Halo: Reach doubles UK 360 sales

By Johnny Minkley Published 21 September, 2010

Chart-Track sees 99% jump.

The widely-publicised launch of Halo: Reach helped double sales of Xbox 360 in the UK last week, according to official chart monitor Gfk-ChartTrack.

Bungie's shooter had a "marked effect on hardware sales", with Xbox "up 99 per cent" for the week ending 18th September, director Dorian Bloch revealed to Eurogamer this afternoon.

Halo: Reach, which launched last Tuesday, 14th September, shifted an estimated 300,000 copies in its first 24 hours at UK retail, and went on to enjoy the fifth biggest-selling launch week ever.

Nevertheless, Halo: Reach's effect on Xbox 360 sales falls well short of the 1000 per cent increase that was fuelled by the launch of the Xbox 360 S model earlier this year.

Eurogamer understands that sales of GAME's limited-edition Halo-themed Xbox 360 played a significant part in the upsurge.

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About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

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Comments (34) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Uncle_Fishboy #1 1 year ago

    Tits

  • epiazk #2 1 year ago

    Can't say it makes me happy to see Halo do well :(

    (oh whatever with the -23 :p, its one of the most derivative games I've ever seen, its one original feature being regenerating health, which frankly has killed the modern FPS in my eyes, neg away!)
    Edited by 1 at 21/09/10 @ 17:45

  • CaptainQuint #3 1 year ago

    Long may it reign. Incredible game.

  • carlitoswagon #4 1 year ago

    They're not gay, they're just sensitive.

  • Bahumet #5 1 year ago

    Who cares! We all knew it would do well...hell even I bought it, but I'm fed up about reading about its sales figures on an almost daily basis! This is a gaming website, not a financial analysis site. Go on...start negging me then.

  • riceNpea #6 1 year ago

    i have a Mafia II themed Xbox. its like a normal one but covered in sour grapes.

  • Negotiator #7 1 year ago

    A system seller, something not many games can do.

  • Negotiator #8 1 year ago

    A game thats sells consoles, that excites people enough to go out and invest in a new system. A system that they otherwise would have ignored, thats what I like to call a system seller.

  • Goodfella #9 1 year ago

    @ Bahumet

    I almost bought it, can't really afford it but yeah, the news items are getting a bit obvious, worst of all is that damn commercial for the game every where.

  • waggy79 #10 1 year ago

    "Who cares! We all knew it would do well...hell even I bought it, but I'm fed up about reading about its sales figures on an almost daily basis! This is a gaming website, not a financial analysis site. Go on...start negging me then. "

    Why would anyone neg you for that? Its a fair comment. The game deserves all the praise its getting, but multiple stories a day about sales is a bit much.

  • ro-kurorai #11 1 year ago

    Well, I guess everybody knows that Halo sells 360s ;)
    Those numbers are surely impressive but Japanese players proved once again how to define the term system seller :p

    Even Halo is dwarfed by Pokemon ^^
    Edited by 1 at 21/09/10 @ 17:30

  • Goodfella #12 1 year ago

    Yeah, I find it hard to believe that a console that's already had 2 Halo games (3 if you count Halo Wars) is suddenly going to be attractive to people for the first time because Reach is out.

  • riceNpea #13 1 year ago

    Bahumet has a point. it is getting very tiresome EG.please curtail all these short, repetitive articles about sales made or predicted sales. you're beginning to like the sound of your own voice.

    i say this with much love...

  • captain-future #14 1 year ago

    Eurogamer understands that sales of GAME's limited-edition Halo-themed Xbox 360 played a significant part in the upsurge.

    How? Why? What? (I'm not a UK resident so... what's the story?)

  • riceNpea #15 1 year ago

    " I almost bought it, can't really afford it but yeah, the news items are getting a bit obvious, worst of all is that damn commercial for the game every where. "

    @ Goodfella

    firefox is a godsend with their adblock app.

  • Monkeyspoon #16 1 year ago

    I kinda hope Reach is the last Halo game. It's Bungie's baby and now they've moved on. I dont want Microsoft to ruin it with yearly updates.

  • ro-kurorai #17 1 year ago

    Don't worry monkeyspoon, MS isn't Activision after all ^^
    Edited by 1 at 21/09/10 @ 18:21

  • des #18 1 year ago

    surprise,surprise

  • Monkey_Puncher #19 1 year ago

    Games Industry in 'People still want to play Halo' shocker!

  • Machiavellian #20 1 year ago

    Bahumet has a point. it is getting very tiresome EG.please curtail all these short, repetitive articles about sales made or predicted sales. you're beginning to like the sound of your own voice.

    Maybe it's me but I do not see the point or understand the reason to complain about these types of articles. If I see a news item I am not interested in, it's the easiest thing in the world for me to ignore it. I do not have to make a comment about it or even read it. Maybe this is a skill you get when you get older. You find it very easy to ignore something no matter how much attention it gets.

    I will say that it surprises me that Halo Reach would make an impact on 360 hardware sales. You would think the market for the game is already mature on the 360.
    Edited by 1 at 21/09/10 @ 20:47

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #21 1 year ago

    ro-kurorai

    Doesn't Microsoft control the rights to Halo though?

  • albinac #22 1 year ago

    microsoft is realy promoting this game to bits.nearly every video clip i watch on the gamming web sites always has a reach add before said video.stupid articles talking about its sales on a daily basesis and redicules reviews giving it a perfect score when the ai of the npc´s is absolutely crap like you couldnt imagine but it dose deserve a 90 or 92 %,i should know because i have it and it is a real challenge on legendary and the multiplayer is realy good.it all depends on you tastes but codmw2 is just as good but with a different aproach and if you are unable to notice this you can not call yourself a gamer.

  • man.the.king #23 1 year ago

    @riceNpea

    "firefox is a godsend with their adblock app. "

    And don't forget NoScript ! That, along with FlashBlock and Nuke Anything Enhanced , makes my web browsing a clean, simple experience - I never see the ads or banners that many posters on here complain about.

  • BadDevotions #24 1 year ago

    a 99% increase is not double

    /pedant

  • coolbritannia #25 1 year ago

    Dear EG, please continue to post stories about the success of the best game series in the world. One nation unto Halo.

  • rcricky001 #26 1 year ago

    just emagine final fantasy 7 hd'd on ps3,now that would be a system seller!

  • gjgjg #27 1 year ago

    99% increase YoY or WoW or what?

  • darkmorgado #28 1 year ago

    Can I just say that, based on these figures and aside from any consideration as to the quality of the game in question, that we can now f*cking shut up about any dispute as to whether Halo is a "system seller"?
    Edited by 1 at 22/09/10 @ 04:35

  • darkmorgado #29 1 year ago

    @Negotiator

    You know what? I have tried so hard to justify taking your comments on balance. I really have. I have tried incredibly hard to say to myself "he's not a fanboy or a troll, he is just strongly expressing his opinion".

    You know what? You are nothing more than a fanboy or a troll (I would argue the terms are interchangeable). Everything you post is explicitly negative and designed to elicit a reaction. The irony is that your chose username seem to actually imply a disposition towards reasonable debate. I think that, perhaps for personal reasons, I took that lierally.

    In summary, I've really tried my best to find a reason to defend you. Unfortunately, you really are just an utter, contrary, baiting c*nt.

  • saintedd #30 1 year ago

    I bought one yeah shame on me,but to be fair it was a good deal,and it was to replace the old 20GB one thats RROD 3 times.

  • Johnsters #31 1 year ago

    I bought a new xbox a few months ago (after having the PS3 since launch) just to scratch an old itch of not being able to play particular IP. So I bought Mass Effect 2 (really like), L4D2 (again really like), Gears2 and Forza 3 - both of which are good examples of their genre. THink I got the 4 games for Ł44 total @ play.com.

    I was then looking forward to playing Halo Reach as I have never played any Halo game. Single player campaign is ok. Had one quick go at online multiplayer and thought uh-oh, Unreal Tournament and jumped out. When I empty an entire clip of ammo into an opponent, I like them to be dead.

    Maybe I'll take a look at the other style of matches online. But so far, not impressed. But that could be what I am used to (ie COD)

  • Cronan #32 1 year ago

    @Johnsters It's not my fault you suck. Come to think of it, it's not Halo's either. ;-)

    Also, interesting anecdote, friend.

  • coolbritannia #33 1 year ago

    Ah Johnsters, you join an ever growing line of Halo noobs who have graced these comments pages. Halo isn't CoD, it's much more refined than that. Merely lining sights on target and squeezing the trigger willy nilly will result in you getting shamed in the leaderboards. Aim for the head. Your opponents have shields just like you, kill the shield first, then the man.

  • Johnsters #34 1 year ago

    ^^^^^
    "it's much more refined than that"

    Just sounds like more admin the way you describe it.
    Will admit, I am a noob on Halo, but I did hold my own for the 2 mins I played.
    Will give it another go.