Halo 3 receives the red carpet treatment

Microsoft launched Halo 3 in the UK on Tuesday evening with a film-style premiere event at the IMAX cinema outside Waterloo in London.

Rather than focus on a midnight launch at a retailer Microsoft decided instead to roll out the red carpet, inviting a handful of celebrities along to the event.

Pharrell Williams and Christian Slater both attended, greeting fans gathered outside the cinema in the rain, while UK TV presenter Iain Lee hosted the show inside.

After some delays in ushering in the audience, made up mostly of Halo fans, Williams was called onstage to take on other celebrities based in locations around Europe - Carmen Electra joined from Paris, while LL Cool J battled from Amsterdam.

A fans' shoot-out followed, with a two-versus-two death match game - each team representing one half of the cinema audience, slogging it out to win Halo 3 copies for the onlookers they represented.

Unfortunately the teams were incorrectly named, causing some confusion for the audience, while one player's controller also failed partway through, leaving his team at something of a disadvantage.

As compensation Microsoft promised Halo 3 copies for everybody, which appeased the crowd, particularly as the event finished several hours before the game went on sale to the public.

The event was followed by an invite-only after-show event in Soho.