Microsoft goes CSI over ODST breach |
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| BY Kristen Spencer Aug. 29th, 2009 | More on: |
A word of advice to our fellow gamers of the French persuasion - even if you managed to procure your early copy of Halo 3: ODST by legitimate means, as in not off the back of a slow moving van, might we suggest firing it up on a friend’s system juuuuust in case Microsoft-branded special forces decide to switch the bean bags for live rounds that night.
“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, after videos of several Parisian consumers unwrapping the yet to be released shooter started cropping up on the internet. The videos have since been taken down, but Microsoft is out for blood.
“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.”
Head of Xbox Live policy, Stephen Toulouse, later clarified via tweet that the media mogul won’t be “banning legitimate customers from Xbox Live who play early.” Who that leaves to punish if these were not pirated copies, but legitimate copies that somehow got lost on their way to lock up, remains unclear, but woe to the person on whom Microsoft’s fiery gaze finally rests.
August 29th, 2009
at 3:27 pm
if you’re caught playing it before it’s official release date (which everyone who wants this game is more than aware of), M$ has every right to ban your account. period.
if i got an early copy i’d:
- consider myself lucky
- play offline exclusively once i started playing ODST until a day or two AFTER it’s official release. (how would i explain all the achievements possibly earned ‘day one’ ?)
anything else and it’s your ass = )
August 29th, 2009
at 4:27 pm
Well, not everyone who picks it up may know it was released by said store before they were supposed to. And even if they did, MS banning someone because one of the participating retailers fucked up isn’t exactly a valid move. If you purchased a game legally, they can’t possibly ban your entire account. Maybe disable online play until the release date or something, but banning an honest consumer over a fuck up caused by one of their partners is just ludicrous.
August 29th, 2009
at 9:38 pm
im not saying M$ would be “right” or “wrong” if they were to ban you or i (or ms.spencer, since its clear she obviously stole those copies of ODST from that Toys R Us in jersey) for having legally obtained and played it. im just saying, as i stated above “they have every right” to do whatever in order to protect their policies.
for instance, if you told me you got you’re hands on a copy i would say “hey, you know that game isn’t available yet to consumers, right? someone in the shipping/retail chain obviously f*ed up.”
then you’d say “that’s not my problem. i got a reciept that proves a legal exchange.”
to which i’d counter, “ok, i understand but you’re going to automatically assume M$ is going to see it that way? look at it from their perspective: they’ve got a high-profile, high-investment product that found its way into people’s hands weeks before its official release. whether its a goof or theft is irrelevant, it represents a serious financial threat. don’t be surprised if they, in an effort to limit potential damage, start temporarily or permanently banning accounts while they investigate.”
then you’d say, “yea your right. i’ll wait until its released proper.”
… and then i would totally steal your copy while your back was turned… sorry