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Halo 2 Available on the Net

Posted by michael on from the negative-26-day-warez dept.

syberanarchy writes "Gamespot reports that Halo 2 has already been leaked to the internet via French newsgroups and P2P networks, almost a month before release! Any chance this bombshell move could force MS/Bungie to push up the release date?" See also gamesindustry.biz and The Register.

12 of 391 comments (clear)

  1. No Chance... by Ionizer7 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Pirates will be pirates, law abiding citizens will be law abiding citizens. There is probably alot more to this release date, there is most likely alot of TV ads and magazine ads that are set to launch at the same time.

  2. Why am I not surprised. by SHiVa0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This has been like this for years. For as long as the "scene" exists. Nothing to see here, move along. But frankly, the more intermediate poeple getting their hands on the Gold master before it's heading out to press, the easier it is to leak.

  3. Heh. by Devar · · Score: 5, Funny

    I like how on the front page directly under this story is the article U.S. Declares War on Intellectual Property Theft.

    --
    It's a Bagel.
  4. Re:Up the release? Nah. by EvilCabbage · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't even have an Xbox, but what is the hardware you would need to burn the Xbox ISO once you downloaded it off P2P?

    A modded X-box and a crossover cable. That's all, er.. so I hear.

  5. Arrr arrr me hearties by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ahoy!

    Aye, talk like a piiiiiiiiiiiraaaate day haz been extended me mateees.

    Shiver me timbers, bring me some halo 2 smartly now ye blige rats.

    Arr arr

  6. This is Sad by shplorb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Whether you like Microsoft or not, this is bad. Many people have poured their hearts and souls into making that game not just because they like making cool stuff, but because they like to bring happyness to people. The person who leaked this clearly has no respect for the creators of the game.

    As a game developer, I urge you to show some respect for the creators of the game by not downloading or distributing it. My first game came out a couple of weeks ago on PS2 and XBox and it's both frustrating and disappointing to see it readily available on P2P networks. How would you like to see something you've worked on for 50+ hours a week for months on end being freely copied around?

    If you're intent on doing it, at least wait until the game has been released and if you like it, please buy it to support the developers. $50 isn't much to pay considering the number of hours of entertainment you get from the tens of thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars that would have gone into producing it - infinitely better value than a movie.

    1. Re:This is Sad by Diabolus777 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm a game developper for a really small company and let me tell you this:

      Once the game's gone gold, it's in the publisher's hands. They bought the title and now hold the rights to it. So, if they decided to send promo copies to journalists (where 99% of leaks come from), then only the publisher is to blame.

      It's the business dynamic to send promos in order to get maximum exposure, make people drool by reading the reviews that are largely biased most of the time.

      If I see my game leaked and available before it's time, I wash my hands of it. I got paid for my work, and we sold the title. I'm not saying it's ok for people to distribute, but it's beign made so easy and tempting for them that nothing I'll say will make a difference. . .

      --
      We should have been
      So much more by now
      Too dead inside
      To even know the guilt
  7. I'm a bit confused by insomnyuk · · Score: 5, Funny

    No one has answered:

    1) Why the hell would this force Bungie to push forward the release date? I'm sorry, but I didn't spend the time or money to mod my x-box, and I don't want to play the goddamn game in French, since I don't speak French and I'd kind of like to know what the hell is going on when I play the game.

    2) Does this mean pre-orders in France are going to be canceled all of the sudden? I doubt it. Even with filesharing, artists can still sell millions of albums.

    3) Who is responsible for this, exactly? Pirates? Like the ones from Penzance, or the less musical Barbary Pirates? Someone said French journalists. Uh, RTFM. There's a big difference between "news groups" and journalists.

  8. Choices, choices... by toriver · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hm... risk a $100,000 fine for illegally downloading it, or risk a $1,000 fine for stealing a physical copy when it's released...

  9. No by cassidyc · · Score: 5, Funny

    it wont affect Bungies release date, but it will be a good excuse to delay HL2 some more

  10. Re:Bittorrent... by ifitzgerald · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I was going to mod this article, but I decided to post instead.

    I hear a lot of people posting comments saying that most people with modded XBOXs are just going to download the game and put up with the French audio and UK subtitles rather than ponying up the $50. Having a modded XBOX, I take offense to that. I've played Halo for years now, and it is the best game I have ever played. I have spent so long waiting for Halo 2 to come out that another few weeks won't make a difference to me. The true diehard fans of Halo will not download the game. Rather, they will buy legit copies of Halo 2, and pay the developers the respect, and money, that they deserve for producing such an awesome game. People who steal from Bungie are not true Halo fans.

  11. Re:Bittorrent... by WormholeFiend · · Score: 5, Funny

    A true Halo fan wouldn't want to play the damn thing in French for the first time

    CTF is sure going to be interesting with two white flags.