Hype is a powerful tool. Just look what it did for Snakes on a Plane. Without all that internet publicity it got, it would've never been successful at all. Hype can be used as a powerful marketing tool, but I haven't seen anything use it like Halo 3.
The weeks before its release the internets were abuzz with information. Halo 3 fans flooded forums and boards like ravening beasts, eager to utilize their caps lock to the full extent against anyone who spoke ill of their messiah, the Master Chief. Ads erupted all over websites, commercials infected TV's across the world.
And then the day before it was released, it all exploded. Halo cultists lined up in droves at their local Gamestops, people were3 finally seeing how serious some people were about this damn game. And the most ridiculous thing was the New York release.
In case you didn't see it, go to Youtube and prepare to go "What the ********." A quick summary would be thousands of people were in line, Microsoft CLOSED DOWN 5th avenue (Think about that) and they had 3 mongooses (ATVs from the game) drive down and around the street while a Halo 3 Hummer rolled up, an armor clad Master Chief emerged, and delivered the first copies to the two guys in the front of the line. These were those two people:
Yeah. He is THAT happy. He is feeling some kind of higher power run through his body, and he is screaming in ecstasy because he can now go home and play a game he has waited 2 years for. LOOK AT HIS FACE! See the raw, animal like FURY? The fanaticism burning in his eyes?! Imagine what would've happened if someone had cut him in line.
Now with all those fans, there is also the big group of people trying to be cool by acting jaded, saying, "Oh Halo 3 sucks I play much better games." Or the highly intelligent "Halo 3 blows." With anything that popular, there is of course going to be a horde of people that will damn its name until their dying breath.
Is it worth all that hype?
Hell no.
Does it suck?
Hell no.
Its just good. If you like shooter games its fun, if you don't, its not for you. Playing online is pretty awesome, but again its not for everyone. And it perplexes me that so many people even love the master chief the way that they do.
HE DOESN'T ******** TALK! He is the most boring video game character to date. Gordon Freeman doesn't talk in Half Life but at least we get to see his face and hear more about his back story.
And there is a movie in the works. If you hate Halo, I'm sorry that you will surely see MORE merchandising and advertisements in the future for the franchise as they bleed it dry for very dirty sexy penny it is worth.
And if you love Halo...well I guess you can keep jerkin it to the Chief.
Me? I'm gonna play some Guitar Hero.
Community Member
=ZM=