Halo 3 bought by 52% of US Xbox 360 owners
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Dec 17th 2007 at 7:28PM }
NPD's analyst Anita Frazier says the power of Halo 3 is evident in the fact that it clearly drove Xbox 360 hardware sales in September, even more effectively than a price cut would. Halo 3 may not make every outlet's game of the year round-ups, but it's sure to receive game of the year from Microsoft's accountants.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
gonk @ Dec 17th 2007 7:32PM
yup
jake11 @ Dec 17th 2007 8:17PM
sweet picture you got there
gonk @ Dec 17th 2007 8:20PM
are you down on the farm?
dan stabbingworth @ Dec 17th 2007 8:32PM
Get me some whiskey, boy; I'm gonna get tore up!
Kayel @ Dec 17th 2007 7:39PM
They didn't factor in how many extra copies were purchased solely for 'personal gratification'
gonk @ Dec 17th 2007 7:41PM
i'm not really a halo fan but i did just buy the helmet edition a couple weeks ago at half price
the cat helmet isn't worth it :( oh well, good for a joke
Snipermonky @ Dec 17th 2007 11:48PM
Exactly, I have a copy of Halo 3 and no 360 and I know several others who have done the same.
Justin B @ Dec 17th 2007 7:40PM
Most UNDERrated game of the year.
Patrick @ Dec 17th 2007 7:50PM
well I think the reason its not on alot of top ten lists is because it was a given, and the fact that there were so many amazing titles this year. But I also think this is good because it is not as much as a "halo box" as the original xbox was which shows alot of growth on microsoft's side.
Skippy @ Dec 17th 2007 7:53PM
Yes, with a rating of 94 on a metacritic, it's clearly been shunned by critics. Oh, it was the most successful first day entertainment launch ever, grossing over $130 million dollars, so apparently the general public hates it too. I really hope you're being sarcastic.
Jake @ Dec 18th 2007 8:59AM
I played COD4 for about 12 hours this weekend (yes, I know) and realized towards the end how good Halo 3 is. At first, I was like "COD4 is better." Then running around generic buildings and pointing and shooting people got old and I realized how shallow the gameplay really is. The strategy is plenty deep, but the gameplay is rather shallow.
Most of my buddies that were blown away by COD4 (every one of them bought it) are already back to playing at least 50% Halo 3. That game just does not get old. Perhaps it isn't GOTY this year, but it may very well be most played game on any console this year and next year! That accounts for something.
Probot @ Dec 17th 2007 7:47PM
That would explain the 50+ used copies at the local Game Crazy.
finnith @ Dec 17th 2007 7:52PM
You know who I don't like. People who keep on insulting Halo 3. Do you really think that any game could've lived up to the hype created by Microsoft. It's still a great game, it just has some balancing issues.
Geist @ Dec 17th 2007 8:11PM
I don't dislike it because it doesn't live up to the impossible hype. I dislike it because the overall game design and single-player level design is bleh at best. Multiplayer is top notch, but, well, doesn't really apply to me.
DemonGSides @ Dec 17th 2007 8:36PM
Its a multiplayer game.
Stop bitching about something thats not its main focus.
SoulBlade @ Dec 17th 2007 8:53PM
the game started as a single player experience - and devs from all over said it was a pretty good tech achievement. They've moved away from being a great single player game to focusing on multiplayer. The series didn't start out as multiplayer, so he has every right to bitch about the direction it's taken.
Geist @ Dec 17th 2007 8:55PM
I'm going to bitch because it's not a multiplayer game. If it was a multiplayer game, it would not have a single player game attached to it. Shadowrun is a multiplayer game. Note the lack of a single-player, story-driven experience. I like my single-player experiences well-made, or not at all, not like some sickly parasite attached to another part of the game.
finnith @ Dec 17th 2007 9:26PM
You can solve that by just not playing the campaign.
Geist @ Dec 18th 2007 12:46AM
I could, but that's a pretty terrible solution: say a game is good by ignoring all the bad parts.
gonk @ Dec 18th 2007 1:22AM
no this is different, it's like 2 games in one, and they're separate. it's not like story in an otherwise good game, or whatnot, where you have to suffer through the bad stuff to experience the good stuff. if you don't like halo's singleplayer, you never ever have to touch it
jovin6 @ Dec 18th 2007 7:19AM
@Geist
Don't be silly. A game is good if it delivers enough value given the price. And Halo 3 would do that even if it had no single-player content. That it has bad (but not entirely worthless!) single-player content tacked on can only give it more value for the same price, making it better.
@Soulblade
I don't know what Halo 1 you played, but mine had the most incoherent, shitty single player experience I had seen in a while. And it also had sick split screen and system link multiplayer, which I spent probably close to 700 hours with.
ill trooper @ Dec 18th 2007 7:59AM
You guys should step back and read what you're writing... You're defending something with the same exact reasoning Geist used to say he didn't like it. But somehow you think you're right and he's wrong... He SAID it was top-notch multiplayer, but that the singleplayer was not up to par.
Halo 3 was a disappointment. Single player; Corny, mediocre... Multiplayer, taken out with a headshot by Call of Duty 4. It's not Halo 2 guys, and it's not the best game on the 360 like Halo 2 was for the crucial first 6 months. Those days are over.
Microsoft should buy houses for everyone on the team who made Halo 2's backward compatibility on the 360 work so well - they really made the 360 the success it is, in my opinion. That was Halo's finest hour - excellent, system-selling online mayhem, working for both the Xbox crowd and for the earlier adopters of the 360. In fact, it's probably the reason there's sort of a Halo 3 backlash and general disappointment - People were already playing 'Halo 2' in widescreen and in HD res. Halo 2 ran well and essentially stole the steam out of Halo going "next gen" a year later with Halo 3. Everyone had their dessert already. Halo 3 didn't bear it's own weight - it's a top-seller, and that is all, in my eyes... Like Kelly Clarkson - sold a lot, but not top quality.
Stop with the excuses. Are you still playing it because it's like crack and you can't stop? Or do you only put it in your 360 because not all of your friends have all the newer games yet and you don't want to leave anyone out when it's time to play?
Zertoss @ Dec 17th 2007 7:54PM
I guess the other 48% is getting it for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/etc.
Seriously, I'd be curious to see the estimated percentage after the new year arrives.
I dunno why that interests me. I guess I just like numbers.
SoulBlade @ Dec 17th 2007 8:54PM
Yea after the holidays, it'll probably be 65-70% i think.
Morisato @ Dec 17th 2007 8:01PM
They didn't factor in the people who bought multiple 360s because their original one RRoDed... like me... and a few of the people I play with online. The percent should be higher... even though I haven't bought my copy yet... haha. I'm going to try to score a free one from the xbox live deal.
Abuzar @ Dec 17th 2007 8:19PM
You sir are a dumbass. Why the hell would you buy a new one? It's called a god-damn three year warranty.
Morisato @ Dec 17th 2007 8:25PM
There are multiple reasons why we buy multiple systems. I'm sorry your mind is incapable of understanding the reasons.
Abuzar @ Dec 17th 2007 8:29PM
Ok you just said you bought a new 360 because your old one RRODed. How is there another reason when you already stated the reason?
mcatrage @ Dec 17th 2007 8:29PM
In other words I got banned from live and/or I modified my 360 so the warranty doesn't work for me.
Abuzar @ Dec 17th 2007 8:37PM
Yeah if you flashed your xbox the warranty no longer covers your xbox.
Morisato @ Dec 17th 2007 8:42PM
65nm chip. HDMI port.
rv @ Dec 17th 2007 10:17PM
Modding a 360 is a bad idea because it can rrod at any time and you're fucked.
josh @ Dec 18th 2007 4:46PM
"They didn't factor in the people who bought multiple 360s because their original one RRoDed... like me..."
don't get up in arms... you SAID you bought a new one due to RRoD
Guzzie @ Dec 17th 2007 8:21PM
I think it's funny how everyone is complaining about it being overrated. Honestly I loved Halo 1 and Halo 2 was major shit. Halo 2 was severly madly over rated. It pains me to think that it is ranked higher than Half Life, KOTOR, or Oblivion.
Halo 3 returns back to an enjoyable experience. A fantastic campaign and best-on-console online multiplayer experience.
Oscar @ Dec 17th 2007 8:31PM
I'm sorry but Call Of Duty and even The Orange Box on 360 kicks Halo's arse for all i'm concerned. Best console multiplayer experience? Yeah right. Ever played Team Fortress 2?
dan stabbingworth @ Dec 17th 2007 8:34PM
Please. Team Fortress 2 is not even half the experience Halo 3 is. Every other part of the Orange Box blows Halo 3 out of the water, but TF2? Get real.
SoulBlade @ Dec 17th 2007 8:56PM
TF2 is arguably the best team multiplayer experience out there... not sure who's said that about Halo 3 after playing TF2.
Jeff @ Dec 17th 2007 10:05PM
I was discussing this with a friend today. I think Halo is among the best singleplayer multiplayer experiences, if that makes any sense. Even if its a team game, you're usually worrying about yourself, your kills, how you're doing compared to everyone else. Teamwork isn't the most important thing; you can carry a team by yourself.
Team Fortress, on the other hand, lives up to its name. It is built so strongly around team play that it encourages gameplay like nothing else-- although something many other games try for. True team play. That is what makes it so fun.
Maybe I'm biased. I can play it with 32 people serves usually... with the option for modded 64 person servers. =)
Slaziman (B-B-BRUSHED WITH FAAAAME) @ Dec 18th 2007 7:17AM
After a while the classes and the limited maps get really old, seriously in TF2 all you do in 2 of the maps is put down sticky bombs and sentry guns at the control points like there is no tomorrow. If your team isn't teamplaying, it's not very fun. I end up having to be the spy all the god damn time because everyone else is playing Heavy and Medic.
The Jaded @ Dec 17th 2007 8:26PM
52%? That seems awfully low.
s00pcan @ Dec 17th 2007 8:26PM
The other 48% pirated it :)
Abuzar @ Dec 17th 2007 8:34PM
I don't think flashing is that widespread in the xbox 360. Not like the good old solder in a modchip days. It's probably because people actually seem to NEED that warranty these days. Back in the xbox days, you just didn't care about the warranty.
My xbox has been replaced 11 times so yeah the warranty was badly needed.
gonk @ Dec 17th 2007 8:45PM
rrod is m$'s way of preventing 360 modding! omg you heard it here first
Eddie @ Dec 17th 2007 8:36PM
Hate on Halo all you want, yeah yeah you're a real rebel, jackass, we can all see how much more "hardcore" you are than us. Can you go back to playing WoW while we have (oh my God) fun?
And yeah, thanks, we'll break EVERY ENTERTAINMENT RECORD THERE IS while we're at it.
(Psst: I'll see you on multiplayer later with the new DLC maps wink wink)
tmacairjordan87 @ Dec 17th 2007 9:12PM
every 1 DAY record, too bad in the overall scheme of things 1 day records mean nothing. Halo 2 did the same thing, had a massive burst then faded in sales as it just barely squeezed into the top 25 list. Halo 3 is doing the same thing if not even worse because of all the better games out there this year
tmacairjordan87 @ Dec 17th 2007 9:15PM
hmm i should clarify that last statement cause it looks like i contradict myself. I mean with a game that's hyped like halo is you'd think it would cruise to be the biggest selling game ever, when it's nowhere close
gonk @ Dec 17th 2007 9:27PM
halo 3's already sold like 5 million copies worldwide. I don't think they care about fading out, they've already made their investment back
ill trooper @ Dec 18th 2007 8:13AM
Sales aren't the only factor I use to judge a game, and the word 'jackass' is for people with no creativity in their mudslinging. Only exceeded by 'douchebag.'
Yeah I am cooler than you. I know that because I don't defend a game by saying "it sold a lot, and set records."
McDonalds sells a lot of hamburgers but that's not the best way to eat, understand?
Eddie @ Dec 18th 2007 11:13AM
Aren't you really just a follower if you just find what's popular and align yourself against it?
nutman @ Dec 17th 2007 8:46PM
Im not surprised at the attach rate, nor a I surprised at the amount of copies i see in gamecrazy/gamestop. People get tired of games and Halo 3 is the best selling game on the 360 as of right now so obviously youre bound to see more used copies. You also have to factor in the people who do not have a gold XBL account.
As for Halo 3 singleplayer..I really enjoyed. Especially the covenant level and the last level. Both were total nostalgia moments for me. So awesome. My only complaint was that they kinda messed up the storyline that was really good in Halo 2. The arbiter was a character with emotion and development. You could actually connect to him in a way. In Halo 3 they threw that out and made him into Chewbacca.