How all of these elements tied together to create a cohesive marketing strategy is partly apparent from the more than one million pre-orders already logged for the game. When the game is released on Sept. 25, it is widely expected to smash sales records, propel the "Halo" franchise into the billion dollar territory and become one of the biggest entertainment events of 2007.

The multi-layered marketing approach for the game goes beyond showing Microsoft's interest in maintaining what could be a lasting entertainment franchise. The fact is Microsoft needs "Halo 3" to be an unprecedented success. Just as the success of the original Xbox was intrinsically tied to the success of "Halo," "Halo 3" needs to be the "killer app" the Xbox 360 game console needs.

Microsoft has made no secret of its desire to be an integral part of the next-generation living room, and the recent $1 billion hit to earnings it took to fix a critical error in the 360 units jeopardized that potential just as much as the runaway success of Nintendo's Wii did.

But all signs point to "Halo 3" turning out to be at least as huge a success as projected. Interest among the gaming community is at a fever pitch, the pre-sales figures indicate the game will be one of the biggest selling in history and through some of the more novel aspects of its marketing campaign, Microsoft may just get the culture-shaping event it was looking for.