Redmond (WA) - Microsoft’s ultimate cash cow for the Xbox 360, Halo 3 has eclipsed one million pre-orders more than six weeks before the game is scheduled to be released.

The software giant announced today that it reached the one million pre-order milestone, counting all orders for Halo 3, Halo 3 : Limited Edition, and Halo 3 : Legendary Edition. The two special editions contain a bonus disc and physical Halo memorabilia. The $130 Legenday Edition also includes a Spartan Mjolnir Mark VI helmet and a second bonus disc. The Limited Edition title is priced at $70, with the standard version going for the standard Xbox 360 price of $60.

A million pre-orders for a video game is a rare occurrence, and Microsoft says Halo 3 has reached that mark faster than any other video game.

Halo 3, easily poised to be the top seller for the Xbox 360 this holiday season, is supposedly the final installment in the Halo series, which put Microsoft on the map with the original Xbox.

A huge promotional campaign will put Halo 3 on brand names around the country, including Burger King packaging, 7-Eleven Slurpees, and even a special edition Halo 3 G6 GXP street car from Pontiac.

The game is set to debut on September 25.