Master Chief for Madame Tussauds?

Computer games are fast becoming a larger part of our culture and it's hard to deny that what was once a niche hobby taken up only be four-eyed hobbits has now become a more accepted past-time. Geek-chic is suddenly cool and everyone in the world seems to know who Gordon Freeman is and who Luke Skywalker's father is.

Nothing could have made this shift of view more obvious in fact than the rumour that Master Chief will soon be joining the gallery of celebrities and cultural icons housed at Madame Tussauds waxwork museum - a rumour which got kicked off after some a photograph of the wax model got posted on the internet.

The picture in question was posted by Godfree over at GameTagRadio, who got the photo from a listener who had taken a backstage tour of the House of Wax and snapped this piccy of a Master Chief waxwork which seems to be nearing the end of its development.

The timing certainly makes sense - Halo 3 has officially gone gold and will be on shelves in a matter of weeks, which would seem to indicate the waxwork is part of the launch campaign in some way.

If it isn't part of the launch campaign though then it's a bit of a let down - there are plenty of better computer game characters (ooh, controversial) who could justify a waxy replica. Waxwork LeChuck, anyone?

Have you pre-ordered Halo 3, or do you think the whole series is over-hyped nonsense? What did you reckon to the multiplayer beta? Let us know in the forums.