With the close of Halo 3 beta, the final numbers are in. 820,000 unique gamers warmed up to the latest edition of the Halo series, Halo 3 beta (time to get out and see the sunshine for nearly a million gamers). The 820,000 gamers logged a combined 12 million hours, or the equivalent of 1,400 years of continuous gameplay by one person. That breaks down to an average of nearly 15 hours of play by each player of Halo 3 beta. The total amount of data communicated over the network totaled 350 terabytes of information, the equivalent of 82 million music downloads.

In reaction to the expected success of the beta release of Halo 3, Spawn and McFarlane Toys have announced they will be releasing two limited edition Halo 3 wireless controllers and wireless headset.

“The participation in the ‘Halo 3’ beta was staggering,” said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “Witnessing such a great reaction to a small portion of the game has been inspiring. It’s a testament to the fervor and anticipation that surrounds ‘Halo 3.’ We’re confident that on Sept. 25 Halo 3 will drive an unprecedented wave of new gamers to the Xbox 360 platform and Xbox LIVE.”

For a breakdown of the unique Halo 3 inspired product designs, look at the descriptions below:

• Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 3” Wireless Controllers.
Two new Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Controllers will be available starting Sept. 18 and can be preordered today at select retailers. Designed with original artwork by legendary Spawn artist Todd McFarlane, they will be available in either the Covenant Brute or Master Chief themes. Each controller will be packaged with a limited edition “Halo 3” collectible figurine created by McFarlane Toys will sell for an estimated retail price $59.99 (U.S.).

• Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 3” Wireless Headset
For the “Halo 3” enthusiast who enjoys wireless mobility while playing with friends on Xbox LIVE, the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Headset will sport the Spartan green and gold and provide high-quality voice connections over Xbox LIVE for an estimated retail price of $59.99 (U.S.). Available in early September, this accessory can be preordered today at select retailers.

• “Halo: Contact Harvest”
“Halo” fans can look forward to the latest book in the “Halo” saga, “Halo: Contact Harvest,” published by Tor Books and due Oct. 2, 2007. Written by Joseph Staten, the Bungie Studios cinematic and writing lead for the first two “Halo” games, the newest piece of fiction precedes the current New York Times’ best-selling book series, telling the tale of the first encounters between UNSC forces and the alien Covenant race that threatens to destroy all humanity. The trade paperback will cost $12.95 (U.S.).

• Marvel Comic miniseries
Bungie Studios has teamed up with Marvel Comics to release the monthly miniseries “Halo: Uprising.” The four-issue miniseries, featuring original storylines and artwork from the Eisner Award-winning team of superscribe Brian Michael Bendis and artist extraordinaire Alex Maleev, will launch with issue one on July 25, 2007 and cost $3.99 (U.S.) per issue.

• Zune-Halo 3 edition
Encased in collectible packaging, the Zune-Halo 3 edition digital media player comes preloaded with artwork, trailers and music from all three “Halo” games, as well as an exclusive new episode of “Red vs. Blue” from the fan-adored machinima creator Rooster Teeth Productions LLC. The Zune-Halo 3 edition will be available exclusively at GameStop starting June 15 for an estimated retail price of $249 (U.S.)

Related: Halo 3 Beta Blog | Why You Need to be on Xbox Live