thye got 3.8 mill the first week so 5 mill sounds about right by oct 4th

@erikers

The company said all three "Halo" games had sold more than 20 million copies. Earlier this year, Microsoft said the first two games had sold 14.8 million copies, which could mean "Halo 3" has sold as many as 5.2 million copies.

When did Microsoft make this statement the implication is that it was a much earlier time as in earlier this year rather then a week ago. Microsoft might be talking about three different Halo games then you are. They could be talking about Halo 1 for the Xbox, Halo 2 for the Xbox, and Halo 1 for the PC. Which would be before Halo 2 launched on the PC and before Halo 3 launched on the 360.

This is the flaw in the logic, and unless the writer of the article supplies a source for their statements we cannot be sure. I would surmise they are jumping to conclusions with a weak understanding of the subject. This is the critical importance of fact checking. I am sure we can find a article where Microsoft did make this statement in say march, and the writer is taking it out of context.

I considered this before I made my statement. I suppose I should rub salt in wounds and burst bubbles more often. You can't even point people in the right direction. You just have to beat them over the head with it is that it.

Full Press Release:

Xbox 360 console sales more than doubled; nearly 3 million gamers play online via Xbox LIVE.
REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 4, 2007 — Interactive entertainment will never be the same, with the launch of one title that has changed the way the world thinks about video games. “Halo® 3” has captured the attention of consumers worldwide and has made history as one of the biggest entertainment launches of all time.

Microsoft Corp. today announced that “Halo 3” has officially become a global phenomenon, garnering more than $300 million in sales in the first week alone. The critically acclaimed Xbox 360® exclusive, which was released worldwide on Tuesday, Sept. 25, is the fastest-selling video game ever and already one of the most successful entertainment properties in history.

Initial reports from retailers worldwide show console sales have more than doubled compared with the weekly average before the launch of “Halo 3.” With games such as “Halo 3,” “Madden 08” (EA Sports), “Mass Effect” (Microsoft Game Studios) and “Rock Band” (Harmonix), Xbox 360 has the greatest lineup in the history of video games and is the only console where consumers can play all the year’s biggest blockbusters.

“‘Halo’ is truly a cultural phenomenon, and the launch of ‘Halo 3’ is an important milestone for Xbox 360 and for video games as entertainment and as an art form,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “‘Halo 3’ embodies our vision for the future of entertainment, where some of the world’s greatest creative minds will deliver a new generation of interactive storytelling.”

“Halo 3” is quickly staking its place as the most popular Xbox LIVE® game in history with members gathering in record numbers to play on the world’s largest online gaming and entertainment network on TV. More than 2.7 million gamers have played “Halo 3” on Xbox LIVE in the first week, representing nearly one-third of the 7 million Xbox LIVE members worldwide. Within the first day of its launch, “Halo 3” players worldwide racked up more than 3.6 million hours of online gameplay, which increased more than elevenfold to 40 million hours by the end of the first week, representing more than 4,500 years of continuous gameplay. Since “Halo 3 launched,” gamers have unlocked nearly 30 million achievements. In its first week alone, “Halo 3” drove a record number of Xbox LIVE Gold Memberships as hundreds of thousands of new members gathered online with friends, family members and other gamers around the world to collectively compete and complete the game.

“Halo 3” is the conclusion to the epic trilogy and picks up where “Halo 2” left off, answering questions about the fates of the beloved protagonist Master Chief™ and his artificial intelligence sidekick Cortana as they struggle to save humankind from destruction at the hands of the alien coalition known as the Covenant. In addition to the rich storyline, “Halo 3” continues the franchise’s grand tradition of delivering innovative online multiplayer experiences via Xbox LIVE. The game’s online multiplayer and innovative four-player cooperative gameplay for Xbox LIVE Gold users, the much-talked-about Saved Films feature that enables players to capture and save their favorite moments on their hard drives, and Forge, an innovative map editor that enables myriad customization options, are just some of the new features gamers are experiencing.

Developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios, the “Halo” franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and optimized for the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network. “Halo 3” was released in 37 countries and 17 languages. To date, more than 20 million copies of the games in the “Halo” trilogy have been sold worldwide.

Record week-one sales come on the heels of the previously announced $170 million in sales in the U.S. within the first 24 hours of the game’s release, which marked not just the biggest video game launch, but the biggest entertainment launch in history. The Xbox 360 title beat previous U.S. sales records set by blockbuster openings for entertainment events such as the release of “Spider-Man 3” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” In addition, more than 1.7 million copies of “Halo 3” were pre-ordered in the United States, making it the fastest pre-selling game in history, surpassing the previous record-setting pre-sales of “Halo 2.”

I wouldn't doubt it. That is what my prediction is for its first 2 weeks.

see...
http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=7288

I do not doubt it is possible, and indeed in might even be probable. The problem is the article is conjecture based on some faulty reasoning. Microsoft has apparently not made any recent statements to the effect that all three console versions of the game have sold twenty million combined. Which is what the writer is implying. Reaching the right answer through a bad methodology does not mean the methodology was right. Even doing the straight math from the 300 million figure does not result in sales of 5.2 million.

It might be 5.2 or not (I think not but pretty close).  However, whether you like it or not H3 is an incredible success and I, for one, have enjoyed it from the minute it showed up at my door.

If this is true... half of all 360 owners bought it.. WOW. WTF the game isnt even that good.

A++++ POST WOULD READ AGAIN

 Because the 300 million figure is for the first week.  In case you haven't heard, it's been 2 weeks now and they've probably sold a few more copies since then.  A little fact checking yourself would go a long way. 

 I guess not every game can be as great as Warhawk and Resistence.