Halo 3 street date broken, players will NOT be banned [update 2]

by Richard Mitchell { Sep 19th 2007 at 11:50AM }

[Update 2: Pro-G now reports that Microsoft has backpedaled on it's threat to ban Xbox Live users for playing Halo 3 before its September 25th street date. It seems the bans reported earlier only apply to Microsoft employees. So, if you are not a Microsoft employee, enjoy your new pre-release copy of Halo 3. Thanks to ejb for the update.]

Reports are flying, literally flying into the X3F Report Catcher® that UK retailer Argos has broken the September 25th street date for Halo 3. The news originates from Eurogamer, where users of its forum noticed a message on the retailer's website claiming that they could pick up their reserved copies of the game today. First of all, if you live in the UK, you're probably out of luck now as the retailer has caught on to the mistake. Second, if you did manage to snag a copy, you still might not want to play it, as Pro-G is reporting that players are having their Live accounts banned by Microsoft. Why Microsoft would punish consumers for a retailer's mistake is beyond us, but we'll wait for an official response before casting judgment. In the meantime, keep that DVD out of your Xbox! Alternately, make sure you tell us if your console has been banned.

Tags: bungie, bungie-studios, bungiestudios, halo-3, halo3, mgs, microsoft-game-studios, microsoftgamestudios

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mauricio @ Sep 19th 2007 11:57AM

How about instead of keeping the DVD out of your Xbox, you just unplug the network cable and get started on the singleplayer.

skunkworks @ Sep 19th 2007 11:58AM

if MS is banning consumers for buying a game thats bad news. it's not the consumers responsibility to know street dates.

Jason @ Sep 19th 2007 11:59AM

#1: Unplugging the hard drive might be a better idea.

TORO @ Sep 19th 2007 12:01PM

Maybe they haven't implemented a way to ban them from H3 only. That retail shop has a bunch of wankers working for them! I wonder if they'll be fired "on the spot".

jose_edwaldo @ Sep 19th 2007 12:02PM

I've got my limited edition pre-ordered with Play.com in the UK.....many times I've had stuff from them come before the release date, most of the time just a couple of days. It's going to be pretty painful if I get this early and I can't play it. Hopefully they'll be a bit more forgiving if there's just a day or two to go.

Mauricio @ Sep 19th 2007 12:03PM

AHH, good point skunk. Street dates kind of dont apply to the gamer. If a game is on the shelf ready to purchase whos fault is that? Not the gamers fault. MS cant just assume said gamer got the game in an illegal manner.

i doubt there bannin people for playing though

mattclarkie @ Sep 19th 2007 12:05PM

It is a fault with Argos' computers. I remember seeing reserve and collect your Wii in September, it didn't launch for months after you supposedly pick it up from in-store. The Argos system just isn't designed for pre-orders, because it is based on a catalogue, they expect items to be available the instant they are loaded into the system.

Tony @ Sep 19th 2007 12:06PM

Hopefully they'll just be unbanned once it officially releases. It's ridiculous to harm consumers because of some retailer fuck up.

Mauricio @ Sep 19th 2007 12:07PM

@Jason - if you unplug the HDD then you cant save your game dude!

off topic - i remeber the first time i played Metal Gear Solid i had no Memory Card. so i played for like 16 hours straight before i couldnt stay awake anymore and turned it off. come to think of it, i should have just paused it. DUH!

cadeucsb @ Sep 19th 2007 12:08PM

M$ tends to ban by their own rules, regardless of who is actually at fault.

ejb @ Sep 19th 2007 12:08PM

tons of copys on ebay. if i were to buy one, i'd jsut unplug the xbox.

Mauricio @ Sep 19th 2007 12:11PM

thanks for the update Sense. Microsoft = Evil Geniuses

skunkworks @ Sep 19th 2007 12:12PM

heres a thought. create a second silver gamertag. play halo 3. when the street date hits switch to your main gold gamertag. problem solved?

skunkworks @ Sep 19th 2007 12:14PM

heres a thought. create a second silver gamertag. play halo 3. when the street date hits switch to your main gold gamertag. problem solved?

Jonah Falcon @ Sep 19th 2007 12:15PM

Ever heard of End User Agreements? If Microsoft doesn't want people playing their game without their permission, it's their legal right to prevent it. After all, they're the ones who spent tens of millions of dollars funding it. You're only paying $60-$130.

Jonah Falcon @ Sep 19th 2007 12:15PM

"heres a thought. create a second silver gamertag. play halo 3. when the street date hits switch to your main gold gamertag. problem solved?"

Here's a thought - wait til September 25 before you play. What's the f'ing rush?

avinitski @ Sep 19th 2007 12:21PM

cant see how they would ban consoles for playng early anyway, what about review machines at magazines and internet review sites?

Jonah Falcon @ Sep 19th 2007 12:22PM

"cant see how they would ban consoles for playng early anyway,"

They're not banning consoles. Just accounts.

UAE L0co @ Sep 19th 2007 12:22PM

i'v been waiting since i finished halo2 (three years?), waiting 4 days and 21 hours and 44 minutes and 30 seconds more wont kill me :S

Tony @ Sep 19th 2007 12:23PM

Unless the game boots up telling you that you can't play it before a certain date, I'm not sure where the End User Agreement is even being made clear to any consumer. I mean, if I came to a store and they were selling it, my assumption wouldn't be "oh man I better not play it yet because I'll get in trouble!".

As I said before, hopefully it's just temporary before the launch so they don't leak anything of note out.

TORO @ Sep 19th 2007 12:27PM

Hey friend I won't mention, if X3F update is correct, I hope you re-format your HDD or you were already playing w/o one. Just lookin out ;)

Neon Jebus @ Sep 19th 2007 12:29PM

Boy it would sure suck to win Halo 3 and have it sent the day before release. You know...the prize Microsoft and Pontiac are offering. You telling me they are going to check to make sure you won the game?

Think about it...I call BS

maskofskin @ Sep 19th 2007 12:36PM

Just disconnect from Live and set the system clock ahead in your XBox.

Feelz Good @ Sep 19th 2007 12:37PM

Richard,
I'm supposedly recieving a copy of Halo 3 today, and I will play it. If Microsoft bans me then let's just say I'll make a big deal out of it. If they have a problem, it's with retailers and distributors, not customers. I'll be sure to keep you guys updated.

JwEagle @ Sep 19th 2007 12:41PM

on the pro-g website they said the ban is for microsoft employees only

Josh @ Sep 19th 2007 12:42PM

i hope they aren't really banning people. retailers should be held at fault - not the consumers

haneef s. @ Sep 19th 2007 12:42PM

This is NOT TRUE. the site says that you will NOT be banned.

http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/19-09-2007-6492.html

RandomHero @ Sep 19th 2007 12:43PM

I actually see the point. they have no way of telling other than hey your playing H3 and it isnt out yet goodbye. I mean they are doing what they can to keep it all legit and want kind of gamer doenst know the release sate you all know better! they have been pushing the release hardcore for a month you MORON! skunkworks

ANt @ Sep 19th 2007 12:43PM

Halo is soooooooooooooooo OVERBLOWN!!

PHILL @ Sep 19th 2007 12:48PM

what about those that win the play-it-early? via pontiac?

Sloar @ Sep 19th 2007 12:55PM

Pro-G was full of crap to begin with. Why were they the only ones reporting on this. This was bull from the very beginning.

Ciaran Gallagher @ Sep 19th 2007 1:22PM

Fuck I pre-ordered from sendit.com!

Jesse @ Sep 19th 2007 1:55PM

Good to see that consumers aren't getting banned for this. That would be completely stupid on M$'s part.

MIKEYT85 @ Sep 19th 2007 1:56PM

or just log on to a profile that isnt ur regular xbox live profile they said they were banning accounts not systems

Boff @ Sep 19th 2007 2:19PM

Ah fuck it there's only a week to go anyway

Juan Hernandez @ Sep 19th 2007 2:32PM

BANT XBOKS

RDUNFEE @ Sep 19th 2007 2:50PM

go to newegg.com you can order it there and get overnight shipping

rdunfee @ Sep 19th 2007 3:15PM

nvrmind they fixed their website. now they all say out of stock.

Jake Geiser @ Sep 19th 2007 5:11PM

I wonder if I went around to all the retailers here in my town if I would be able to get a copy... I know one place that would sell it to me if i asked nicely... hmm... time to go to kmart! :) (totally kidding, they have a bad time keeping things in back tho. Everytime I go there I swear they have something sitting out that isn't supposed to.)

popozao @ Sep 19th 2007 5:23PM

Enjoy being able to brick your 360's early!!! Yay!!! RROD FTW!!!111ROXORZ!!

TORO @ Sep 19th 2007 7:26PM

LMAO Popozao, it is truly sad how much time you spend on bashing Halo 3. I clicked on your name, what a loser!! Don't be jealous that we'll playing one of the greatest games in entertainment history while you wish you can poke your ass with a vibrating controller. Don't worry Popozao, you will get that feature soon enough.