MICROSOFT SAID its videogame Halo: Reach had racked up $200 million (€153 million) in global sales on its launch day, building strong momentum for the November debut of the Xbox 360 maker’s new gaming system.

Halo: Reach, the latest in the blockbuster Halo series, is a key title for Microsoft heading into the holiday shopping season when it and archrivals Nintendo and Sony clash with new products and look to reverse a recent sales slump in the $60 billion game industry.

Phil Spencer, vice-president of Microsoft Game Studios, blamed a lack of blockbuster games for the slowdown, and the success of Halo: Reach would support Xbox 360 console sales for the leading software maker.