Here’s some great news for those hardcore gaming fans out there. Microsoft is planning to promote the launch of its much anticipated videogame, “Halo 3″ in a big way next week. The company is bound to take over the male-centered cable channels such as Spike TV, Sci Fi Channel and Comedy Central over the three days leading up to the title’s Tuesday release.

The move is quite significant because in addition to the more than $10 million in TV ads that Microsoft will buy, it’s also co-producing original programming to get gamers and newcomers interested in not just the next installment of the “Halo” franchise but the Xbox 360 console as well.

Comedy Central kicks off the effort Saturday with “Fully Loaded,” a series of two-minute interstitials hosted by “Mad TV” cast member Bobby Lee and airing throughout the night on the cabler.

On Monday, Spike TV’s “Game Head” vidgame show will host a live feed from the “Halo 3″ launch event at Best Buy’s flagship store in New York City, breaking into a broadcast of James Bond actioner “GoldenEye” throughout the night.

And on launch day, Tuesday, Sci Fi Channel bows half-hour “Halo 3: Sci vs. Fi,” which examines the making of the game and will air twice on the cabler.

A major push on a channel like MTV wasn’t in the cards because the game is rated M, for mature, and Microsoft is targeting the 18- to 24-year-old male aud rather than the more female-skewing demo that MTV attracts.