marketing halo person shooter video game halo focus extensive marketing campaign began game developer announcing game trailer microsoft game publisher planned marketing strategy maximize sales appeal casual hard core gamers produced trailers video documentaries promote game firms licensed products including action figures toys halo branded released anticipation game franchise utilized promote game advertising campaign ultimately cost million release set industry records mainstream press fully involved covering game microsoft strategy fully involve casual readers press story advertising promotions led wired state release halo week event stretched far little gaming world new_york_times wanted cover released september halo biggest entertainment debut history earning million days selling record copies week sales halo marketing won awards cited evidence increasing mainstream popularity games development global group product manager microsoft said marketing conference halo marketing team mandate microsoft executive don screw marketing organization handled microsoft corporate vice president global marketing executive key challenge team identified early core gamers knew game coming perception problem wanted invite people console xbox play halo mass market entertainment product according product manager halo released xbox exclusive marketing push sell xbox consoles encountered sluggish sales microsoft planned advertising promotions appeal casual hardcore gamers marketing strategy stage kick marketing television commercial second stage beta test game drive press attention stage start alternate reality game fourth phase partner promotions capped final advertising campaign titled believe microsoft forms viral marketing promotion including alternate reality game main focus company efforts traditional media outlets interest title gaming community microsoft feel need run social media campaign instead banking gaming community spread word focus traditional media help expand fan base established gamers convince public game cultural milestone build public interest microsoft public statements halo surpass media sales records including july record million set launch microsoft target sell million copies game marketing research suggested halo faithful counted buy meaning copies sold non fans marketing goals attract audience halo nation break sales records short halo true cultural phenomenon team goals selling target number copies making halo biggest entertainment launch promotional videos significant form marketing release videos partnered companies create advertisements produced video documentaries detailing scenes development aspects halo including enemy additions multiplayer game features released shortly game announcement making style video final debut september trailers shorts halo officially announced cinematic trailer rendered real time shown microsoft press conference trailer set dry plains africa ruins space elevator damage visible master chief slowly revealed walking smoke dust occasionally obscured distorted images artificial intelligence message composed portions character lines line poem hollow men distorted voice deliberate clue character halo staff member stating don know happened don know sort bizarre sort voice wrong trailer featured music donnell addition piano brass section classic halo theme advertising company created second trailer aired december video mix computer created graphics live action computer graphics produced directed spot dubbed night seen million viewers broadcast watched million times youtube september final trailer shown july consisted actual campaign gameplay video halo included series videos directed proposed director possible halo film produced unlike previous trailers videos shorts depict halo universe live action setting production collaboration asked shorts said hoped help interest movie studios currently inactive movie project lost studio support october released compilation videos edited landfall live action video titled originally shown followed short combat featured human vehicles weapons final video series aired october discovery channel promote reality standing short ties events depicted beginning halo begins master chief earth believe campaign major advertising campaign halo release series videos marketed tagline believe beginning september videos estimated cost million directed known video game advertisements depict generic representation single battle halo live action videos featured elderly war veterans war role master chief played believe website allowed visitors pan length massive square feet size feet tall human figures represented twelfth scale according microsoft unusual presentation model computer graphics chosen look themes lie heart halo trilogy war duty sacrifice importantly heroism master chief built collaboration los_angeles california based director actors stand marines capturing facial expressions basis character assets including alien models armor recreated rebuilt reuse twisted city ruins set inspired bombed afghanistan suburbs special attention paid creating photo realistic setting halo public beta testing april announced beta test multiplayer component halo run june open select members public players enter beta ways selected signed website following night commercial players register playing hours halo xbox live players buy specially marked copy xbox title crackdown allowed players download beta release public portion beta consists play multiplayer maps high ground public beta contained limited version saved films feature allows players save watch played games day public beta began problems reported owners crackdown download beta announced microsoft team found solution issue resolved shortly patch distributed crackdown fixed problem extended beta june compensate issue according global group product manager allowing users beta created psychological investment game idea basically beta launch huge let launch drive gaming press beta caused spike retail version game alternate reality game component marketing alternate reality game called iris alternate reality games involve cross media gameplay player participation previously promotion form influential award winning love bees soon halo public beta ended user named appeared official halo forums began posting advertisement leaked web days earlier revealing web address interactive comic manipulated reveal addresses series sites website home society group supposedly interested evidence forerunner artifacts left earth featured forerunner object gradually revealed text logs video clips merchandise promotions launch halo coincided release games action figures toys developed game entitled released september game features miniature figures halo universe including characters vehicles figures occasionally bundled game promotional packs stores united_kingdom offered master chief pre orders halo legendary edition previous halo action figure series produced produced sets halo related action figures addition articulated figures released released detailed november companies produced halo figures statues include japanese company specializing high end statues division spawned famed physical effects company auctioned statues lineup specially cast solid sterling silver auction august microsoft collaborated companies produce halo themed merchandise promotions retailers vendors created variant called game fuel sold version drink announced special promotion starting september featuring halo designs characters food microsoft sponsored car driven chip racing dover cup series featured halo inspired featuring title game printed prominently hood rear large pictures master chief rear launch impact retail stores united_states held midnight launch parties halo release addition locations globe microsoft coordinated multiple city launch parties staff members travelled world host parties addition launch party held workplace attended new_york_city launch party sponsored launches featured prize chances fans play halo celebrities team members london devoted halo areas united_kingdom cancelled midnight launches fearing large crowds halo successful release game million sales day release generating money hours american entertainment property point halo additional million week end sell million units end month halo sold million units united_states total million units worldwide making best selling game united_states critics publications pointed massive marketing launch halo evidence video games finally hit mainstream video game critic pointed halo phenomenon evidence video games stating like movies radio television games accepted popular culture capitalize mainstream attention sister site noted microsoft contends marketing push necessary maintain appearance big budget mass media event awards microsoft won halo launch andy awards believe campaign won grand prize halo advertising won gold silver cube distinctive merit certificates annual awards ceremony awards relating believe campaign
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