Gaming Insight by Perrin Morasco
Platform: XBOX 360
The newly released “Halo: Reach” is technically the fifth installment of the Halo storyline. First came “Halo: Combat Evolved” in 2001, released in conjunction with Microsoft’s original XBOX. “Halo: Combat Evolved” is considered by many to be the finest launch title ever made. There is even some debate whether Microsoft’s original XBOX would have even survived without Halo. The statistics supported the debate, with an attach rate of over 50% for every console sold. The game went on to sell over 5 million copies (That’s a gross of over $250 million!) !) This game had no online multiplayer capabilities as there was no online service yet available. Microsoft’s Xbox Live service would not be introduced for another year.
Next came the highly anticipated “Halo 2” (2004). The developers at Bungie smartly chose to stick with what worked in the original. They improved the graphics, added more weapons, and best of all, added online multiplayer through the now well established “XBOX Live” service. The game sold 2.4 million copies in its first 24 hours on the shelf. For you movie buffs reading this, Halo 2 out grossed “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” taking the crown of the highest grossing opening day entertainment release in history, the first time a video game held this honor. (Modern Warfare 2 currently holds the crown at $401 million in a single day!) The game went on to sell 6.3 million copies and, by a wide margin, remained the most played Xbox live title until late 2006. (more…)