World Awaits Halo 2
27 countries receive Halo 2 this week.
This week marks the global launch of the most eagerly awaited Xbox game of the year. After a three year stint in development, Bungie's first-person shooter Halo 2 is headed to stores around the world amid a flurry of media attention and fan anticipation.
The festivities kick off tonight in the US with more than 7,000 retailers opening at 12.01am to pass the game on to a frenzied audience.
But it doesn't end there. Launch events are being planned in every corner of the planet, including in the UK, where the game is officially released later this week.
All in all, 27 countries will receive Halo 2 this week, in one of eight different languages.
While industry analysts are quick to compare the videogame industry to Hollywood, the release of Halo 2 demonstrates just how much the videogame industry has grown.
"With more than 1.5 million copies already pre-ordered, day-one sales of Halo 2 look to herald the biggest 24 hours in entertainment retail history," said Microsoft's Peter Moore.
"By the end of this week the world will be playing Halo 2 - and with our Xbox Live online service, fans will literally be banding together across the globe to fend off Covenant invaders."
Halo 2 is released exclusively for Xbox on Thursday, 11 November. Read our full review here.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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