Halo 2 Midnight Crazy Madness at Gamestop!

[Hybrid]

Yes Halo 2 released at midnight all over the country last night. Time Square was closed for a little while, or so I hear. However, everyone knows where all the booming Halo 2 action was....that's right, Seekonk Massachusettes. Once 9pm hit, we closed shop and started to move stuff around. Everything xbox was promoted at the door and behind the counter. One kid was out there at 8:30pm! MAN WHAT A RETARD! Well at least he got a ton of promotional stuff.

That's right, I took it upon myself to give out lots of free crap to the people waiting in line. This is akin to my "Free Andre the Giant figure with every purchase" deal a few days beforehand. I talked to the crowd and threw prizes at them, asking who had a crappy computer and then chucking an old racing game at them. We had snacks...but none of it was warm. I told everyone they could take as much as they wanted and encouraged taking full 12 packs of soda. Some kids packed their pockets tight. It was a good time. It was fun to yell at crowds and tell them to line up for both organization and their own comfort. I don't remember all the stuff I said or what was said, but it was just a nice atmosphere.

Aside from the crowd, the employee companionship was...well I hate almost all the new people. We had this one kid come back that was...GOD I hate him so much! He just keeps talking and talking and I told the manager NOT to put him on register and he really didn't do much all night. I told the customers waiting in line, not to listen to "that kid over there." Other than that the other guys did their jobs and when they don't talk to me, I don't have to be an ass to them.

Around 11pm my boss popped Halo 2 in the xbox. Everyone crowded around the system to check it out and I saw smiles on their faces. Me? Why I was playing Mario Tennis of course! Our only female employee came over and asked why I was playing that while everyone else was watching Halo 2. "I just have to beat Yoshi," I replied. Yes it was a proud momment for myself. It really shows where my heart is.

Concerning sales, we got lots of people in but the majority of people had already paid it off so they went right to the back and were out right quick. I was on the first register and we pumped them suckers out real fast. What was the last purchase of the night?

-Mario Kart: Double Dash Gamecube bundle
-used memory card 251
-n64 expansion pack
-Game Informer card/subscription

A truly satisfying end to a night of Halo nuttery. The best part was the woman didn't have an idea of what system to by for her 4 year old until I told her.


FINALLY, concerning Halo 2 itself, I got the collector's edition. The solo game is improved over the first game but it doesn't grab me like Prime does. The environments are nice but not incredibly imaginative. I can't play online (for now...maybe ever) since I need to download a Live update and I can't do that on campus. This really irritates me since I don't think the 1 player mode warrants the $55 price tag. Sigh...stupid college.

[ConnDestn]

I think it does warrant the purchase, but the multiplayer also rocks.

[bonesquad]

Nice! Getting the game might be more fun than the game itself (not that I'd know). It's like Jacques said, it's not the deed itself, it's the anticipation! This seemed to be the biggest game launch in ages, it was almost on the level of a system release it was so big. Radio giving away copies in the morning, TV live in line to get the game, ect. There's a reason why in EGM they asked "What if" Xbox never had Halo...

I "decided" to spend my 50 bucks to go see the Pixies last night instead. I stand by my "choice" since they kicked ass. The only thing is I felt a little out of place since the average age seemed to in the mid maybe even late 30's... everyone else was at home with Halo or across the street watching Green Day I guess...

[bonesquad]

Bumped for Halo 3 madness!


Ok, carry on. Nothing to see here...

[Justin]

I went with my buddy Russ to pick his copy up and figured I'd buy Guitar Hero II before midnight because I knew there'd be no chance of getting it then, and also, it is a fun game. While walking back to where we were waiting in line, all of the nerds waiting for Halo took a break from unironically drinking Game Fuel to boo and hiss at me for daring to purchase a game other than the one they'd been waiting for. It was pretty lol.

[Hybrid]

Oh yeah, well I did another midnight launch for Halo 3. Let me try to think of some highlights.


-My boss, who is also my friend, was more of a dick than usual leading up to 9pm. After that we had a Halo 2 tournament at the store and one at a bowling alley bar nearby. Obviously the one at the bar was for people 21 and up.

-We handed out tags for people starting at 9pm that said A,B,C, or D. Of course we barely even finished with the B's because too many were made. Overall we sold 106 copies on midnight.

-the best part was the guy in front that tried to be really funny/a dick when I was trying to organize stuff outside. I asked if everyone had it all paid off and he told me "I GOT YOU PAID OFF!" Then I asked him which group he was in and he said "I don't want the game, I'm in G!!" Later on people were banging on the door so I went out and yelled that the next person that knocked wouldnt get the game, no exceptions. I shut the door and that same guy ran up and knocked, then ran away. Of course this may make me sound like a douche but I manage to say things in a way that no one is ever offended...

...

Anyways I didnt get Halo 3 but I'll be playing 4 player online co op next week. The new theatre mode looks awesome and really puts Metroid Prime 3's screenshot captures to shame. The multiplayer armor also looks cool. It's too bad I just don't really like Halo.

[Justin]

The theatre thing looks cool until you consider it'll be used primarily by homophobes as a means of getting cool new shots of simulating gay sexual advances in the name of personal defacement.

[bonesquad]

That sounds like fun.... the standing in line part, the game I couldn't care less about.

And who doesn't like a good music/rhythm game? Unless they were wondering why at this point you just didn't wait for GH3? I'm still waiting for my sequel to Frequency...

[Hybrid]

My coworker's friend spent a good portion of a day watching their co-op footage to find all of the gold skulls. Sounds ridiculously boring.