About

The Needler is a fictional gun found in the video game series Halo. The gun first appeared as the "Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher" in the first entry in the series but would soon become a staple. Online, fans of the game regard the Needler as one of the most beloved in the series.

Origin

On November 15th, 2001, Microsoft released the video game Halo: Combat Evolved. In the game, a first-person shooters players can collect different firearms, particularly from enemies. One such blaster includes the "Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher," more commonly referred to by fans as "The Needler."

Spread

Memes

Memes inspired the Needler began appearing online in the mid-to-late 2000s. One of the earliest still available is a bit of fan art posted on FunnyJunk^[4] on December 8th, 2010, which shows the Halo character Masterchief with several needles in his buttocks (shown below, left).

Memes about the Needler increased over the next decade, with image edits that feature the fictional gun. For example, on September 17th, 2019, Redditor ^[5] hishon01 edited the gun into a scene from the film Pulp Fiction, turning it into the coveted MacGuffin from the film. The post received more than 12,000 points (98% upvoted) in less than two years (shown below, center).

On February 13th, 2021, Twitter^[6] user @dammit_d4ve posted an edit of recording artist and songwriter Dolly Parton holding the gun. The post received more than 67,000 likes and 1,200 retweets in less than one month (shown below, right).

Nerf Guns

BOOMco Covenant Needler

In October 2015, BOOMco. announced and released a series of Needler-style guns based on weapons found in the video game Halo 3, known as the Covenant Needler. The mechanics of the gun are similar to that of older Nerf guns, particularly "Slam fire," which allows users to fire darts in rapid succession. However, unlike those designs, the Needler stores darts in flared rows at the top of the device.^[1]

On October 8th, 2015, YouTuber Coop772 reviewed the toy and received more than 850,000 views in less than six years (shown below).

Halo Infinite Needler

On February 18th, 2020, Hasbro announced a follow-up to the Needler, modeled after the Needler blasters found in Halo Infinite. That day, the verified Halo account tweeted^[2] an image that advertised the collaboration, receiving more than 18,000 likes and 2,500 retweets in less than two years (shown below). The blasters were released on October 1st, 2020.^[3]

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References