XBOX - HALO 3 SMASHES SALES RECORDS

Video game Halo 3 has smashed the record for the most sales by an entertainment product in a single day.

The futuristic title - exclusive to the Xbox 360 console - has earned over £84 million ($170 million) in its first 24 hours on sale, according to its manufacturers Microsoft.

And with European sales totals yet to be countered into the final tally, the eventual figures could be astronomic.

In just 24 hours, the game has earned more than blockbuster movies such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and topped the previous single day sales record set by Spider-Man 3.

An absorbing title featuring the enigmatic lead Master Chief - who never removes his reflective helmet - in a battle to protect human life against an alien coalition called the Covenant, Halo has been the Xbox's flagship game, with millions of devoted fans.

The game is also set to be adapted into a movie by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, though a deal with 20th Century Fox fell through last month.

Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios, said in a statement: "Halo 3 has become a pop-culture phenomenon. Not only is Halo 3 setting sales records, it's also redefining entertainment."

He added that within the first 20 hours of the games release, over 1.4 million people have played the game online.