Home Gaming Halo 5’s record-breaking launch figures are a little deceptive

Halo 5’s record-breaking launch figures are a little deceptive

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And we thought this guy was good at math

Halo 5 is a great game. It might not be a perfect one, or even one that handles it’s single-player and multiplayer in equal measures of quality, but it’s still (mechanically) one of the finest shooters out there. And Halo fans seem to agree, with Microsoft announcing that Halo 5 saw the biggest launch that the franchise has ever seen. A launch figure that’s shrouded by some obscure tallying techniques.

Money talks, and Halo 5 managed to rake in a lot of it during it’s first week on sale. Microsoft has reported that 343’s second instalment in the franchise managed to grab $400 million in worldwide sales during the first seven days out – a hefty figure that is pretty darn good for a console exclusive. In comparison, Halo 3 in 2007 only managed $300 million, being the previous franchise record holder.

Here’s the thing though – Halo 3’s figures didn’t include hardware sales. Halo 4’s, however, does.

Microsoft has suspiciously added in all the money made on Xbox One Halo console bundles into the total too, a practice that isn’t exactly common when reporting sales figures such as these. Figures such as GTA V bringing in over a billion on launch week only included sales of the actual game, and not all the consoles it come attached to. The same goes for all the Call of Duty sales figures you hear about at around this time of year. They would all be larger sums if they included revenue not solely from the game itself.

So it’s an odd statistic for Microsoft to suddenly report as record-breaking, considering it’s not actually playing by the rules. Worse still is the fact that actual sales numbers for Halo 5 haven’t yet been released, but early indicators from the UK charts indicated it’s down on Halo 4’s launch in that regard. That’s from figures not including digital sales, but it’s the only indicator we’ve got considering Microsoft’s secrecy.

Still, the game has a high attach rate, and is the system’s fastest-selling exclusive.

“The success of Halo 5: Guardians is a testament to the innovative work from the entire team at 343 Industries to bring this installment to Xbox One and the incredible community of fans who have come to love the story, characters and gameplay central to the franchise,” Head of Xbox Phil Spencer said. “The game represents all the possibilities of Xbox One and has earned its place as the anchor title in the greatest holiday games lineup in Xbox history.”

So is Halo actually in trouble? Probably not – but it might just be that Xbox players are a little more cautious following the mess that was The Master Chief Collection.

Last Updated: November 5, 2015

63 Comments

  1. Never change Microsoft, never change. I’m always in awe of your uncanny ability to find new ways of reporting sales data.

    Reply

    • coip

      November 5, 2015 at 16:03

      I’m in awe of how much you care. They can report whatever they want to report, as long as it’s true. Or they can report nothing at all. They have no obligation to cookie-cutter anything. You need to gain some perspective.

      Reply

      • Spathi

        November 5, 2015 at 16:42

        Well, it isn’t true. It’s a lie. It is pure bullshit. I am in awe at how gullible you are.

        Reply

        • Jonah Cash

          November 5, 2015 at 16:43

          I suspect you might just want to ignore this one bud! Looks to be very blind with green glasses on….

          Reply

          • coip

            November 5, 2015 at 18:39

            Don’t be a coward. Talk to me directly if you have something to say about me. Do indicate how anything I wrote indicates ‘blindness’. Pointing out that a company can voluntarily report revenue data however they see fit, as long as it is true, isn’t ‘blindness’. It’s called perspective.

          • Jonah Cash

            November 8, 2015 at 08:39

            OK here is your direct message. Have a nice day man. Keep it GREEN!

          • coip

            November 8, 2015 at 19:02

            None of that was about me.

          • Jonah Cash

            November 9, 2015 at 11:43

            I don’t have to be personal with you do I? If you can’t see your green glasses, surely I will just waste my time to try and convince you otherwise? I don’t have time to sit and have an online argument with you over how stupid MS is. So consider this discussion closed. Cheers man, have fun with Tomb Raider. I will pick it up on PC next year.

          • coip

            November 9, 2015 at 15:48

            You talked about me behind my back, I called you out on it and told you that if you have something to say about me to not be a coward and say it directly to me, and your response had nothing to do with me.
            Have fun waiting till next year for Rise of the Tomb Raider. It’ll already be old news to me by then. I’ll be playing it tonight.

        • coip

          November 5, 2015 at 18:18

          What isn’t true about it? I’m in awe about how you somehow have access to Microsoft’s sales data but they don’t.

          Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    November 5, 2015 at 10:47

    “the greatest holiday games lineup in Xbox history” How long is this guys holiday?

    Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      November 5, 2015 at 10:58

      With Xbox everyday is a Holiday…..????????????

      Reply

  3. Allykhat

    November 5, 2015 at 10:50

    We call this Stat Padding where I come from.

    Reply

    • Brady miaau

      November 5, 2015 at 11:11

      Economic house?

      Reply

      • Allykhat

        November 5, 2015 at 11:41

        Negative 😛
        Personal Opinion House.

        Reply

        • Brady miaau

          November 5, 2015 at 11:43

          even better!

          Reply

    • Aries

      November 5, 2015 at 11:38

      HAHA, no shooting servers

      Reply

  4. Pieter Kruger

    November 5, 2015 at 10:53

    ROFL @ Lazygamer!???????????? “deceptive”, “suspicious”, “in trouble”, “shrouded”, “obscure” etc. Holy Shit, I’d actually like to see the wording of your Sony sponsorship agreement! ROFL! Anyway, by your own measure Xbox consoles are selling so terrible 99% of the $400m (OMG!) should surely be actual games!? Teeheehee!????

    Reply

    • Brady miaau

      November 5, 2015 at 11:10

      to be fair, they also rag on Sony sometimes.

      Do you not find it odd that bundle sales, including the hardware price, are included i the money made today report? I find that a bit odd, to be honest. It is a game, we care about game sales. I am sure MS cares about how many consoles the game directly moved, sure, but that is still a sale of $50 odd, when all is said and done.

      Reply

      • Pieter Kruger

        November 5, 2015 at 11:22

        Doesn’t game unit sales figures usually include bundled sales…….?

        Reply

        • Brady miaau

          November 5, 2015 at 11:25

          I would think not, but I tried to google quickly (I really, really should be working!) and found nothing.

          Reply

          • Pieter Kruger

            November 5, 2015 at 11:27

            You think Uncharted’s 17m units does not include games sold in bundles?

          • Her Highness the Hipster

            November 5, 2015 at 11:30

            17m UNITS certainly includes games sold in bundles. But if Sony started touting that it had a $— million launch, we’d raise the same issue.

          • Nikola

            November 5, 2015 at 11:30

            Exactly!!

          • Allykhat

            November 5, 2015 at 11:45

            This^
            Bitch slap of truth right here….

          • RinceThis

            November 5, 2015 at 11:55

            What you said.

          • Jonah Cash

            November 5, 2015 at 16:46

            Ooooo Logic bomb… Oh wait you used it on Pieter, you just ruined your logic bomb on the wrong person! 🙂

          • RinceThis

            November 5, 2015 at 11:56

            Um, dude, the Boners were touting CASH MADE, not units sold. Up your trolling, it’s getting stale.

          • Spathi

            November 5, 2015 at 11:56

            I’m not sure that you understand what MS did. They take the amount a customer pays for a console + Halo, and they attribute that whole amount to Halo.

            Or that is how I understand it. Maybe I’m wrong 😀

          • Brady miaau

            November 5, 2015 at 12:04

            Yes, but in money terms, where Sony did the same in unit terms, big difference there as well.

            From what I could find

          • Spathi

            November 5, 2015 at 12:04

            Yeah, me and you and the rest of us are on the same page. Trying to make Pieter understand.

        • Nikola

          November 5, 2015 at 11:25

          Nope! Not when it comes to money it’s supposed to be $50 per unit not $400 as they are calculating it!

          Reply

    • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

      November 5, 2015 at 11:18

      Well, if the sale of one bundle equates to about 8 units of the game, doesn’t that miss represent the total sales figure? In addition, Halo 5 was meant to shift consoles, in MS statements etc. you will find that this was the sole purpose… Still not a skewed value? If this value is related to total shifted to brick and mortar shops it’ll be even more confusing simply because it only pertains to how much were produced rather than actually sold…. Anyway, MS is trying really hard to convince people to buy an Xbox, and if you know sales tactics, it’s all about inflating values, everyone does it…

      Reply

  5. WitWolfy

    November 5, 2015 at 11:07

    This is BS.. You cant just add controllers, figurines, toys ect ect to the equation to increase the games’ total sales so far… Sure if they said Halo as a franchise made an X amount of $$$ that would be fine. But in the end this just looks desperate to show the console or brand if you will isnt dead… YET!

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      November 5, 2015 at 11:10

      Preemptive marketing and PR?

      Reply

      • WitWolfy

        November 5, 2015 at 11:13

        I dunno what it is, but I refuse to believe that this game sold more than the marketing gaint that was Halo 3 last gen. That games’ marketing alone SOLD millions of copies for MS.

        Reply

      • Pieter Kruger

        November 5, 2015 at 11:32

        It’s working, just decided to go pick it up!????????????

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          November 5, 2015 at 11:41

          XD

          Reply

        • WitWolfy

          November 5, 2015 at 11:48

          So it isn’t DOA like MCC?

          Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      November 5, 2015 at 11:34

      Didn’t Halo 5 open number 1 in UK sales charts? What do they count?

      Reply

      • WitWolfy

        November 5, 2015 at 11:43

        How I understand the article is MS is adding more than just the actual game to their over all sale numbers…

        Reply

  6. Nikola

    November 5, 2015 at 11:23

    You know what as much a I like to rip on Xbox for fun I do not think it’s a necessarily a bad console at all it’s not as powerful and refined as PS4 and if I had the money I would probably own both BUT for the exclusives. Main reason why I WOULD NEVER get an Xbox is the way they do business dodgy bunch who are all about profit and going back on their word. This is another pathetic marketing plot to attract people they are just sad because the Xbox is not selling nearly good enough as PS4 is.

    Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      November 5, 2015 at 11:25

      Did you notice Sony started using “shipped” rather than “sold through” with their latest results………just asking?

      Reply

      • Nikola

        November 5, 2015 at 11:30

        I did but they say shipped they don’t try to make it out to be something it is not that’s the difference. I am sorry but from the get go off this generation the Xbox (MS) have been so crappy to their fan base starting with whole DRM and bunch of other nonsense with timed exclusive and bull crap now!

        I got nothing against people playing Xbox have fun and enjoy it but MS is a bunch of cunts period that I will never support:)

        Reply

        • Pieter Kruger

          November 5, 2015 at 11:50

          I feel EXACTLY the same about Sony as you do about MS! Good times! ????????????

          Reply

          • Nikola

            November 5, 2015 at 11:53

            Honestly I really can’t see where you get that from and I think 99% were disagree with you!

            But it’s your opinion and there is nothing wrong with that! You do what you believe in:)

          • RinceThis

            November 5, 2015 at 11:57

            I usually would disagree with anything you said, because you are a mean bully, but, YES!

          • Nikola

            November 5, 2015 at 12:02

            Ah Rince good old man thanks for calling me a bully AGAIN:(((

            Question are you ever going to finish Witcher 3 so you can start playing games with us???

          • RinceThis

            November 5, 2015 at 12:18

            Pah! playing games with you? You all love Destiny, then you don’t, then you do! NO! I will not be part of the LIE!

          • Ir0nseraph

            November 5, 2015 at 12:46

            We almost had you with Destiny , next year we will try again with the Division.
            You can’t hide forever, We will find you 😛

          • RinceThis

            November 5, 2015 at 11:57

            The only difference is @ni@disqus_YDGhciulmi:disqus has logical reasons to, you have fanboy reasons which aren’t 😛

    • coip

      November 5, 2015 at 16:06

      This is some serious cognitive dissonance. If you believe what Sony does is any different than what Microsoft does, you are in need of some disillusionment.

      Reply

  7. Aries

    November 5, 2015 at 11:34

    Shame, Microsoft trying to deceive again

    Reply

    • Nikola

      November 5, 2015 at 11:53

      It’s just such a shame that some people don’t see it lol when it’s plain out there constant for past 2 years now MS shady shady bunch.

      Reply

  8. Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

    November 5, 2015 at 11:55

    DECEPTICONS!

    Reply

  9. RinceThis

    November 5, 2015 at 11:58

    MS cash times 180? LOL

    Reply

  10. Francois Knoetze

    November 5, 2015 at 12:03

    http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/11/04/wear-your-allegiance-with-these-halo-5-guardians-replica-helmets.aspx

    just putting this out there but if I had the cash I would so badly run around in one of these

    Reply

  11. Fox1 - Retro

    November 5, 2015 at 12:41

    Look, the sales of Halo 5 was big, but we needed a bigger figure and Fat Albert wasn’t coming to the party so… we give you $400million

    Reply

  12. Sean Carbutt

    November 5, 2015 at 14:14

    A bit misleading. From what I have heard and been told by my mates who own a Xbox, Halo is a disappointment. In fact they go so far as to say, it is very much like Destiny. But then it is Bunged Gee

    Reply

    • coip

      November 5, 2015 at 16:09

      It’s not. The multiplayer is some of the best ever in a FPS game. It’s much better than Destiny.

      Reply

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