Chris Lee, a product manager from Microsoft, points out that Halo didn't have an awareness problem, it had a perception problem for being too hardcore. Looks like the team's efforts to make the Master Chief mainstream worked out. Halo 3 ended up becoming one of the best selling games last year.
Halo 3 marketing designed to not make Master Chief a 'reckless American cowboy'
Chris Lee, a product manager from Microsoft, points out that Halo didn't have an awareness problem, it had a perception problem for being too hardcore. Looks like the team's efforts to make the Master Chief mainstream worked out. Halo 3 ended up becoming one of the best selling games last year.
The Master Chief vacuum totally sucks
Now, we know the fine people of Samsung can't exactly start branding this with a Halo logo, but if we see one ad that tells us it's time to "Finish the fight ... against dust and allergens" we're going to be sorely tempted to finally invest in a vacuum.
[Thanks, eldee]
Master Chief speed painting is incredible
His art is fantastic, that's a given. But the special thing about macpulenta should become pretty quickly. Namely: He's a drawing android. Or he's using magic. If there's any other excuse for the speed with which he's able to render our favorite Spartan, we'd love to hear it.
[Thanks, Moo]
Active camouflage Spartan from McFarlane toys
Expanding on their series of Halo 3 dolls, McFarlane toys started pre-orders today on the Halo 3 Active Camouflage Spartan figure. The action figure is modeled after the EVA Armor and will not be sold in stores. Pre-order registration begins today and runs through Dec. 12, the figure will be available in May '08.McFarlane also produced a set of Halo 3 controllers and a slew of other Halo figures. Wonder if McFarlane will come out with a Halo camouflage controller, which would consist of two clear pieces of plastic as the controller's body? Easy money.
[Thanks TMD]
Today's apologetic video: Blame Halo 3
When he's not bringing Shatner back, MySpace user, James at War turns Akon's apologetic anthem, Sorry Blame Me, into a Halo 3 tribute.And while it's an attempt to appease the videogame widows as much a song about the game, notice how the lyrics never take responsibility; you can sense the singer slinking back to the game during the slow fade-out. Yes, that sounds like a typical gamer to us.
Watch the music video after the break, and hum it to your loved ones.
Today's sequelier video: Master Chief Sucks At Halo 3
Well, you thought maybe he was down for the count with the release of Halo 3, right? Master Chief would be far too busy to make a sequel. Perhaps even too busy to utter a single lolololololol. Well, you were wrong. Here's the proof. He's been drinking Halo 3 Mountain Dew, reading Halo novels, and wearing the Halo 3 helmet.
You get to see how Master Chief puts his little videos together, how he types, and how l33t he is. Just check out the headshot he manages to get. We can hardly wait for Master Chief Sucks At Halo 4. There's gonna be one, right? RIGHT?! We'll be here, waiting.
If you haven't seen the original Master Chief Sucks At Halo, or the sequel, then you've been missing out. Check 'em out, and then take a gander at part three.
Joystiq megareview: Halo 3 campaign

James Ransom-Wiley is our most learned reviewer, having been locked in a small room with Halo 3 weeks before most had even managed to get it leaked into their hands. From there, Jason Dobson fills the role of 'teh n00b' -- his Halo experience can be summed up in a single statement: Um, I know it's a space-alien shooter... Finally, yours truly, Jared Rea, is the be-all-end-all Master Chief groupie. Shall we proceed?
Master Chief papercraft is pinnacle of sadness
Oh cruel fate! Here we are, delivering this exquisite Master Chief papercraft to you complete with instructions, and the only people who would likely take the time to replicate something like this are, you know, playing Halo 3. Bitter irony, thy name is papercraft.Luckily, the artist's work does not have to be in vain. Laymen like us can appreciate the wood pulp-based sculpture from afar without having to actually pick up the scissors and glue. ... Come to think of it, when the Halo dolls become sentinent (and they will) it's probably better that we have as few of these things lying around as possible.
[Via Wonderland]
Today's one-to-one-scale video: Fan-made Halo helmet
The race is on to hollow-out the Legendary box into a small, pet-wearable helmet. Watch this fan build a human-wearable one from scratch after the break.
Continue reading Today's one-to-one-scale video: Fan-made Halo helmet
Analysts: Halo 3 shipping 4.2 million first week; Xbox may finally show profit
The September NPD numbers expected in mid October will be incredibly interesting in terms of the Halo effect. Halo 3 is guaranteed to be the top selling game (only an act of whatever deity you believe in could stop that at this point), but we're more interested to see the Xbox 360 sales figures. Goldman Sachs expects the momentum of the Halo launch to last well into next year. Wait, hold up ... are they saying Microsoft could have two profitable quarters in the Xbox's entertainment and devices division? *faint*
[Via GameDaily]
Today's most awkward video: Master Chief and your girlfriend
Continue reading Today's most awkward video: Master Chief and your girlfriend
McFarlane Halo toy details and price

This would not be the first time in recent memory McFarlane and Microsoft collaborated. McFarlane also did the art for a few official Halo 3 controllers that came out this year as well. The action figures do look nice even as prototypes and the $14 price isn't half bad. And we do get a chuckle knowing somewhere out there this spring a little boy will play out inappropriate scenes between his Halo and Gears of War
[Via BBPS]
Halo 3's final days of marketing assault
It starts Saturday on Comedy Central with Fully Loaded, two-minute mini-ads hosted by Mad TV's Bobby Lee, which were taped at Tao Beach nightclub following the Madame Tussauds unveiling on the weekend of the MTV Video Music Awards. Spike TV's Game Head will host a live feed Monday night, breaking in with coverage during commercial breaks, and then air a half-hour special at midnight called: Halo 3 Launched. That program will feature a performance by Linkin Park. G4 has also set five hours of time aside for the launch as well. On Tuesday, Sci Fi Channel will show Halo 3: Sci vs. Fi. Of course, we'd love to stay home and watch all this launch coverage, but we'll be too busy doing our own coverage, which mostly consists of us waiting in line like everybody else, taking photos and getting quotes.
Halo lotto tickets and lingerie nixed from marketing blitz
Sure, you might think the Halo 3 marketing campaign has been a bit excessive, but that was before you knew what ideas were rejected.According to a Reuters article, items that "did not make the cut" were Halo-themed lottery tickets and lingerie modeled after curvy artificial intelligence Cortana. And just like that, our dreams of laying in bed gaming while our significant others play two-dollar "Scratch-Off Plasma Grenade" tickets in a skin-tight hologram two-piece have been destroyed.
Also referenced by the article, though more likely a humorous example by the writer than an actual proposed marketing idea, were Covenant sippy cups and Master Chief pajamas. We're curious about Microsoft and Bungie's stance on Master Chief joining the "Got Milk" campaign: Times are tough, humans are dying. You're going to need more than a plasma rifle and Spartan armor to survive intergalactic civil war. You're going to need strong bones.
[Image from Ctrl+Alt+Del]
Halo-themed 360 arrives on Sunday

That just leaves you 2 days to decide whether or not to take the plunge. The question is really more of personal one: Is it worth it to you to pay $400 for a 20GB 360 featuring a headset, a Spartan green-and-gold finish, a Play and Charge Kit and permanent guaranteed virginity? That's something you'll have to decide for yourself.























