What event could prompt my roommate to plan a month in advance to request a week off work, and spark a 14-day countdown until that time? A vacation in the tropics? Not quite. A religious holiday? Getting closer. It's the long-awaited Halo 3 release.
I love video games. I remember waiting for some of my favorite games (also the 3rd part of a series) such as Super Mario Bros. 3, Final Fantasy III, and Mega Man 3, and enjoying them in their 8-bit and 16-bit glories. A lot has changed in the past 20 years. The third installment of the Halo series is expected to bring in $150 million the first day. It's more than any film or TV premiere. These games are no longer sitting on the sidelines of the entertainment playing field. They're the main players.
What is most intriguing about Halo 3 and similar games is the replay value, particularly online. The amount of man-hours that will be allocated to Xbox LIVE in the name of Halo will be in the billions.
It's too late to discuss whether or not the investment is worth it. The game is here and billions of hours will be spent. It's up to us to decide how we will react individually. Only recently has mankind had the resources (particularly time) to live a second life in a virtual world. Balance is the key.
So let's evaluate our time budget and make sure we're not neglecting our primary life (the one that doesn't plug in to the wall). Then once we're done, we'll grab some game fuel and join in on the action...
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