Girlfriends are breaking up with their boyfriends over it. It makes strangers verbally abuse people they have never met over the Internet. It has been the biggest launch of any entertainment product so far in 2010.

Halo: Reach was released to the public last Tuesday, making more than $200 million in sales. The game’s launch was the cause of much celebration across the country including a registered student organization on campus.

For the Video Gamers of Eastern Illinois, a year-old social RSO on campus, the game’s release couldn’t have been a better way to get their organization amped for the year to come.

They had an event in the 7th street underground the day after the game was released so members could play the game together.

Video Gamers President Justin Rhodes, a senior recreation administration major, sat on a sofa at 7th Street Underground greeting members as they hurried to take out their gaming equipment to start playing.

“It’s probably the biggest game that’s going to come out in a long time,” said Rhodes in between matches.

The Halo event is the first of many events the group will participate in this semester. The group will host its own tournaments and LAN parties at members’ houses that will feature a variety of games spanning many genres. This year the group plans on adding games such as Rock Band, Madden, Call of Duty, NBA 2K11 and several older game from systems such as Nintendo and Sega among others. The group participates in a wide variety of gaming tournaments in Chicago. The tournaments they attend vary in size and in terms of type of game. Last year Anthony Butler, the group’s vice president, took second place in a fighting game tournament.

Although the group is small, they are dedicated and often get food together after their meetings.

Rhodes said he does not want the group to perpetuate gaming stereotypes. He said the group is trying to reach a broad crowd with a variety of different games.

“Pretty much everyone is a gamer, even if you just play Tetris online,” Rhodes said. “So everyone should come out and join us.”

The club meets every other Thursday at 7 p.m. in 7th Street Underground.

Nicole Conness can be reached at 581-7944 or [email protected]