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Microsoft Investigating Halo 3: ODST Distribution Breach

Tom Ivan's picture

By Tom Ivan

August 28, 2009

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Microsoft is investigating “a very small breach” in its Halo 3: ODST distribution process that has resulted in a number of French gamers receiving the title almost a month ahead of its release.

Videos of consumers unwrapping the highly anticipated shooter cropped up on the internet before being pulled, and Microsoft has warned that it will “take action” against those who it feels have procured the game illegitimately. The exact number of copies that have been released into the wild hasn’t been specified, but it’s thought to be over 100.

"We are investigating a very small breach in our distribution process around the early delivery of Halo 3: ODST units,” a Microsoft spokesman told CVG.

"We are also investigating Xbox Live accounts that show activity related to Halo 3: ODST and will take action against those we believe have procured copies of the game illegitimately.”

In an update on his Twitter site, Stephen Toulouse, who heads up Xbox Live policy at Microsoft's Live Services Group, said that the company “will not be banning legitimate customers from Xbox Live who play early.”

ODST, which is likely to be developer Bungie’s penultimate Halo title, is set for a worldwide release on September 22. The game is one of the highlights of Microsoft’s second half Xbox 360 line-up. Research firm Nielsen said that it was the leading title in terms of "consumer purchase interest" following E3 last month, ahead of the likes of God Of War III, Wii Sports Resort and Guitar Hero 5.

matt1791's picture
On August 29th matt1791 said:

Maybe it's 5 hours of excellence. I'd rather have five hours of brilliance than fifteen hours of cack. That said, maybe it's five hours of drivel. I guess we'll know in a months time. Til then, who cares?
I don't think Bungie have ever been ones to sit with their fingers up their bums, from Pathways, to Marathon, Myth & Halo - they don't seem to have had any more a laid back approach than any other developer

toadwarrior's picture
On August 29th toadwarrior said:

A 5 hour excellent game is fine but really it should be cheaper than a longer excellent game.

Bungie isn't perfect. Myth (or perhaps it was Myth 2) went out with a bug that would wipe your whole drive, Halo 1 level design is quite repetitive and uninspiring. Especially considering how long they worked on it. I think people bought into more than they would have it wasn't a title that had been hyped for the PC and then snapped up as an exclusive for the first MS console.

If any other game featured the same grey corridor for 50% of the game, it would have been attacked for that but let's face it, there wasn't really anything else to play on the xbox.

NickgamertagO1's picture
On August 30th NickgamertagO1 said:

"Halo 1 level design is quite repetitive and uninspiring. Especially considering how long they worked on it"

I agree some of the levels were repetitive (cough library cough) and there were a few levels that were used twice, just reversed but you shouldn't knock Bungie for development time. Bungie scrapped the game and started from scratch after an undewhelming preview at E3. Bungie had just 12 months to develop Halo 1 for the Xbox 1. Ironically I still think it was the best one.

Rob's picture
On August 31st Rob said:

And I would agree. The level design in 2 was way too cramped and the story suffered greatly in all the sequels. I know, I know I'm a broken record about this topic.

squazzil4's picture
On August 29th squazzil4 said:

I heard the campaign is only 5hrs long ***wtf*** Why does it take bungee so long to make these games when Halo3 & ODST are just recycled versions of Halo2.

Compare the jump in gameplay between say Halo1 & ODST and say PoP sands of time on the xbox & assassins creed 2 from Ubi. Guess which developer has actually been doing some work and not just driving around in their Ferrari's & sitting on the beach

toadwarrior's picture
On August 28th toadwarrior said:

If they're legit copies then who cares how they got them?

I'd put an iso on the net out of spite if MS started harassing for a video over me opening a legit copy of a game.