It was a record-setting launch day for Microsoft, as the company announced today that Halo 4 brought in $220 million last Tuesday alone.

It’s the biggest launch, money-wise, in the 10-year history of the Halo franchise and a nice chunk more than the $200 million Halo: Reach brought in two years ago. Microsoft added that Halo 4 sales should surpass $300 million by the end of the first week.

“We’re thrilled that ‘Halo 4′ has emerged as the biggest U.S. entertainment launch of the year,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Studios, in a release.

It’s probably safe to say that moving Halo developing duties in-house to 343 Industries from Bungie has been a success, and not just as a video game. Microsoft said that the Halo 4 launch eclipses the record for the biggest day-one opening in US box office history, beating record-holder ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,’ and the biggest movie of 2012, ‘The Avengers.’

Microsoft also counted more than four million players logged in during the first five days, another record. Lifetime sales for the Halo franchise are now over $3.38 billion.

Check out pictures from the Halo:4 launch in Seattle here.

Previously on GeekWire: Halo’s success by the numbers: 46 million games, $3 billion in revenue

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.