Starving Halo fans boost Crackdown pre-orders

Who saw this coming?

According to Gamesindustry.biz, UK based video game retailer GAME is claiming a 25% spike in Crackdown pre-orders since Microsoft announced the Halo 3 beta tie-in.

GAME’s buying director, Alex Croft, is then quoted as mentioning how Halo 3 is one of the most anticipated games of 2007 and their customers are “hungry to get hold of it.” The beta initiative, he says, is a great way for gamers to influence the development of Halo 3, and to ensure a top-quality title. What he does not mention at all, is Realtime World’s Crackdown (which by all recent accounts is apparently a really great game).

While the Halo 3 beta is most likely the reason for the rise in pre-orders, the idea that product awareness might be the cause isn’t even entertained. You’d be surprised how many people, even at this point, had never heard of Crackdown before advertisements starting hitting the media. You’d also be surprised at the number of people who don’t know what “beta testing” is, either.

I don’t know about you, but I’m buying Crackdown to play Crackdown. Am I the only one around here who isn’t drooling all over themselves in anticipation of a $59.99 limited-time beta?