Halo a $3bn franchise, sells 46m units

Ahead of Halo 4’s launch next week, Microsoft has revealed several figures for its blockbuster FPS franchise.

For starters, the series has sold 46m copies to date since the launch of Combat Evolved in 2001 – resulting in $3bn generated across all Halo titles.

Xbox Live has seen over the fairly unfathomable figure of 5bn hours logged by players for the franchise as well.

The firm added the series’ most recent release Halo: Reach brought in $200m during its launch week alone.

Halo is a $3 billion blockbuster franchise which has shaped entertainment history and defined a generation of gamers," said Microsoft’s vice president for interactive entertainment business Chris Lewis.

"From the world’s first ever red-carpet premieres for a video game to sending a man strapped to a jet-pack 50-foot above London’s iconic skyline, Halo launches have continually broken the mould and we are back with a colossal bang for Halo 4.”