Starting tonight �Halo� 3,� the final chapter of Microsoft Corp.�s epic video game trilogy, finally goes on sale around the world. By the end of the week, fans in 37 countries will be playing the game Wired magazine recently called �a cultural touchstone, a Star Wars for the thumb stick generation.�

In the United States, more than 10,000 retailers across the country are opening their doors at midnight tonight solely to sell copies of the game and accompanying Xbox 360� consoles and accessories. With nary a pirate, a spider or a wand in sight, day-one sales of the highly anticipated video game are expected to shatter entertainment sales records and top the biggest entertainment launches of all time.

�The excitement and demand for �Halo 3� has transcended a typical video game release and we�re preparing dedicated registers for its midnight release in our 24-hour stores,� said Darin Dickson, video game merchandise buyer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. �It�s clear that this is one of the most anticipated games of the year and that 12:01 am Sept. 25 will be a memorable moment for thousands of gamers.�