Toys for Kids & Adults

Air Force uses 'Halo 3' launch to find new recruits
Slip this one in thecreepyfile.

According toNew Hampshire Union Leader, a GameStop in Manchester put on a littleHalo 3launch party which involved a pre-launchHalo 2tournament. When GameStop managers announced no one under 18 was allowed to play in the tournament (asHalo 2is a M-rated game), several teens left the store, where they found the event's co-sponsor, local US Air Force recruiters.

While GameStop managers refused to let the kids playHalo 2inside the store, the recruiters offered these same kids, "…pizza, Mountain Dew and a chance to playHalo 2on a split screen from the back of a pimped-out military SUV.

While we do not know if any gamers signed their lives over to the Air Force that night, we do know that a similar event for the launch ofMadden '08last month netted two new recruits.

Does this give anyone else the heebeejeebees? Ick.

Disappointment after 'Halo 3' day one sales?
Yesterday Microsoft announced theHalo 3first-day US sales to be $170 million, which is $45 million more than theHalo 2release.

To put this in perspective,as Gamespot points out, this is more than the record breaking domestic opening weekend box office sales ofSpider-Man 3($151 million) and first-day domestic sales ofHarry Potter and the Deathy Hallows(no definitive number, but with 8.3 million copies sold at a variety of price points, the estimated haul is less than $170 million).

One would think the $170 million number is good news. Microsoft certainly seems to think so, as Microsoft Game Studios corporate vice president Shane Kim had to say of the news, "Not only is Halo 3 setting sales records, it's also redefining entertainment. Within the first 20 hours alone, we've seen more than a million Xbox Live members come online to play Halo 3–that makes September 25 the most active Xbox Live gaming day in history."

However,Wall Street analysts were hoping for a $200 million first day haul. And, as misguided and incorrect as these analysts often are when it comes to the gaming industry, the fact that sales missed that mark has, most likely, helped in the selloff we're seeing today of Gamestop's stock (GME), which has fallen 5% to $55.15.

Sure, many are simply taking a profit from the price appreciation we've seen from the stock in the run up to the release, and, yes, the stock took another hit when aUBS analyst downgraded it from "Buy" to "Neutral", but, it is my guess that neither of these detriments would have happened hadHalo 3reached that inflated $200 million.

Does it matter that that mark was invented by people who are wrong about the industry on a semi-regular basis? Unfortunately, if you're playing the stock market, then no, it doesn't. This is why Jeremy warned you last week in hisHaloeffect analysis, "…a lot of people who don't know what they're doing are going to be jumping into the gaming sector with you. Be wary of these people as they'll pull their money out at the first sign of weakness." Point proven today.

'Halo 3' Walkthrough and Guide Complete!
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Not only does this LB "Halo 3" Game Guide provide aneasy-to-read level-by-level walkthroughthat is chock full of strategies guaranteeing Master Chief's success (even on the more challenging Heroic difficulty), it also contains a detailed location guide toALL 13 SkullsandALL 7 Forerunner Terminals(pictures included in the Screenshot Version).

In addition, this guide explains all aspects of multiplayer includingCoop,Campaign Scoring,Matchmaking,Forge, andTheater.

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First 'Brutal Legend' trailer surfaces…
As a hugeTim Schaferfan (Grim Fandango,Psychonauts), I was thrilled to hear of confirmation of his latest creationBrutal Legend.

Brutal Legendtells the tale of Eddie Riggs (voiced by Jack Black), a heavy metal band roadie whose freak guitar tuning accident lands him in the middle of a Nordic fantasy world where demons have enslaved the human race. Sound weird enough? That's Tim Schafer for you.

Below is the first trailer released for the brutal little game. ExpectBrutal Legendto hit Xbox 360s and PS3s at an undisclosed date in '08.

It's official — Bungie branches off from Microsoft
While rumors have been swirling for a couple of weeks now, Bungie Studios and Microsoft made it official today: Bungie is now an independent entity, free from the grasp of Bill Gates and friends. Well, sort of…

Bungie is now a "privately held independent company, Bungie, LLC, in which Microsoft will hold a minority equity interest." Microsoft will retain theHalointellectual property rights, and first right of refusal of publication of any future Bungie creations. In exchange, the people at Bungie are now free to let their creative juices flow, work on projects on which they want to work, and work at a pace with which they are most comfortable.

All in all, it sounds like a everybody wins (particularly the gamers of the world) situation.

Bungie Press Release

Related:
'Halo 3' Walkthrough and Strategy Guide