Halo 3 Passes 1m Pre-Orders, Master Chief Merchandising Goes Crazy News

With the recent delay of GTA 4, it seems little stands in the way of Master Chief's triumphant return as the blockbuster release of 2007.

Confirming that pre-orders have passed the one million mark to-date across North America, the figure is rapidly approaching the 1.5 million generated three weeks prior to the launch of Halo 2 and makes the third chapter the fastest selling in videogame history according to US retailers.

"This September, 'Halo 3' will push video game entertainment into the forefront of mainstream culture," said Chris Di Cesare, director of creative marketing at Microsoft. "Teaming up with some of the world's strongest and most recognizable brands is trailblazing new paths and cementing video games as big entertainment on par with major event films, and is a testament to the excitement and anticipation intrinsically linked to 'Halo 3.'"

Employing a string of blatant cash-in's poorly masquerading as the merchandising partnerships that underpin American capitalism, Microsoft will be working alongside companies such as 7-Eleven, Burger King, Mountain Dew, Comcast and Pontiac to promote the release, paving the way for Master Chief Y-Fronts, Lunch Packs and much, much more...

Hopefully, the launch will be toned down a little to suit our slightly more reserved tastes across Europe.

"What we've experienced is nothing short of phenomenal," said Bob McKenzie, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop Corp. "'Halo 3' has eclipsed many previous records and will prove to be one of the must-have items of 2007."

"The excitement for 'Halo 3' is incredible," said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy. "From our preorders online and the buzz we're hearing in our stores, we know this release is going to be one of the biggest entertainment events of the year. We're thrilled to be able to bring it to our customers."