Microsoft Pulling Out All Stops With Halo 3

Microsoft announced last week its decision to work out product tie-ins with different companies for its new video game offering, Halo 3. However, looking at the amount of Halo 3 trivia emerging out of Microsoft itself, one could be forgiven for saying ‘forget the tie-ins; the Halo 3 itself qualifies as a diversified product offering.’

First of all, the Halo 3 game itself comes in three versions – standard, costing $59.99; limited, costing $69.99; and legendary, costing $129.99. That itself could be mistaken as diversification by many. However, that is not all.

Last month, Microsoft pulled out of its hat the Halo 3 Special Edition Console for the Xbox 360. This piece is to be available in the markets come September. Consider this: the special edition toy would cost $50 more than the standard Xbox 360.

Besides, the special console does not come as a standalone offering. It comes with its own brand of accessories. These include the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Headset and also the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Controller.

Microsoft is also taking the Halo 3 out of the domain of video, straight into the domain of sound. This was confirmed with the release of the Halo 3 Zune, a portable music player. This player is going to be available in the standard black.

There are plans to release a special edition, limited Zone Halo 3 Military Edition in brown. This limited edition player would be sold at discounted rates to the military, such as the Navy and Marine Corps commissaries.

Besides, in the market currently is the Halo 3 avatar of the Xbox Live online activation card. The product tie-ins Microsoft had announced earlier are also significant, to say the least. These include a Halo 3 soda from Mountain Dew, Halo 3 packaging at outlets of burger giant Burger King, 7-eleven’s offering of a Halo 3 Slurpee Cup.

Besides these innovative tie-ups, also in the offing is a contest, whose prize would be Pontiac’s Halo 3 G6 GXP Street Car. In fact, one would not be in the least surprised if there sprang out of Microsoft’s magician’s hat a Windows Vista edition of the game.