"Halo 3" took in an estimated US$170 million in its first 24 hours of release in the U.S., according to Microsoft.
Microsoft did not provide Canadian sales figures for the Xbox 360 video game, which was released Tuesday.
"Halo 3" is the third and final instalment of the futuristic first-person shooter developed by Bungie Studios of Kirkland, Wash.
Microsoft trumpeted the launch as the "biggest day in North American entertainment history," erasing marks set by films like "Spider-Man 3" and book like "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
A copy of "Halo 3" costs more than a movie or book, however, with the basic game priced at C$69.99 and deluxe versions at C$79.99 and C$149.99.
There were 1.7 million pre-orders for the game in the U.S. alone.
"The initial demand we´ve seen for "Halo 3" has been astounding, and the game is on track to become the No. 1 gaming title of all time," Jill Hamburger, vice-president of movies and games at Best Buy, said in the Microsoft statement. "´Halo 3´ is a genuine entertainment phenomenon and our customers have responded very enthusiastically to the release."
Pour les non anglophonnes
Microsoft A perdu 170 millions de francs hier avec le lancement raté de Halo3
mdr FINI LA XBOX 1.5