2007年VOA标准英语-Microsoft Hypes Launch of Halo 3 Game

By Mil Arcega
Washington
26 September 2007
 

Thousands of video game fans waited in long lines across the United States earlier this week [Monday night] to be the first to own a copy of "Halo 3".  The first-person shooter video game is Microsoft Corporation's best selling title for its Xbox 360 game console.  Industry experts say Microsoft is pinning its hopes on the sequel to the popular "Halo" video game franchise¹ to widen its lead on the lucrative² video game market.  VOA's Mil Arcega reports.

Hype and fanfare³ greeted the U.S. launch of Microsoft's newest game.  At a store in New York City, the line stretched around the block, as game characters kept fans entertained.  Uchendu Nwachukwu was a bit bleary-eyed, but happy to be first in line. "I got here 6 p.m. yesterday (Sunday/September 23rd).  Been waiting here ever since.  Looking forward to getting "Halo 3" and going home and playing it and looking forward to getting some sleep."

"Halo 3" resumes the game hero, Master Chief's, epic⁴ adventures as the masked soldier from the future returns to earth to battle alien forces that threaten humanity's survival.

Game developer Frank O'Connor at Bungie Studios predicts game fans will not be disappointed. "It's the last part of our "Halo" trilogy.  It is confidently the best game we ever made as a studio. We're really happy with it.  Our review scores came in yesterday, we're really happy with those, but most importantly we're looking forward to actually playing with real people."

And game fans, some dressed in Master Chief T-shirts could not wait.  Two rushed to join the queue after school. One young excited fan says, "I got out and I rushed here as soon as I could." Another said, “Going back to school tomorrow, I was at school today, I mean I hope I get sick, but…"

Looking for a reason to be sick, young boy said, "If I get diagnosed with the flu, that would be pretty lucky."

Microsoft says more than a million copies of the game had been pre-ordered prior to the midnight launch. 

Although official sales projections⁵ were not available, Microsoft Game Studio chief Shane Kim predicts Halo 3 will outdo sales of the Spider-Man 3 game, which grossed more than $150 million in its opening weekend.

"Well, Halo 3 is going to be the biggest entertainment launch in history so our expectations are it'll exceed anything for a video game.  It'll really be the biggest event of the year."

Industry experts say the significance of the Halo franchise cannot be underestimated for Microsoft.  The software company was a newcomer to the $30 billion a year video game industry when it launched the Xbox game console in 2001. The Xbox 360 came out in 2005. It has enjoyed stronger sales this year than the pricier Sony Playstation 3.

1 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

2 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

3 fanfare   

n.喇叭；号角之声；v.热闹地宣布

参考例句：

• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide.这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King.嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。

4 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

5 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。