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Game Over! Halo 3 Zaps Wii

Game launch boosts XBox 360 sales beyond Nintendo console

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 19, 2007 12:36 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The launch of Halo 3 helped XBox 360 sales to zoom beyond Nintendo Wii, making the Microsoft system the hottest selling console in September. MarketWatch reports the extraordinary popularity of Halo 3 also helped push video game software sales up 64% over the same period last year. Game consoles were up 188% - way beyond expectations.

Consumers bought 3.3 million Halo 3 games in the first two weeks after launch. "We expected software sales to soar due to Halo 3, but hardware sales are impressive this month," said one market analyst. "The Wii had its second best month ever as more inventory made its way to stores and into consumers hands."

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, right, hands over an autographed copy of Halo 3 to the first customer Ritesh David, 17, of Bellevue, Wash., at the midnight release of Halo 3 video game for the Microsoft Corp. Xbox 360 at the Best Buy store in Bellevue, Wash., on Tuesday September 25,...
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, right, hands over an autographed copy of Halo 3 to the first customer Ritesh David, 17, of Bellevue, Wash., at the midnight release of Halo 3 video game for the Microsoft...   (Associated Press)
Tester Danny Hollefreund works on a Halo game, Friday, Oct. 5, 2007, at the company's headquarters in Kirkland, Wash. Microsoft Corp. has spun off Bungie Studios, creator of the blockbuster Halo video game trilogy, but said Friday it will maintain close ties with the company and own a minority stake...
Tester Danny Hollefreund works on a Halo game, Friday, Oct. 5, 2007, at the company's headquarters in Kirkland, Wash. Microsoft Corp. has spun off Bungie Studios, creator of the blockbuster "Halo" video...   (Associated Press)
In this photo provided by World Cyber Games, from left, Brad Early, 16, and Andrew Bui, 16, both of Puyallup, Wash., play Halo 3 for Xbox 360 for the first time in the Microsoft competition lounge at the World Cyber Games 2007 Grand Final in Seattle, on Friday, Oct. 5,...
In this photo provided by World Cyber Games, from left, Brad Early, 16, and Andrew Bui, 16, both of Puyallup, Wash., play Halo 3 for Xbox 360 for the first time in the Microsoft competition lounge at...   (Associated Press)
This image provided by publisher Microsoft Corp., shows Master Chief, the protagonist in the new video game Halo 3. In this third and final chapter in the series, Master Chief must save the galaxy from a host of evil aliens. (AP Photo/Microsoft)
This image provided by publisher Microsoft Corp., shows Master Chief, the protagonist in the new video game "Halo 3." In this third and final chapter in the series, Master Chief must save the galaxy from...   (Associated Press)
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Microsoft • Nintendo • Nintendo Wii • Sony • Xbox 360 • PlayStation 3 • Halo 3 • Electronic Arts • Madden NFL 08 • BioShock • video games

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