Gamers Drop $170 Million on First Day of 'Halo 3' Sales

Associated Press

SEATTLE - Video game enthusiasts in the United States plunked down about $170 million (euro120.34 million) on copies of "Halo 3" in the 24 hours after the Xbox 360 game went on sale, Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday.

"'Halo 3' has become a pop-culture phenomenon," Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios, said in a statement.

The game, which was developed by Microsoft-owned Bungie Studios, completes the saga of helmet-clad Master Chief and his quest to save humankind from aliens.

Fans pre-ordered more than 1.7 million copies of the game, and more than 10,000 stores opened at midnight Monday to start selling, according to Microsoft. The much-anticipated launch was marred only slightly by reports that limited-edition packaging left scratches on game disks.

"The initial demand we've seen for 'Halo 3' has been astounding," Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy, said in a statement.

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