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[novery]

Yes, another Halo 2 thread. But I believe this question warrants its own thread. The more I think about Halo 2's November 9 launch, the more I believe that it could be the greatest game launch I have ever witnessed. What other launches are comparable? (Talking about software here, not system launches.)

Blizzard games - I know a number of stores in the U.S. did a midnight madness campaign, but nowhere near what EB is doing nationwide for Halo 2.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - I remember this launch was pretty big. Maybe even bigger than Halo 2 will be.

Any thoughts?


-rp

 

[DopeyFish]

it's one of those very rare times where i believe if i don't preorder, i'd be screwed.

 

[Ghost]

Might be the most hyped, theres plenty of competition for 'biggest' in terms of sales though.

 

[Mrbob]

Considering how big the gaming market is to when previous high profile games were released, the answer is yes.

 

[Speevy]

It's one of the few games that has no chance of getting my gaming dollars. I just didn't like the original. I'm sure it'll be worthy of its praise, though, like the first one was.

 

[Prine]

Depends on what MS plans on doing with their TV campaign

 

[novery]

Might be the most hyped, theres plenty of competition for 'biggest' in terms of sales though.

Yeah, you're right. I'm not talking about sales, but more along the lines of just how big of an event it will be.


-rp

 

[Go Go Ackman!]

The hype is legitimate though, it's fans hyping fans, not bungie's marketing department.

 

[bobafett]

Stop this Halo 2 BS please. Of course GTA will outsell Halo 2 by a large margin.

 

[teepo]

vice city.

 

[Fifty]

I don't think GTA is as big.....But it's amazing to have two games coming out within 2 weeks of one another that have stores opening at 12 AM to sell the game.

 

[Vibri]

GTA SA will sell at least double Halo 2's numbers this holiday season.

Us hardcore might be looking forward to Halo 2 more (I'm not even buying GTA SA personally), but you're mad to think Halo 2 is as big as the new GTA.

 

[Solid]

 

[Soul4ger]

Could their ads possibly be anymore trite? Jesus Christ, I'll buy the game, but enough with "The Earth will never be the same," "It calls for a savior" bullshit.

 

[Go Go Ackman!]

Goddamned motherfucker I want this game.

 

[novery]

GTA SA will sell at least double Halo 2's numbers this holiday season.

Us hardcore might be looking forward to Halo 2 more (I'm not even buying GTA SA personally), but you're mad to think Halo 2 is as big as the new GTA.

I agree. But do you think more people will line-up for San Andreas? Do you think local TV news stations will cover the San Andreas launch more than Halo 2? I'm guessing not.

Stop this Halo 2 BS please. Of course GTA will outsell Halo 2 by a large margin.

I'm sorry bobafett. I'm stupid and should have never been born.


-rp

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Goddamned motherfucker I want this game.

yep.

 

[Sho Nuff]

HATER POWERS, ACTIVATE!

 

[Kiriku]

The hype is legitimate though, it's fans hyping fans, not bungie's marketing department.

You mean a circlejerk.

 

[Go Go Ackman!]

You mean a circlejerk.

You're confusing this with a nintendo DS thread

 

[Ghost]

Okay, i just totally peed my pants.

 

[Catchpenny]

I'd say the buildup and launch for MGS2 was just as big, if not bigger, than this. They both follow a pretty similar pattern...highly praised game that sells better than expected, long wait for a sequel, heavy anticipation for that sequel from the internet and media, graphics that really push the system.

San Andreas, by contrast, is the third iteration of the series on the PS2. It doesn't have the flashy graphics that appeal to many hardcore fans, or the same internet buzz.

Just goes to show that level of hype doesn't always match the level of success.

 

[Teddman]

I still haven't pre-ordered. Any idea what stores will be doing the midnight thing? And I wonder if this game wiil be in-stock on Nov. 9th, or if that's the ship date... In other words, would the midnight store sales be done on the night of Nov. 1st?

Hey Sho Nuff, are you the same guy I'm always seeing on LIVE with Star Wars Battlefront?

 

[Go Go Ackman!]

pretty much every EB is doing it, all 3 in my city are having it i believe.

 

[king zell]

we need a "All Halo bullshit goes in here" thread soon

 

[Mrbob]

GTA SA will sell at least double Halo 2's numbers this holiday season.

Us hardcore might be looking forward to Halo 2 more (I'm not even buying GTA SA personally), but you're mad to think Halo 2 is as big as the new GTA.

I wouldn't classify the Halo series as necessarily "hardcore". 4 million + sold says the casuals dig it.

Halo 2 is much bigger than the the original in terms of hype (First game helped big time of course). Regardless of which game sells more (70 million versus 15 million and Halo 2 will keep pace roofles @ ps2), Halo 2 will be the biggest gaming event of the year.

 

[Soul4ger]

HATER POWERS, ACTIVATE!

Oh my God, it's the truth. I've had the LE pre-ordered since they announced it at E3 (and since slowass EB got it into their computer), I'm going to get it. But, seriously, it's likely to be one of the best games this year -- can't they do better than that?

 

[Fifty]

I still haven't pre-ordered. Any idea what stores will be doing the midnight thing? And I wonder if this game wiil be in-stock on Nov. 9th, or if that's the ship date... In other words, would the midnight store sales be done on the night of Nov. 1st?

Hey Sho Nuff, are you the same guy I'm always seeing on LIVE with Star Wars Battlefront?

EB had a list of stores doing it, I can look for it if you want..... The sales will be done on the 9th. The official launch date.

Wow http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/groups/halo2shop/

and here you go Tedd http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/ads/promos/halo2midnightmadness/

 

[Dave Long]

You'll be able to buy Halo 2 on any streetcorner the day it launches. You don't NEED to pre-order at all. They will make far more than enough to cover the demand. However, if you want to play at midnight on the 8th/9th, then pre-ordering will be a good idea if only because it'll make pick up easier.

I honestly think Halo 2 will outsell GTA:San Andreas through Christmas. A second sequel to a popular series is cool and everything but Halo 2 is coming three years after the first. It's much more of an EVENT game.

 

[Doom_Bringer]

Final Fantasy VII
Legend of Zelda OoT (I remember comercials/tv ads for this one! Almost bought a N64 again for this )

 

[Rodriguez]

The "biggest game launch ever" will hit on November 9th, but it won't be Halo 2 creating the buzz. It's all about FlatOut, bitches.

Master Chief am crying.

 

[Mrbob]

The "biggest game launch ever" will hit on November 9th, but it won't be Halo 2 creating the buzz. It's all about FlatOut, bitches.

Master Chief am crying.

:lol

Flatout can only be matched by the greatness of Carve.

 

[Go Go Ackman!]

The "biggest game launch ever" will hit on November 9th, but it won't be Halo 2 creating the buzz. It's all about FlatOut, bitches.

Master Chief am crying.

What's FlatOut?

 

[Scalemail Ted]

I remember being really hyped back in the day when SMB3 was coming out

 

[Soul4ger]

I remember being really hyped back in the day when SMB3 was coming out

I second this. That was pretty huge for me.

 

[Mrbob]

I suppose a movie with brand new footage of an upcoming anticiapated game could be argued to be the biggst game release of all time.

 

[Dujour]

Could their ads possibly be anymore trite? Jesus Christ, I'll buy the game, but enough with "The Earth will never be the same," "It calls for a savior" bullshit.

It goes hand-in-hand with the Halo choir music, you know, the one that sounds like the Temple of Time music.

 

[Soul4ger]

It goes hand-in-hand with the Halo choir music, you know, the one that sounds like the Temple of Time music.

Sera, you're muh darlin'. I was going to point that out, too, if anyone started to give me shit.

 

[Alcibiades]

I think Halo 2 will almost definitely outsell San Andreas or have a good shot at doing that...

That said, I think a lot of this "driven by fans" thing is really the fact that Microsoft never gave an official release date, so it's been expected as a sequel for the longest time now and it's finally arriving, and really, the biggest push I see is by Gamestore employees trying to get pre-orders for the game, not saying they aren't "fans" themselves, but they did try to push Fable and other games and two years ago it was Vice City, so I guess they see pre-order slip counts and Halo 2's been collecting them since '02, so that probably motivated them to push the title as this fall's biggest game.

I think that a lot of the casual audience that immediately bought into GTA3 and Vice City might not have stuck around, and I really don't expect San Andreas to reach sales of either (at least not initally on PS2).

 

[Joe]

i JUST pre-ordered mine at EB and got a pretty sweet postcard sized halo2 hologram thingy.

i did the usual:
me: "so im gonna get this at midnight?"
employee: "yep"
me: "definitely at midnight i'll get my copy?"
employee: ":laughing: yes"

i just had to make sure.

 

[speedpop]

Dragon Quest?

I couldn't really care how big a launch is or whether it sells more than this or that game.. as long as it plays good then I am satisfied.

 

[hobart]

Just want to second the whole sales not= hype.

Enter the Matrix sold ridiculously well... sucked... and really wasn't hyped all that much (sans the hype for the movie).

As for biggest event... the only other game I can think of seeing huge buzz over was MGS2. I remember these boards were buzzing and some of the general public was even into it. It's hard to compare today's VG market to yesterday's. GTA and Madden have openned gaming to a wider audience (namely... "cool adults"... or... it has become socially acceptable to play Madden and GTA). With that said... Midnight openning parties... websites that call random pay phones... a theatrical trailer... Halo 2 is the biggest gaming event ever.

But it won't sell as much as GTA:SA.

While Halo 2 may be the best game to own this year (debatable)... GTA:SA will be the *IT* game to own this season.

But as for gaming events... this is the most buzz I have ever seen... the most publicity created I have ever seen... and the most creative attempts at getting the word out that I have ever seen for any game. And I think anyone would agree with these statements.

It still pains me that MGS3 isn't getting the hype that I would *THINK* it should. Isn't too much over FF12 either. Ah well.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

GTASA will sell better. Frankly I think it's a bit of a Pokemon situation, where people keep predicting its a fad. We heard the same stuff before VC came out and we know how that turned out. It's possible that SA wont end up outselling VC but it'll be by a matter of a few hundred thousand difference on sales of over 5 million.

Also can't help feel that the Halo2 hype a lot of it is the same people saying the same thing over and over that's inflating the perceived volume. I think those delays also stoked the hype fires as peoples anticipation has been pushed to straining point, also giving more perceived volume. Also I don't think the amount of preorders would have some without MS pushing them so hard, including the slightly dubious claims that if you don't preorder you will not get a copy until you are old and wrinkly.

 

[Kiriku]

I'm not sure whether I should get the US version which is cheaper, or the PAL version which I'll be able to play online (if I ever make Xbox live a possibility on my modded Xbox).

And I highly doubt one would have to preorder the game to get it. I've always been able to buy the game I want on release day. Hell, even during the crazy low supply of Playstation 2 during its release, I could've bought one if I wanted to.

 

[Prine]

Yeah MGS2 was pretty much the biggest game with the internet community, and GTA SA will outsell Halo 2 by a significant margin.

With less then 4 weeks to go i am excited to see what MS have up their sleave for Halo2.

I do expect November sales to equal December sales. Probably 3-4 mill by the end of 04

 

[sonycowboy]

we need a "All Halo bullshit goes in here" thread soon

IAWTP. Especially the masturbatory threads like this one. Yes it will be beyond huge, but you can take the Master Chiefs johnson out of your mouths, you sycophants.

 

[hobart]

I'm also not convinced that SA will outsell VC.

I think the reviews for SA will read something like this: Good game... but more of the same.


How much more can R* give us? I could be wrong

 

[DarienA]

Midnight Madness campaign's aren't that much of a big deal Gamestop was doing after hours sales for Madden for chrissakes.

I'm also not convinced that SA will outsell VC.

I think the reviews for SA will read something like this: Good game... but more of the same.


How much more can R* give us? I could be wrong

Exactly how closely have you followed SA? Have you been reading the previews including the most recent one this weekend?

How much more? Alot from what these previews have been saying.

 

[werther]

No. Super Mario 3 was.

 

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

IAWTP. Especially the masturbatory threads like this one. Yes it will be beyond huge, but you can take the Master Chiefs johnson out of your mouths, you sycophants.

So says the Sony PR machine.