.
Neon Jebus @ Sep 12th 2007 10:09AM
Plebeian...plebeian.
I would expect such things from the like of that Elitist McElroy but from you Alexander...for shame!
But to get on topic I already have that damn Legendary Edition paid for at EB which is in the mall...so I have to wait...until 10am...which sucks.
Vidikron @ Sep 12th 2007 10:13AM
I haven't bothered to pre-order Halo 3 since I just figured I could walk into any store on release day and pick up a copy. But the closer it gets the more I'm starting to get the itch to pick it up at midnight. So it looks like Wal-Mart for me.
benjamin @ Sep 12th 2007 12:05PM
For shame, Joystiq! Urging your visitors to be patrons of Walmart?
The only saving grace this promotion has is the fact that their margin is probably razor thin, so if you go there to get the esteemed Halo 3 be sure to not buy anything else on your way out.
Hell, make a mess and you'll actually *cost* them money!
Jake @ Sep 12th 2007 10:24AM
I'll just get it the next day like any reasonable self-respecting human being would.
Rususeruru @ Sep 12th 2007 11:29AM
K-Mart 7:30 haha. It's almost 3rd world but it's retail.
xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Sep 12th 2007 10:28AM
Guess its off to a WallyWorld for me that night too. Screw Gamestop!! LOL!!!!
Sean @ Sep 12th 2007 10:30AM
Wal-Mart is evil and full of the trashiest of trash.
OnimushaSoki @ Sep 12th 2007 10:54AM
Seconded.
Shop TARGET(or similarily better places) if you need an all purpose superstore.
And if you need dog tags that damn bad, go to a surplus store. Or enlist. LOL, that's one way of finishing the fight. :p
Crono (NDF - Fire Ring) @ Sep 12th 2007 11:17AM
Thirded. I can't stand wal-mart, or being in the presence of people who frequent wal-mart.
Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Sep 12th 2007 11:26AM
I will get mine in Target. I will get the Legendary Edition, plus, Target is giving two collectible figures for free.
hvnlysoldr (NDF - Wind Ring) @ Sep 12th 2007 12:19PM
You must destroy the hall of WallMart. Near the TV aisle behind a mirror.
Vidikron @ Sep 12th 2007 12:19PM
I avoid Wal-Mart when possible... but come on, quit pretending you're too good to pick up a freaking game there.
OnimushaSoki @ Sep 12th 2007 12:53PM
Who's pretending? :p
I live in a pretty well populated area, so thankfully there's a choice.
Given all the special offers with HALO3 elsewhere, I could easily do without the dog tags... that as I stated earlier, could be purchased on my own at the mall or a military surplus and customized a LOT better.
Sean @ Sep 12th 2007 1:30PM
I haven't been into a Wal-Mart in years. I do my shopping at Target and I get my games at Gamestop or Best Buy. Why risk the chance of catching some kind of airbourne STD by walking into a Wal-Mart?
Shagittarius @ Sep 12th 2007 1:43PM
airbourne STDs FTW!
Korova @ Sep 12th 2007 5:25PM
I am thirding the airborne STD comment.
TRUTH @ Sep 12th 2007 10:30AM
I might just go there!!!
I have a Pre-Order @ EB-Games, But I hate going there, & I rather give walmart my money!
EB-Games SUCK!
TRUTH @ Sep 12th 2007 10:32AM
Sorry but YOU LOSE!
FrankTheCrank @ Sep 12th 2007 10:32AM
HALO RULZ EVERYTHING!
I can't wait for Sept. 26th, when you guys all STFU.
Matt B @ Sep 12th 2007 10:40AM
I know, I can't wait for the Crysis demo either.
JJ Rooster @ Sep 12th 2007 11:59AM
Sorry, Halo 3 will be the release of the year (maybe biggest game launch ever) and you're gonna have to sit there and take it. It's going to a tough road for PS3 fans who will try to talk up HS and Warhawk, but you'll see this is where the 360 ramps up in exposure and sales and leaves everyone in the dust. Get on board the popular train!
FrankTheCrank @ Sep 12th 2007 1:57PM
I would go out and buy a 360, but their unreliable.
3 years for a consoles life cycle is unacceptable.
When they get it right, buzz me.
Konny @ Sep 12th 2007 10:33AM
At least Halo isnt made in China like 99.9% of the non-perishable merchandise at WalMart.
Matt B @ Sep 12th 2007 10:41AM
Nope, just the box, DVD, and pamphlets inside the box are.
DrXym @ Sep 12th 2007 10:33AM
There is something admirably stupid about the way people queue up for something which is going to be on sale for days, weeks, months and even years to come. It's not like the game is ever going to sell out.
NATO_Duke @ Sep 12th 2007 11:55AM
You understand the concept of them being excited to play it right? What is the problem with them wanting it the soonest they can get it?
DrXym @ Sep 12th 2007 1:23PM
And you can understand the concept that it's just a computer game right? The same game that will be there the next day, the day after that etc.? If the game is that amazing it'll still be worth playing when you can just drop by and pick it up. After you've had time to read reviews and see if its worth buying. Why the hell queue for it? Why preorder it even? Stores are going to have stacks of the things. All you do by queuing is demonstrate to marketeers that hype is far more important for sales than quality.
rockintom @ Sep 12th 2007 5:45PM
Because, again, they want to play it as soon as possible. This is Halo. They don't need to read the reviews to buy it.
Plus, of course, some people just have nothing better to do.
timnc @ Sep 12th 2007 10:40AM
I could care less about getting it at midnight, I care about the DOG TAGS! GameStop has already convinced me to buy a Halo 3 wireless headset, Halo 3 XBOX and Halo 3 Legendary package..... and I'm not getting DOG TAGS!
Not that I would wear them, mind you.... but still I feel cheated.
doomcloud @ Sep 12th 2007 11:16AM
so all that goofy merchandising actually worked on someone
timnc @ Sep 12th 2007 12:13PM
@doomcloud
Yeah I'm trading in my original Xbox for the Halo 3 one which will have the HDMI port I desperately need since everything else I have is component. I don't have Halo 1 or 2 and the Legendary comes with both updated with HD, and I needed a wireless headset anyway. So yeah... they got me.
bloqmayus @ Sep 12th 2007 10:42AM
this has got to be the biggest marketing stunt ever for a single game. i really can't think of another one.
before this was the movie spiderman 3.
Zidek @ Sep 12th 2007 11:03AM
I work for Wal-Mart, and work the night of the release, so I more than likely wont be getting the game at release, but will probably walk away with a few of the dogtags.
Ash @ Sep 12th 2007 10:56AM
" At least Halo isnt made in China like 99.9% of the non-perishable merchandise at WalMart."
Further proof that you are just a know nothing care nothing moron. Take a class in economics before you drop out of high school.
PhoenixSS @ Sep 12th 2007 11:06AM
Am I the only one scratching their head and feeling like this whole Halo 3 thing has gotten waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out of control?
I'll be getting a copy, so I ain't knockin' on the fans here, but the hype almost has me not wanting to buy it anymore in a weird kind of way... I mean DEDICATED Halo 3 checkout lines??
Good lord... I thought Apple followers were bad with their ipods... we gamers really are the top of the consumer whore list. :(
Rususeruru @ Sep 12th 2007 11:32AM
I think it went "over the edge" when Burger King, MtDew, and Pontiac started promoting well... one of a very small number of games that doesn't actually need promotion.
On a side note does anyone find the new MtDew Code Game Wire to taste/feel like drinking pop-rocks or have I lost my mind?
Word of the street. @ Sep 12th 2007 12:06PM
Oh that reminds me, I have to get a Halo dew six pack and a Pseudo-Limited Edition controller by Sep 25 to finish the fight...
Anyway yeah I know what you mean, This limited edition stuff is getting out of hand with the limited editions and each store is giving away a lot of different crap from wallets to dog tags. Really I have never seen the word “Limited” being abused so bad since Spider-man.
Jake @ Sep 12th 2007 12:11PM
This hype isn't forced. MS isn't paying Walmart, Pontiac, BK, and everyone straight up to market their product.
The game really is that big. Walmart needs dedicated registers. BK and Mountain Dew want Halo on their product to help sell them and get attention from gamers. I had never heard of that damn Pontiac car until a Halo article at Joystiq told me about it.
If Sony called up BK and said "hey guys, we'll give you some money if you put Snake on your value meal", then BK would laugh in their faces.
The bottom line is, love it or hate it, Halo is THAT big.
I don't care about all that hype stuff though. I am just excited to play a game with the amount of development resources that Halo 3 no doubt consumed to get where it is today. My expectation is a very, very high quality product at the usual $60 price tag.
PhoenixSS @ Sep 12th 2007 12:23PM
Actually, it is all tied together. M$ has contracts with all of these companies. It's as simple as; "Hey, we know gamers dig Mt. Dew and we have this marketing deal for you if you put Halo 3 on your cans for 3 months." And of course, with the success of Halo 1 and 2, it's definitely going to sell Mt. Dew. Hell, I almost picked up a 12 pack the other day just because of the package design, before realizing I wasn't the least bit in the mood for a can of soda.
Anyway, I'm not trying to spiral this into a huge marketing debate. It is what it is. I agree that the game has some of the best resources being put into it and I can't wait to play it either.
Minus all of the server crashes, lag complaints, and locking up the first week it's out. :)
Vidikron @ Sep 12th 2007 12:24PM
@Jake
"If Sony called up BK and said "hey guys, we'll give you some money if you put Snake on your value meal", then BK would laugh in their faces."
LOL.. no they wouldn't. I'm pretty sure they would take money for advertising.
HaleysComet @ Sep 12th 2007 11:14AM
LoLZ at all the Walmart hate...
I'm definitely gonna be there at midnite then. Unless I happen to end up in FL for that major Halo event.
Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Sep 12th 2007 11:16AM
I will get mine in Target. I will get the Legendary Edition, plus, Target is giving two collectible figures for free.
FrankTheCrank @ Sep 12th 2007 11:58AM
dood U r legendary!
blooh @ Sep 12th 2007 11:25AM
i thought walmart didnt sell M games? or is halo not M
Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Sep 12th 2007 11:31AM
Walmart or any store dont sell AO titles. M titles are for sell at any store. Even Toys r Us
Rususeruru @ Sep 12th 2007 11:33AM
Walmart sells M-rated games and Un-Rated Movies... yet not CDs with Parental Advisories... interesting is it not?
Gamebreaker @ Sep 12th 2007 11:50AM
Fuck Wal-Mart. People who support Wal-Mart are propping up a fucking evil empire that for years has been waving the American flag while they shit on actual Americans, as in workers (and not just their own -- look it up).
It's easy to find out the truth about Wal-Mart, but most people look the other way and are just happy to save a few cents. Costco is an example of a company that offers great deals and service and actually does extremely well by their employers and suppliers.
www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html