Halo 3 has shattered the record and beaten its own target for opening days sales in the US, a title which was previously held by the movie Spiderman 3, which raked in approximately $151 million on the first day.

"Halo 3 has become a pop-culture phenomenon," said Microsoft's Shane Kim in a statement, after learning that the game had already raked in $155 million, 10 per cent more than Microsoft had estimated. "Not only is "Halo 3" setting sales records, it's also redefining entertainment. Within the first 20 hours alone, we've seen more than a million Xbox Live members come online to play Halo 3 -- the most active day in Xbox Live history."

The cash will continue to roll in thanks to a huge merchandising campaign, allowing gamers to buy almost anything Halo related, from key fobs to wallets.

The BBC are claiming that Halo 3 has made £84million in sales in the UK in its first 24 hours of release.