The most obvious choice for this week is to ask everyone about Halo 3, and whether you couldn’t care less or if you’re already waiting in line checking the site on a laptop or your iPhone! But first, let’s cover the results of Dave’s question about upcoming sci-fi shows premiering this week. The results are that exactly half of you don’t care, or don’t watch any tv. Congratulations! The show that got the most people interested/excited is not very surprisingly Bionic Woman, which premieres this Wednesday at 9pm (on sci-fi), with Pushing Daisies coming in second. Unfortunately Cavemen only got one vote, which I honestly can’t remember if it was mine or not, but needless to say not many people have hopes for a series based on what is a great series of commercials but shows little hope of filling out an entire episode, much less a season. Also unfortunate is that I have only heard disappointing things about Bionic Woman as well, but we can only hope it picks up later in the season, or just becomes a hit despite its quality *cough*heroes*cough*.
Now then, based on Microsoft’s and Bungie’s rabid advertising campaigns, not the least of all including some excellently delicious Mountain Dew variants, I assume you’re painfully aware that Halo 3 comes out at midnight tonight (ie – tomorrow). This finale to the trilogy (was it a trilogy from the get-go, is it only now a trilogy, if there’s a fourth does is its trilogy-ism revoked?) is being lauded as one of the most anticipated games ever, blah blah blah, yadda yadda. The reason it’s hotly anticipated is because the brains behind the series decided to blue-ball everyone with the absolute worst “ending” ever concieved in the second game. So the question I have for you is,
[poll=42]
The hype for this game really isn’t as pervasive as a lot of people would have you think, but to me it is more in the ridiculous direction then the annoying/in-your-face approach. For instance, the Washington Post had an article not particularly about Halo 3 as a game or its launch, instead they covered how members of the Redskins football team were given an early opportunity to play the game. What’s cool about it is that they got to play the game online, against members of other football teams across the United States. The Post did actually get to discussing the game itself, and a few distinct portions jumped out to me:
Sponsoring [the Redskin’s] house party was one small part of Microsoft’s marketing blitz for the game, which the company hopes will help lift sales of its Xbox 360. It has a lot riding on the Halo 3 franchise, developed exclusively for the Xbox; the game’s previous versions sold 15 million copies.
The new game represents Microsoft’s shot to maintain its momentum against Sony this holiday season — and steal some attention back from Nintendo, whose Wii console recently passed the Xbox 360 in sales.
What the Post fails to mention is that the Wii not only passed the 360 in sales, but it did so in under half the time. They also don’t further explain what the 15 million copies sold of Halo means, if that is per game or for the franchise as a whole. Where this comes into play is when the article says:
Analyst Edward Woo estimated Halo 3 could outsell the first two versions, driving 400,000 more sales of the console this year on top of the nearly 2 million people predicted to buy the console this holiday season. Based on pre-orders for the title at game stores, Halo 3 could sell up to 3 million copies in less than two weeks, some analysts said.
I’m assuming this does not mean it will reach that earlier 15 million number referenced, as there are right now barely 11 million X-Box 360’s sold, plus the 2 million in sales predicted here and those simply because of Halo 3, and you fall a bit short of that 15 million figure simply in the amount of consoles out there which support the game. Thankfully the Washington Post does mention the Wii’s insane sales,
Although that could boost Microsoft’s business, it “won’t change the fact that the Wii has the strongest sales momentum of the consoles right now,” Woo said.
However, they quickly provide more things to scratch your head at,
To stage its debut, Microsoft’s PR team is busy giving video gaming tastemakers like the Redskins an early look. The company staged a similar session in Atlanta at the recording studio of rapper Lil Jon. Company representatives also spent five weeks touring with bands Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance — and giving those musicians an early taste of the game.
Wait, so…gamers look to the Redskins, bands like Linkin Park, and Lil Jon to recommend their futuristic FPS games? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming this on the Post at all, this is purely Microsoft’s and the Gaming Industry’s (as a whole) issue. Are they specifically pandering at the hopes of stunts like that being featured in the newspapers, and just hoping that mid-crunk-rant the prophet of nerd-dom Lil F’ing Jon will take some time out to let us know how sweet Halo 3 really is? What the hell?
Frankly I understand the logic behind them releasing halo 3 on 360. Stronger (in relative terms) plateform and OS, better graphics, better internet possiblities.. but frankly Im still a little annoyed.
I got an Xbox originally to play Halo, then Halo 2.. now they tell me I cant finish the story without shelling out a couple hundred dollars? yea ok no thanks.
I need to qualify my vote: My ROOM MATE bought it at midnight.
That seems like the best option: get someone else to buy it, then reap the rewards.
The big question I have for everyone is, do you think the hype and buzz and silly marketing is all necessary? Definitely the Mountain Dew made for one of the funniest Penny Arcade comics I’ve seen in a while, but does it make you want to buy the game more?
The way I see it, a lot of people who have 360’s have it with the understanding that Halo 3 will be out for it. And I would be willing to wager that more then 70% of the people who buy the game were already well aware of it and intended to buy it without any of the hype. Is it all necessary? Why is Microsoft blowing so much money on it?
I barely heard or saw anything about Halo 3 prior to about a month ago.
The market blitzkrieg (Yay i get to use my favorite words!) that ensued was insanity. Now given the MD commercial featuring people screaming at their TV sets in anger was amusing up until the MD flash.. I think if it was soley a Halo3 commercial it would have been awsome.
But Im not a huge Online FPS person, so the idea that theyre plugging H3 for online play mostly is disappointing.. I want the story!
but to answer your question Barton.. yeah I think its a mistake to pay so much for outside advertising with the game, focus on the game itself microsoft.. its the end of a game legacy, show some respect!
lol did you ever see the “halo: holy combat” joke? its on my blog if you want to…
Care to trade links with my humor blog? My site is http://jaysmoney.blogspot.com
If would like to trade, post my link, then comment or email me and I will post yours on my site as a permanent link. Send what you want to your link to be called and your link please.
I would appreciate the linkage, Thanks!
By the way, the Washington Post evidently didn’t wait for the latest numbers to roll in.
In August, the 360 is unsurprisingly outsold the Wii. It has been on the rise while the Wii has been on the decline. Just thought I’d share.
Here’s a link: http://blog.compete.com/2007/09/19/xbox-price-cut-match-wii-demand-ps3/
Wooglin: Judging from those charts, the 360 sold about the same as the Wii DURING the month of August 2007, but no matter what the demand is right now the Wii has still sold more units in one year then the 360 sold in twice as long. It’s pretty easy, based on that information, to say that the Wii is still much more in demand – at least that’s what I assume the Post was saying.
They specifically said “strongest sales momentum right now”. Which just isn’t true. Especially with that rise in 360 sales and the 18% drop in Wii sales.
And have you seen the Halo 3 numbers? Great googly moogly! Highest selling video game in the first 24 hours ever.
I’m just sayin’.
Wooglin: Ah okay, I went back and re-read the Post article and I definitely see your point of contention with the article there. Who knows when they got the quote from that guy, and also who knows what kind of meaning he puts on his idea of “momentum”. I’d definitely say it’s not surprising at all for the Wii to lose momentum now, considering it’s still difficult to find them in most places and all the people who -really- want one already have it.
Halo 3 has definitely set some outstanding records there, which is why I’m surprised our poll shows that most of our readers don’t even have 360’s!
I beat it, it’s a satisfying conclusion. I guess this means I should write a follow up to my beta review.
I beat it, too. It was a lot of fun on co-op!
hm, I wanted to vote, but you didn’t have an option close enough to “I walked into the company store around 3pm on release day and picked it up without any hassle or lines.”
I wasn’t midnight stand-in-line thrilled about it, but I also wasn’t going to wait a few weeks.