When more than 200 people lined up a few minutes before midnight Monday outside of EB Games, 920 Church St., manager Patrick Bertelson couldn’t believe his eyes.
“This is insane,” said Bertelson, as he surveyed the crowd, which clogged the entrance of the store and spilled out into the street. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
These people — some of whom had been waiting in line at the store since 2 p.m. — were there to be among the first to purchase “Halo 2”, the much-anticipated sequel to one of the most popular games for Microsoft’s Xbox gaming system.
The game officially went on sale at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.
The original “Halo”, developed by Bungie Studios and released in November 2001, was the launch title for the Xbox, and received rave reviews from mainstream gaming publications. The game, in first-person shooter, centered on the struggles of a futuristic hero against an alien race.
Sagar Shroff, a Weinberg sophomore who played in a “Halo” tournament on Monday, said the key to the game’s longevity is its multiplayer system.
“It doesn’t get older,” Shroff said. “Bungie took care of everything. Nothing that’s come out since has been better.”
Shroff said he plays the game an average of three times a week with a group of eight friends. Both “Halo” and “Halo 2” allow for players to connect up to four Xboxes for 16-player games, and both feature support for Microsoft’s Xbox Live online gaming service.
“Halo” is a popular pastime among Northwestern students. Some students hold occasional tournaments with cash prizes, and Dance Marathon sponsored a “Halo” tournament last year. A “Halo” group is listed on Associated Student Government’s HereAndNow Web site, and two more groups are on the Web site thefacebook.com.
Eric Porter, an employee at the Evanston EB Games, said there were more than 400 preorders for the sequel at his store alone. Nationwide, “Halo 2” has presold more than 1.5 million copies, making it the highest preselling console game ever.
Part of the game’s popularity may be due to its social aspect. Nathan Edwards, a Medill sophomore, said playing the game with friends is fun because the game is competitive.
“Obviously, the fact that 16 people can play at once makes it a good bonding experience,” Edwards said. “Then again, there’s something satisfying about virtually killing your friends without actually hurting them.”
Edwards mentioned the numerous promotions that Bungie has produced for “Halo 2” as a factor in its early success.
Bungie created an online Alternate Reality Game in which fans deciphered a “hacked” Web site, www.ilovebees.com, in order to find clues relating to the game’s plot.
“I think it was very effective, even if only a few hundred people actually finished it,” Edwards said. “It definitely raised the level of awareness for the game.”
“Halo 2” has spawned a slew of game-related products to coincide with its release. Novels set in the game’s universe are available at bookstores, a soundtrack featuring the artists Hoobastank, Steve Vai and Incubus is on sale, and fans can even purchase fully wearable armor modeled after the Master Chief, the game’s protagonist.
Shroff said that he highly anticipated the new game.
“It’s gonna be money,” Shroff said. “I can’t wait to see the different strategies.”
Reach Joseph DeMartino at [email protected].
