Halo: Reach launches at midnight tonight at tens of thousands of retailers in 25 countries around the world, and according to Microsoft, it’s not been since the debut of Star Wars: Episode 1 that “fans [have] been so excited to revisit a beloved franchise.”

Halo has been called a “a pop culture phenomenon” by Variety magazine, as well as the number one game series of all time, but corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios at Microsoft Corp., Phil Spencer, has gone one better.

In one last press release to remind gamers that Halo: Reach is indeed on the way, Spencer no doubt puffed out his chest and wrote:

“When it comes to the size and scope of a franchise and especially the dedication of the fans, no game is bigger than ‘Halo.’ With ‘Halo: Reach,’ we’re delivering on our promise to redefine blockbuster entertainment experiences and ultimately help make this year the biggest ever in Xbox history.”

Bigger than Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto and Gran Turismo? Bigger even that Pokemon and Mario, Mr. Spencer?

Hmm. We’ll see about that.

Microsoft sure is feeling confident about Halo: Reach, as evidenced by comments made by Xbox UK boss Stephen McGill, who’s certain the title will outsell Call of Duty: Black Ops…

You can perform one last media check by browsing through El33tonline’s previous coverage of Halo: Reach, where you’ll be able to find healthy collections of videos, screenshots and information.