Random News Bits: Halo 3 & PSP Sales, Possible ICO Sequel

An official press release from Microsoft states that Halo 3 has become the fastest-selling videogame ever: it sold more $300 million in first-week sales worldwide, while 360 sales more than doubled in the few weeks preceding the release of said game. Elsewhere in the press release, more cockstroking by Microsoft: they claim that they have the greatest lineup in the history of videogames (the lineup consists of Madden '08, Rock Band, Mass Effect, and of course Halo 3) and claims to be the only console where "consumers can play all the year's biggest blockbusters". They believe that Halo 3 has become something of a cultural phenomenon, and that it harks the new era of "interactive storytelling".

...Did anyone really buy Halo 3 for the single-player campaign?

Elsewhere in the world, the new PSP slim, Sony's answer to the menacing DS Lite, has sold 500,000 units in Japan, says the company's game division. It's thinner and has more colors, and lighter, but honestly when I tried one in the store it didn't really feel that much different from the fat PSP. Sure it was a bit lighter, and skinnier, but not by much...not comparable to the changes between the old DS and the DS Lite. But it's a step I guess. Just that if you already have a PSP you probably wouldn't want to buy a PSP slim.

In other, more exciting news, Team ICO is allegedly developing a sequel to, uh, either one of their PS2 games--ICO or Shadow of the Colossus, according to the Team ICO Gamers Blog. While they feature the same main character they're drastically different, but at the same time share very many similarities. So a sequel to either should be fine by the fans. The very few fans. Although, I'd prefer a sequel to Colossus. There isn't much information available yet, other than that it's for PS3, but at least we know they're coming out with something. And that's usually good.