Halo 3 mania leads to record-breaking haul

Rabid fans clamouring for the latest in the billion-dollar Halo franchise helped make entertainment history on Tuesday, when Halo 3 grossed more than $170 million (all figures U.S.) in one day, estimates the game's publisher, Microsoft Game Studios. While the numbers have not yet been validated by a market research firm, Microsoft is confident its tallies are correct based on initial retail reports.

If this number is accurate, Halo 3 has broken the record for the biggest single-day revenues in the entertainment industry. The previous record was set in May 2007, when Sony Pictures's feature film Spider-Man 3 raked in more than $150 million at the box office its opening weekend.

Microsoft's expectations were high, however, not just because the game clocked a million preorders in July 2007 – a full two months before the game's launch – but its predecessor, Halo 2, made history when it grossed more than $125 million in its first 24 hours in November 2004.

Nintendo stock soaring

With all the hoopla surrounding Microsoft's best-selling Halo 3 for the Xbox 360, you might forget there's a little ol' company called Nintendo that has just reached an impressive milestone of its own.

Nintendo is now the second most valuable traded stock in Japan, just behind Toyota, due largely in part to strong Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii hardware and software sales, says the video game company. The success of the DS and Wii platforms has driven Nintendo's stock past Canon and other major consumer electronics companies and banks, says Reuters and other news agencies.

On Tuesday – the same day Microsoft's Halo 3 made waves on this side of the pond – shares in Nintendo closed up 3.1 per cent at 59,200 yen, which brought its market value to 8.39 trillion yen. Canon's market value currently stands at 8.12 trillion yen. But it might take Nintendo some Donkey Kong-like strength to catch up to Toyota, the world's most profitable car manufacturer, which has an estimated market value of 24 trillion yen.

Unlike its competitors, it doesn't hurt that Nintendo's hardware is profitable; market research firms believe Nintendo makes roughly $49 on every Wii sold.

Top 10 PC Games

Consoles, shmonsoles. Computer gamers might not be sold on the successes of the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 if they prefer to play games with a mouse and keyboard. The following is a look at the Top 10 best-selling PC games for the week ending Sept. 15, according to the NPD Group.

1. The Sims 2 Bon Voyage (Electronic Arts)

2. World Of Warcraft (Sierra/Blizzard)

3. Medal Of Honor: Airborne (Electronic Arts)

4. Bioshock (2K Games)

5. World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade (Sierra/Blizzard)

6. Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms (Sega)

7. The Sims 2 Deluxe (Electronic Arts)

8. Civilization IV: Beyond The Sword (2K Games)

9. Battlefield 2 (Electronic Arts)

10. Age Of Empires III (Microsoft Game Studios)