Buy Crackdown, get Halo 3 beta invite

by Dustin Burg { Dec 27th 2006 at 8:00PM }

In the most recent issue of Gamepro magazine is an ad for Microsoft's Crackdown ... but in the lower right corner is a dirty little secret. The fine print clearly states that with purchase of Crackdown you'll receive a key code to get into the (wait for it) Halo 3 beta this Spring! Microsoft's marketing team must have thought, "what would be the best way to sell this damn game? Wait, I got it! We'll use our top franchise to spur game sales in a co-branded venture ... genius!". Though, we're still betting the bank on being randomly selected for the beta from Halo3.com. But if you have Crackdown on pre-order or were going to purchase it anyway, it looks like you'll be beta testing Halo 3 next year (crosses fingers hoping this isn't a photoshopped Gamepro ad).

[Via Joystiq]

Tags: beta, bungie, crackdown, halo, halo 3, Halo3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

MDK2002 @ Dec 27th 2006 8:08PM

i feel an ebay fight for the code
you have to remember that you have to have the specially marked box with the indication of the halo 3 code in it.

This game doesnt look good at all and if wanted to sell copies of it that is the way i would do it say you can play halo 3

JCP @ Dec 27th 2006 9:07PM

I dont know how to feel about this, I had planned on buying crackdown before this, but it makes me wonder if crackdown is gonna suck, and if thats the case then everyone will be paying 65 bucks to participate in the H3 beta...hhhmmm...not cool, I hope crackdown is good.

Don Wilson @ Dec 27th 2006 9:08PM

Lol, I don't even know what Crackdown is but I want to buy it now =)

Zim @ Dec 27th 2006 9:22PM

I think Crackdown will be just fine. This is just Microsoft's way of selling itself. If Crackdown weren't a Microsoft Game Studios game then this would never happen. All they're doing here is trying to get those people that have been waiting to buy a 360 for Halo 3 because they think they can last on Halo 2 until it's out. They'll buy it 8 months earlier, and buy 8 months worth of games, however many that may be.

Good move. And Crackdown looks fantastic.

Z3r0 D3adly @ Dec 27th 2006 9:39PM

OH MY GOD!!!! I am so glad I get to get the Halo 3 beta and a game that I want!

Thank god and I hope this game roxors! (Ill be seeing you guys in the beta and crackdown my GT is my name right here)

beamkiller @ Dec 27th 2006 9:52PM

Hey i know this is off topic, but has anyone noticed GOW matchmaking is down?? I havent tried rainbow six yet

DoctorAK @ Dec 27th 2006 10:00PM

off topic as well...yeah, my GOW multiplayer is down, can't get online either

Hoffer @ Dec 27th 2006 10:30PM

bonus

I wanted Crackdown anyway. Now I'm buying it for sure.

Machiavelli @ Dec 27th 2006 11:35PM

Is this just an invitation what many of us signed up before on Dec 4th or an actual invitation to be accepted in the beta?

Also anyone know what will these specially marked boxes will look like by any chance?

Veras Gunn @ Dec 28th 2006 1:59AM

Meh, nothing special. I had already planned on getting Crackdown long before this piece of information.

I might end up just giving the code to a friend or something. I can't really say I'm all that excited for Halo 3, I just want Crackdown.

cybereality @ Dec 28th 2006 5:10AM

Wow. I was planning on getting this title, but now I'm definately getting it on launch date. I really wonder how many beta seats there are. Obviously if the game sells over a million units in the first month (like Gears of War) we can't all be in the beta. I wonder.

Sarah @ Dec 28th 2006 8:44AM

Oh god, and I thought micro transactions were bad. Now we have to pay for demo's or beta testing??

Ricardo @ Dec 28th 2006 8:59AM

#13 "Oh god, and I thought micro transactions were bad. Now we have to pay for demo's or beta testing??"

WHat kind of logic is that? You buy a real retail game for $60 and it just happens to bring a demo or beta invite etc. Since when did people start complaining about getting extra stuff when buying something? Like others I was going to buy the game anyways so this is like a bonus. Is not like the game will cost $80 because of it. Seems silly to think $60=demo or beta invite lol