Pharrell Williams to host UK Halo 3 launch

Microsoft is pulling out all the stops for the launch of its highly anticipated title, Halo 3. It has already announced a $10M marketing campaign in the US, where the game will be available to play by selected audiences at IMAX cinemas in San Francisco and New York. A Halo 3-themed version of the Xbox 360 console is also set for release on September 26 in the UK.

The company has now announced its UK plans. Microsoft is flying over rap star Pharrell Williams, who it describes as a "self-confessed gaming fanatic," to host a party at the BFI IMAX in London. Williams will take on members of the public at Halo 3, and hook up with other celebrity gamers via Xbox Live. Events in Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam, and Milan will be linked to the London party through Xbox Live for a "one-off night where gaming meets partying."

Gamers keen to get their hands on a copy of the game will be able to at midnight, when over 1,000 shops across the UK will open their doors for launch-night events. Microsoft is reporting that over 1.25 million preorders have been received for Halo 3 globally, and the company is aiming to ensure that there are plenty of copies around--it says that production of the discs has reached 81 copies per second.

For more information on Halo 3, check out GameSpot's Halo 3 Launch Centre.