Halo 3 Release Date Blown As U.K. Merchant Ships Copies

[NightStorm]

Well, all I can say is "whoops"

[url=\"http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201807557\"]Source[/url]
[i]A copy of Halo 3 has already turned up on eBay's UK Web site -- selling for about $500 U.S. [/i]

By Paul McDougall
InformationWeek
September 19, 2007 01:00 PM


The most widely anticipated video game in history has been made available a week ahead of its formal release date thanks to a gaff by a British merchant.
Argos, a UK operator of catalog stores, on Tuesday started handing copies of Microsoft ([url=\"http://www.techweb.com/financialCenter/index.jhtml?Account=techweb&Page=QUOTE&Ticker=MSFT\"]MSFT[/url])'s Halo 3 over to customers who pre-ordered the game on its Web site. The Xbox 360-based first person shooter isn't set for formal release until September 25th.

A copy of Halo 3 has already turned up on eBay ([url=\"http://www.techweb.com/financialCenter/index.jhtml?Account=techweb&Page=QUOTE&Ticker=EBAY\"]EBAY[/url])'s UK Web site -- selling for about $500 U.S.

In a statement, Argos officials blamed the foul up on "a genuine administrative error" and said only a "small number" of Halo 3 copies were sold.

That may not be good enough for Microsoft officials, who are no doubt apoplectic. The company has spent millions on a high profile Halo 3 marketing campaign that will culminate with elaborate launch events in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Seattle next week.

Argos may already be feeling retribution from the software maker. A check Wednesday afternoon revealed that the merchant's Web site is no longer able to accept pre-orders for Halo 3. To date, retailers around the world have taken more than one million pre-orders for the game -- an industry record.

Halo 3 stars Master Chief, a biologically enhanced soldier who has to blast his way through a futuristic, 3-D landscape to survive and accomplish missions. Version 3 of the game, developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft, features a host of new levels, weapons, vehicles, and level types.

Most retailers are selling the title for around $60. A special "Legendary Edition" sells for about $130 and includes a helmet-style case, bonus discs, and collector's art. Microsoft is also planning to introduce a special Halo 3 version of the Xbox 360 that's emblazoned in the same green and gold colors sported by Master Chief.

[Josh]

rofl... I love it when things like this happen. /blum.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':P\' />

[Antics]

Not the only one. XD

There are already rips of Halo 3 on bittorrent sites, now -thats- gotta be a knife in Microsoft's spine.

[Josh]

you bet lol... Sucks to be Microsoft right now, but I'm sure there's a lot of happy fans now haha