At 6:36pm PT on Saturday night,
Halo 3's 1 billionth match went down. It was a game of Infection on Foundry that lasted a little over 3 minutes, and we imagine all those involved are
incredibly proud of how far along Bungie's baby has come. To put it in perspective, that's 2,023,153,340,764 seconds (64,109 years) of total matchmaking playtime. That's like 3 multiplayer searches in
Gears of War 2.
Another fun fact: Bungie offers that
Halo 2, a game that has topped the original Xbox Live leaderboard since its release 4 years ago, has served a total of 798 million games.
Halo 3 released on
September 25, 2007.
{ Mar 3rd 2009 at 12:01PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Markez @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:06PM
Good lord. For two of my friends, the only thing they ever, ever use their 360s for is Halo 3 multi-player. Both have owned the game since launch, and it's the only game they've played since. It's ridiculous.
bioadam @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:31PM
I'm guilty of using Xbox Live almost exclusively for Halo 3 multiplayer. The tide may have turned with COD4, but that game is especially brutal, i.e. no fun, for new players.
alu @ Mar 3rd 2009 4:16PM
same with my friends, but why is it ridiculous? what's the big deal?
some people don't have the time (work 40hrs+) or money to spend $60 on all these games.
halo3 is a great game with great reply value and one of the best multiplayer interfaces on the 360. seems like a good one to keep on playin.
Foetoid @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:06PM
"halo3 is a great game with great reply value and one of the best multiplayer interfaces on the 360. seems like a good one to keep on playin."
Yeah. Too bad it's stuck in the stone ages with controls that were surpassed before they were invented. N64 controls were far better for FPS games, nevermind Keyboard/Mouse Wiimote/Nunchuck. And yes i've played plenty of dual-analog FPS games, i've just never enjoyed them thanks to the barbaric controls and finishing the games becomes a real chore.
mynk @ Mar 3rd 2009 8:33PM
lmfao, you can handle two analog sticks at once?
dude, you dont deserve to be on a gaming blog
Peter Moore (XBL-PSN: peacebyanymeans) @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:07PM
God, I haven't played Halo 3 in forever.
Maybe I should play some today.
NaeemTHM @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:22PM
I sold my copy. Not because I wasn't happy with the game, it was because I was tired of constantly respawning only to eat a rocket 1 second later.
I freaking SUCK at Halo.
Markez @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:29PM
I really suck at it as well, which is why I don't play MP. I'll finish the campaign at some point, got about halfway a year ago and haven't touched it since.
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:32PM
I don't know what's the deal I pwn at Quake,TF2,F.E.A.R,Mediocre at COD4 and I'm also great in Battlefield but I don't seem to be good at Halo.
My main problem (other than lag) are the controls, they are super awkward. Halo 3 is the classic example of why Pc gamers hate FPS in consoles. I also hate how the sensibility works in H3,is either “arthritis” slow or “seizure” fast. You need to move while aiming because the analog stick alone won’t do the trick.
Also I hate how you can’t customize the buttons the way you want and is frustrating after playing lets say any other FPS, the controls change too much to the point you have to play for a while to get used to them.
It's also annoying the middle community (Inner community is actually good but they rarely play with anyone) is a group of effeminate homophobics,yeah that's an oxymoron right there.
Alex @ Mar 3rd 2009 4:27PM
I only played it for the first time yesterday because I have avoided it like the plague since Halo 2 scarred my soul. (Those were the pre-XBL days) Now I'm glad I only paid £9 preowned for it because it really isn't that good at all. I know for a fact the campaign isn't worth playing, and as far as I can see the MP is nothing against Burnout Paradise or even Gears.
Sorry guys.
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:57PM
Actually the Campaing is okay and for me the best aspect of the game but it ain't AAA material I found H2 levels and maps superior than those in H3.
In retrospective the best bits or what I liked about H3 was the stuff that was in other better games.For example in H3 the levels in which you can use the hornet (Not the crap you get in mp) is kinda like playing Warhawk or SWAT in Ghost Town was kinda like playing COD4.
MP only if you live in the U.S is okay but otherwise I can't honestly think in a good reason why should anyone stand Halo MP bullsh*t.Lag up the ass and believe me having a good connection is a big deal in Swords / Hammer matches.
I only play it for the achievements which with lag are a b*tch to get.
dark_inchworm (on Steam!) dark inchworm (on XBL!) @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:10PM
"That's like 3 multiplayer searches in Gears of War 2."
lllllooooolllll
Markez @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:13PM
Well done, Señor Hinkle, you BOOM ROASTED GoW2. :)
David Hinkle @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:31PM
Thanks! :)
Dave @ Mar 3rd 2009 2:19PM
i actually laughed out loud at that one :)
Deck @ Mar 3rd 2009 2:22PM
That one was great!
Conor @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:39PM
I was about to post the same thing, funniest thing I've read all day.
vedgiee @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:14PM
honestly, and halo's matchmaking doesnt have its up's and downs? I remember waiting 30+ mins for a big team battle room. stfu you stupid halo fanboys. Dont attack my ame!
BxGT @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:26PM
I remember the most i ever waited was 23 seconds for a match to start.Maybe it was your connection.On another note 30 minutes to start a match is very common in gears of war 2 and people playing internet based games is Saudi Arabia.
dark_inchworm (on Steam!) dark inchworm (on XBL!) @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:29PM
Test your Live connection. How's your NAT? Shitty? There you go.
TheEngineer @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:37PM
EDIT: Off-topic buffoonery. Enough I say! Enough!
Shadsy @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:49PM
I've had my share of waits. It's mostly brutal in the mid-10 levels because there aren't too many people like that. Searches would sometimes include people from level 8 to 20.
But it works, and it usually works fast!
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:43PM
10 minutes once but it could be related to the time zone.
Always remember to use the Preferences menu before playing online. Select my language or best connection otherwise it takes forever or you play in lagtastic matches.
Engineer could you please recreate Halo suicide Kthnxbi (Seriously go an Halo).
el serpiente @ Mar 3rd 2009 4:35PM
Sprinkles, I think that's actually your boyfriend's finger you're smelling.
Courtney @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:17PM
I wonder if, sometimes, late at night, they people at Bungie look in the mirror and see a crack dealer staring back at them.
klaus @ Mar 4th 2009 7:27PM
No, those are the people who work at blizzard
Vitamin A @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:21PM
I have contributed to a few of those, but not recently. Maybe once ODST drops I will get back in, with all the maps and everything. That is the plan. Then again, CoD MW2 should come out in the fall also, right? Hmm, I forsee lots of live time come the fall...
Ian @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:34PM
Yup, thats how I am too. I'm definitely picking up ODST, and probably Halo Wars later on today. Very excited.
GenBanks @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:57PM
Heh, you have the old L4D icon, using the right hand... Right 4 Dead :p
Vitamin A @ Mar 4th 2009 8:39AM
I know, I need to change hands.
Draimen @ Mar 4th 2009 11:22AM
Isn't that icon a left hand... not a right hand?
bioadam @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:23PM
Imagine if those 560 million man hours had been put towards curing cancer. Now imagine if curing cancer was as fun as hitting cyborgs with lasers.
DemonJ @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:24PM
Couldn't help but laugh at the "That's like 3 multiplayer searches in Gears of War 2" parts. Hats off to Halo though, I think its more accessible than COD4 but still not as good.
Markez @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:28PM
You can put your blog address in your profile, yknow. I say that because no one here cares about your blog, and nobody is going to care or read anything you say if you cite your stupid blog at the end of every post.
DemonJ @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:38PM
Why does someone always comment on that? Its an automatic "filler" almost like a forum sig that adds at the bottom of every post. If you dont wanna view it dont.
http://demonjsblog.wordpress.com/
Duke @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:02PM
No, its not - you add it with each post.
DemonJ @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:57PM
There's a feature in my internet browser, kind of like "AutoFill" which fills in certain forms with certain content, it really isnt that hard.
http://demonjsblog.wordpress.com/
FemaleOrca @ Mar 3rd 2009 3:56PM
Yeah cut him some slack, guys.
Mine has the same thing.
http://www.carstuckgirls.com/
TheEngineer @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:26PM
Edited for off-topic nonsense and lollygagging. ENOUGH LOLLYGAGGING!
NaeemTHM @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:51PM
See...now why would you say some ridiculous flame bait shit like that? Have you nothing better to do good sir?
It's a damn game, not your mother, get off it's teet.
erivera3 @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:12PM
Please. Read some of the comments about how great Killzone 2 is compared to Halo on some of the other posts. The bashing goes both ways, almost always unwarranted.
That is the on-going struggle of the fanboy war, and it may never ever end.
baby sea tuna @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:35PM
War...war never changes.
Markez @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:38PM
Sprinkles...sprinkles never changes
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:38PM
So let me guess you are a 13 year old or a man children?
Alien Lord whisperer @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:58PM
Seriously. Serious Cat time here. Do you really, I mean REALLY laugh out loud? Or do you just add that to your posts because you have nothing of importance to add and just want to pad the length of your posts?
Baby J Penn (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Mar 3rd 2009 2:54PM
@Sprinkles
"Lol and Joystiq is idiotic enough to call killzone 2 a "Halo Killer""
"Bitch please....sony wishes."
It was meant to be a joke about KZ2 outselling Halo Wars (an RTS) and wasn't meant to be taken seriously.
Jonman @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:38PM
That's quite the achievement (pun fully intended).
I contributed to a few of those in the first 6 months after launch. Then I got tired of being pwned by pre-teens. Hung onto the game because it was fun to do some co-op when friends came round. But since L4D has taken the Crown of Co-Op Funnicity, I've just recently traded Halo in. Got good value on it too.
I'm not super interested in ODST, but I might give it a whirl. Kind of on-the-fence about it.
Wise Guy @ Mar 3rd 2009 12:59PM
I'm trying to juggle COD4 and Halo 3. I love them both!!
ill trooper @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:03PM
"Halo 3: Also boring a few million"
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Mar 3rd 2009 1:36PM
Pro tip:Halo strategy (if you don't have power weapons) is this Grenade,greande shot / Melee.
Also try jumping down to the left o right,that messes up everybody especially HDTV owners like me since the game isn't configurated to run properly in 1080p so you get a lot of blind spots.
Try to hide as much as possible or just stop moving.Someone,somewhere will eventually get tired of doing the same and will start walking looking where the eff is everybody.There is your chance for a free kill.