In a year when Hollywood is launching its biggest blockbusters ever, one video game may well conquer them all. Halo 3, the final chapter in the groundbreaking Halo trilogy, is preparing to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide on 25 September.

Created by Bungie Studios and exclusive to the Xbox 360, Microsoft says Halo 3 will raise the bar for interactive story-telling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in Master Chief’s epic battle to save mankind.

Xbox New Zealand Product Marketing Manager Tom Hunt says, “Halo 3 is much more than a video game release – it’s potentially the biggest entertainment event of the year. Gaming fans have been waiting with bated breath since 2004 for the chance to revisit the Halo legend and finish the fight in stunning high definition.”

In November 2004 Halo 2 generated a record-setting US$125 million in sales within the first 24 hours. Three years later, it remains the single most-played game on the Xbox Live network, with nearly one billion hours of online gaming logged to date.

The announcement of the Halo 3 launch date comes on the eve of the release of the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, which will debut to audiences worldwide via Xbox Live tonight at 12am and run through to 7 June at 7pm New Zealand time.

The Halo 3 multiplayer beta will provide audiences worldwide with an exclusive, early look at some of the multiplayer elements of Halo 3 on Xbox Live.

Gamers who are interested in experiencing the multiplayer beta of Halo 3 can still participate through the purchase of Xbox 360 exclusive title Crackdown which launched in February.

The specially marked copies of Crackdown will act as a key for gamers to participate in the Halo 3 multiplayer beta. In addition to giving gamers their first opportunity to get their hands on the new levels, weapons, vehicles and game types, the multiplayer beta will also provide valuable data that Bungie will use in continued development.