MS: "Unauthorised" Halo: Reach risks ban

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 24 August, 2010

"We have ways of knowing."

Microsoft has issued a stark warning to those playing the leaked version of upcoming Xbox 360 exclusive Halo: Reach.

Those found playing an "unauthorised" copy of the game, as Microsoft calls it, could be banned.

"As with all unauthorized play on Xbox Live, anyone playing any unauthorized title runs the risk of account permaban and console," wrote director of policy and enforcement for Xbox Live Stephen Toulouse on Twitter.

"Remember, legit store bought copy runs no risk of ban. Key word: UNAUTHORIZED. We have ways of knowing. :>"

Yesterday Halo: Reach fans were urged to "go dark" following the leak of the game onto the internet weeks before its official release.

Halo: Reach is due out on 14th September.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (74) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • rodpad #1 2 years ago

    The only way to play this is with JTagged consoles which are instantly detectable and banned within just a few hours.

    Consoles with only modified DVD firmwares cannot play the current leak.

  • Phishfood #2 2 years ago

    Considering how people have been banned before for unauthorised copies I think its a real warning.

  • Goodfella #3 2 years ago

    If you are stupid enough to play an unauthorised copy while connected to Live then you deserve everything you get.

  • mcmonkeyplc #4 2 years ago

    Are we trying to go for a story a day about Halo until launch?

  • Yossarian #5 2 years ago

    The correct spelling is 'unauthorized'.

  • CaptainQuint #6 2 years ago

    Of the couple of multiplayer matches I've watched (on YouTube), the Jtags involved must surely be playing via LAN, so I'd have thought they have nothing to worry about. Unless they're playing online via some other means other than Live?

  • Negotiator #7 2 years ago

    Microsoft is like the eye of Sauron, they see everything.

  • CaptainQuint #8 2 years ago

    Yossarian, you're incorrect.

  • Goodfella #9 2 years ago

    Hehe, there's nothing better than someone correcting someone else's spelling and then turning out that they're wrong.

  • riceNpea #10 2 years ago

    risks ban?

    gets instant ban!

    and if you make it so fire shots out of their XBox and brands them with the word 'PIRATE' too, that'll be nice

  • Yossarian #11 2 years ago

    Gentlemen, you are wrong. But the mistake is almost universally made in contemporary British English, so I forgive you.

    Let us consult...

    Hart’s Rules for Compositors and Readers at the Oxford University Press, orig by Horace Hart 1893, this edition (37th) 1967

    WORDS ENDING IN -IZE, -ISE, AND -YSE

    The -ize, not -ise, ending should be used where both spellings are in use. Generally, -ize is a suffix applied to the stems of nouns ending in -ism, -ization, -izer,-y, or to the complete noun.

    [Yossarian's note: as with 'authorization', for instance.]

    Examples:
    agony - agonize
    civilization - civilize
    appetizer - appetize
    criticism - criticize
    canal - canalize
    transistor - transistorize

    The ending -ise is correct when the noun has –is ­as part of the stem, e.g. in the syllables -vis­ (seeing), -cis- (cutting), -mis- (putting), and is also used for those nouns which do not terminate in -ism, -ization, etc. Exceptions are aggrandize­ment/aggrandize, recognition/recognize, and others noted in C.O.D. as `assimilated to verbs in -ize'. Reference should be made to C.O.D. and Collins, Authors' and Printers' Dictionary, if there is any doubt. Some of the more common -ise words follow: advertise, disguise, misadvise, advise, emprise, premise, apprise, enterprise, prise, chastise, excise, reprise, circumcise, exercise, revise, comprise, expertise, supervise, compromise, franchise, surmise, demise, improvise, surprise, despise, incise, televise, devise, merchandise, and treatise.

    In words such as analyse, catalyse, paralyse, -lys­is part of the Greek and not a suffix like -ize. There is therefore no parallel with -izewords, and consequently the spelling -yze is etymologically incorrect, and not to be used — except when following American printing style.

  • Yossarian #12 2 years ago

    Or, to consult even a lowly Pocket Oxford Dictionary:

    "-ize, sur. forming vbs meaning esp. make or become such (Ameri­canize, etherealize). The words properly spelt with -ise (advertise, surprise &c.) are of different origin."

  • thenastypasty #13 2 years ago

    Reach gets glassed.

    Sorry for the spoiler.

  • Goodfella #14 2 years ago

    Actually, isn't it just an American/English thing, as in defence/defense.

    So, nobody is wrong?

  • Yossarian #15 2 years ago

    It's not an English/American thing, it's a "correctly deriving verbs" thing. In fact, the Americans broadly get it 'right'.

    From my own Concise Oxford Dictionary, printed in this century, in the UK:

    Authorize, with authorization given as the derivative. '-ise' is given as a second spelling, as an inevitable concession to the many people who have made the error.
    Edited by Yossarian at 24/08/10 @ 11:01

  • chrisjm #16 2 years ago

    you should all go on countdown to fight it out like real men.

  • Yossarian #17 2 years ago

    I'm just trying to derail the comments thread so we won't have to talk about how Halo is overrated.

  • Centrifugal #18 2 years ago

    It's Microsoft's fault for hosting Halo: Reach on their servers. Honestly, would it have been too much trouble to simply send out hard, physical review copies of the game to journalists like most do?

  • Goodfella #19 2 years ago

    Yup, it's better than talking about Halo.

  • riceNpea #20 2 years ago

    i don't know about -ise or -ize but what i do know is this...

    Medal Of HONOUR!

  • MiniAmin #21 2 years ago

    I'm just trying to derail the comments thread so we won't have to talk about how Halo is overrated.

    But Halo is overrated.

    So, anyone up for some Halo 3 later? How about some Odious Tea?

  • Gromit #22 2 years ago

    Presumably the guy who typed "unauthorized" is American, and is therefore using American English. It was correct for him, but if an English person was to write the word, it would be "unauthorised".

    Either way, aren't there more interesting things to be thinking about?!

  • rotmm #23 2 years ago

    @Yossarian,

    You said

    "The correct spelling is 'unauthorized'."

    You then backed that statement up with

    "The -ize, not -ise, ending should be used where both spellings are in use."

    As you are clearly a fastidious student of the English language, let me direct your attention to two elements of the 2nd sentence.

    1) "Should"
    2) "Where both spellings are in use"

    If the first part, 'should' doesn't give you pause for thought that there is more than one way that certain words can be legitimately spelt, then the very fact that the same sentence flatly states that to be the case leaves only one question left unanswered.

    Why would you try to prove you are correct by copy/pasting a piece of text that so blatently states, in black and white no less, that you are not?

  • DavoTheDiv_2010 #24 2 years ago

    Yossarian? Dude? Stick it your arse eh?

  • Goodfella #25 2 years ago

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w3Jus6FjXk

  • Yossarian #26 2 years ago

    Well, rotmm, the problem is that one spelling was 'correct' and established by grammarians and etymologists, and the other is laziness that has entered popular use. I, and others, feel the lazy popular use does a disservice to the rich heritage of English, and to the languages from which our words have arrived (-izare and -izein from Latin and Greek, -iser from French). Phonetic considerations would also benefit those who use the 'correct' -ize endings.

    But this enters into a broader issue about prescriptivism versus descriptivism in English usage. Quickly, while I accept that the language can and does change as a result of poor usage as well as good, I believe we should strive to preserve its richness and precision where possible. And so I will continue to spell the following words just so: advertising, enterprise, paralyse, realize, unauthorized.

    What is sort of amusing is that English people will complain about the 'Yank' spelling of words like 'recognize', when in fact the Americans are being the traditionalists here, and an academic or classical British English speaker would frown upon the universal application of -ise.

    I also recall there's an episode of Morse where he chastises (aha! an -ise ending!) Lewis for not recognizing (aha! an -ize!) these distinctions.

  • Yossarian #27 2 years ago

    Here's a more pliant view, however, from Sir Ernest Gowers:

    "On the question whether verbs like organise and nouns like organi­sation should be spelt with an s or a z the authorities differ. There are some verbs (e.g. advertise, comprise, despise, advise, exercise and surmise) which are never spelt with a z in this country. There are others (such as organize) for which many people, particularly if they have had a classical education, prefer a z; but the latest authorities incline to the view that in these cases s is permissible. This being so, the simplest course is to use an s in all cases, for that will never be wrong, whereas z sometimes will be. But do not condemn those who use a z in its right place."*

    *Fowler's more austere view was that ize should always be used where the verb has been formed by using the suffix equivalent to the Greek suffix -izein (which retained its z when Latinised), but that ise should continue to be always used for words such as those quoted above which have been formed in a different way. Gowers specifically rejected this view in The Complete Plain Words but allowed it to stand in his revised edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage. His first, more permissive view is, I think, clearly preferable. I cannot regard realise or Latinise as wrong. B.D.F.

    {NB. I have checked 'Fowler's Modern English Usage, 2nd edn, and the 'z' form is clearly preferred, but this is hardly surprising as it emanates from Oxford's Clarendon Press of which this preference is part of their house style. However the alphabetical entry on the subject of choosing '- ize' make a powerful case and also draws attention to it being the standard form of the Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press and the Times, and readers may choose to look it up for themselves.}
    Edited by Yossarian at 24/08/10 @ 11:35

  • riceNpea #28 2 years ago

    i always thought 'should' was an imperative and not an option.

  • orangpelupa #29 2 years ago

    <strong>Of the couple of multiplayer matches I've watched (on YouTube), the Jtags involved must surely be playing via LAN, so I'd have thought they have nothing to worry about. Unless they're playing online via some other means other than Live? </strong>

    Yes, you can play online without the need of Xbox Live Gold. No Xbox live needed.
    Reach is supporting LAN Play, so maybe they use xLinKai and the 30ms ping limit bypass.

    but thats just one big "maybe" because its been a year i dont have xbox since the last one died.

  • Goodfella #30 2 years ago

    English grammar argument descends into violence!

    [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBsSttJsZOc
    ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBsSttJsZOc
    [/link]

  • Yossarian #31 2 years ago

    Language is fun!

  • MiniAmin #32 2 years ago

    I was joking when I said Halo was overrated btw. Halo is my greatest gaming series ever. I love them all, even Halo 2.

  • rodpad #33 2 years ago

    Orangelupa - spot on.

  • tachometer #34 2 years ago

    Mass Affect

  • cianchristopher #35 2 years ago

    This game is really addicting!

  • MiniAmin #36 2 years ago

    Halo's Reach.

  • irrelevanthuman #37 2 years ago

    Yoss is right and you guys are wrong-about the horses,the Lipizzaners.They are from Spain not Portugal.
    Edited by irrelevanthuman at 24/08/10 @ 12:11

  • drxym #38 2 years ago

    I expect XBL and PSN could infer who was playing the game too early by looking at date stamps on achievements or game saves. Even if you didn't log in, the next time the values synced the timestamps would be a giveaway. Best thing to do would be to unplug your ethernet, set the date & time into the future at a point that the game has released. Then don't plug your ethernet back in until that date passes. Perhaps also remove the HDD too and use a memory card if the game / modchip allows it.

    Seems a lot of hassle to play a single player version of a game which will be out soon anyway.

  • RexRunti #39 2 years ago

    -ize is not incorrect even in English english, however -ise is correct and more popular. Therefore unauthorized is a correct spelling not the correct spelling. So Yossarin was incorrect in his original post. The other thing to note is that spellings and language do change over time. e.g. "Old" not "Olde".

  • TelexStar #40 2 years ago

    @Yozzarian. You make an interesting argument. I've decided that I will make it my lifes work to ensure I and all my children spell authorise using the -ise form. Just so you can sleep safe in the knowledge that there are peasants out there beneath one such as yourself who are wholly stupid and ignorant of such matters. I'm doing this for you...because I care!

  • Yossarian #41 2 years ago

    No, Rex. -ize is the proper spelling. -ise is an accepted spelling.

    Just like picking your nose in public, while acceptable, should be frowned upon by those who know better.

  • Goodfella #42 2 years ago

    I blame Wesley Yin-Poole for spreading this vile, 'accepted' spelling of the word!

  • jack_klugman #43 2 years ago

    continue a relationship with the Liara from the first game.

    Is a slightly awkward one night stand considered a relationship these days?

  • Stompy #44 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 23:13:35 17-04-2012

  • Goodfella #45 2 years ago

    Yeah but, it's not like it got changed to 'Orfarise' or something.

  • lordofthedunce #46 2 years ago

    Is 'negged' a verb?

  • riceNpea #47 2 years ago

    Yossarian second to GOD?

    that'll put Jesus' nose out of joint

  • rojjer #48 2 years ago

    @rodpad

    wrong. There's a disc based version that a group has hacked onto a DVD.

    These people playing this will probably get a week, maybe two before the ban hammer falls. Good riddance.

  • Cronan #49 2 years ago

    Halo Reacharound

  • irrelevanthuman #50 2 years ago

    Alan Arkin is second only to Carl Sagan in the hero/deity stakes for me.I don't know where that places Yossarian the eurogamer member,but his spelling is spot on thats for sure.

  • Yossarian #51 2 years ago

    Is 'negged' a verb?

    It's certainly comprehensible communication in specific contexts, but I would imagine it will take a few more years of sustained and consistent use for it to become accepted by authorities and dictionaries!!!!

    Man, this conversation is better than Halo.

  • Petulant_Radish #52 2 years ago

    I luv langwage az itz de nutz init bruv, evwe1 knowz English iz de bezt anyhoo no matt ow itz schpelt, u get me init m8, l8rs.

    Language constantly evolves, be it from –ize to –ise, let’s just hope that the above does not become the norm past the illiterate youth of this country and their desire to use less characters per page because it costs less.

  • riceNpea #53 2 years ago

    so if negged is a verb and i like to neg comments....does that make me a negger?

  • CaptainQuint #54 2 years ago

    The BBC uses "ise" and so does the Telegraph, therefore Yoss can shove it up his arse!

  • SilverInfinity #55 2 years ago

    Halo Reach: Spelling Evolved :D

  • rodpad #56 2 years ago

    @rojjer

    Incorrect. The only releases are just JTag file compliations that have had the DRM stripped. They are being listed incorrectly as an ISO as defined by site catagories.

    There really isn't disc based version that will run on flashed DVD firmware only machines.

  • ps3owner #57 2 years ago

    Ł49.70 on Zavvi.com. wtf? and down from Ł59.99

    how do they survive!?

  • CaptainQuint #58 2 years ago

    I've got this on pre-order but I've decided that once the retail version leaks I'm gonna play the campaign on my mate's flashed Xbox. I don't want some twat on the interweb spoiling this thing for me.

  • lordofthedunce #59 2 years ago

    Someone negged my 'negged' remark. Not very sporting.

    What's the opposite of 'negged'? Is it 'possed'?

  • WizenWolfBain #60 2 years ago

    The gamers who have leaked copies aren't using Live. They're using Xlink Kai, and connecting through the Halo 3 LAN custom game section. That is why you can occasionally hear people talking on Reach broadcasts.

    I was under the impression that even if a tagged Xbox gets "permabanned", the console owner could simply change the console ID and evade the ban relatively quickly. I have heard stories of console ID's getting "borrowed" from new consoles in stores and used by "hackers" to evade bans on older banned consoles. This is probably bullshit though. Afterall, most of these "L337 Haxorx" are merely kids who piggyback off the work of people who really find exploits and then talk a load of crap about their so called achievements.

  • RedSparrows #61 2 years ago

    Yoss, I love you.

  • rodpad #62 2 years ago

    @WizenWolfBain

    It is possible to unban your DVD flashed console by changing your CPU key, but as I understand you are unable to do so on any dashboard for a few years now. You cannot roll back dashboards as eFuses are blown. This is not a simple task and goes far beyond flashing firmware.

    JTagged consoles will always be banned immeidately. DVD flashed ones usually get caught up in a banwave once a year, although quite a few slip through the net.

  • coolbritannia #63 2 years ago

    Best shooter series on any console ever. Fact.

  • Lukus #64 2 years ago

    YOZZARIAN.

  • BritishBlue1 #65 2 years ago

    "What's the opposite of 'negged'? Is it 'possed'?"

    I think you'll find it's pozzed.

  • dingo75 #66 2 years ago

    If I would want to play pirated games on Xbox 360 I would buy 2.
    One kept offline for the copies
    One online for the games I want to play online.

    Simple as that.
    Only retards get caught / banned.

    Note: I don't have any Xbox 360 so stop crying "pirate".

  • Yossarian #67 2 years ago

    All these years trolling news threads, and it turns out correcting a common spelling error is the thing to finally push me past -50 on a single comment.

  • TelexStar #68 2 years ago

    That's because no-one likes a smarty pants know-it-all.

  • JCHilton #69 2 years ago

    Yoss, you say "the americans broadly get it "right". Yet you then go on to say it is "correct" to use BOTH ISE and IZE for differently derived verbs from the greek IZO etc... If you would have done just a tiny little extra research, you'd know that "American spelling accepts only -ize endings in most cases, such as organize, realize, and recognize. British usage accepts BOTH -ize and -ise"- Sourced from the gold mine that is wikipedia. This would mean that America is just as incorrect as you were implying the British were right? (Personally I accept both forms) So leave your hypocrisy and biased opinion at the Nazi Grammar Convention next time. This IS Halo bitches!!!

    Edit: I do agree that using IZE as opposed to ISE is NOT an americanism though; so those that offend america in its "Spelling" are just as misinformed.
    Edited by JCHilton at 24/08/10 @ 15:58

  • 00.00.01 #70 2 years ago

    @JCHilton
    '...BOTH ISE and IZE for differently derived verbs from the greek IZO etc... '. Please advise on this word 'chorizo'. Because it originates from Spain (Iberian Peninsula) and I cannot understand what this has to do with the Greek origins you refer to.

  • ignatiusjreilly #71 2 years ago

    Greek "izo" Derivatives: A Conceptual Analysis

    Happy reading!

  • MegaCadet #72 2 years ago

    Wow, such an interseting topic. I bet you guys get all the ladies huh?
    Edited by MegaCadet at 24/08/10 @ 22:34

  • Bluetooth #73 2 years ago

    I say tomato, you say toemayto

  • sjmlondon #74 2 years ago

    Does this help?
    See full page at
    http://www.tysto.com/articles05/q1/20050324uk-us.shtml



    Comprehensive list of American and British spelling differences
    About 1,700 roots and derivitives, some of these are alternative (not
    preferred) spellings among one group or another (Canadians being particularly
    mercurial).



    UK
    accessorise
    accessorised
    accessorises
    accessorising
    acclimatisation
    acclimatise
    acclimatised
    acclimatises
    acclimatising
    accoutrements
    aeon
    aeons
    aerogramme
    aerogrammes
    aesthete
    aesthetes
    aesthetic
    aesthetically
    aesthetics
    aetiology
    ageing
    aggrandisement
    agonise
    agonised
    agonises
    agonising
    agonisingly
    almanack
    almanacks
    aluminium
    amortisable
    amortisation
    amortisations
    amortise
    amortised
    amortises
    amortising
    amphitheatre
    amphitheatres
    anaemia
    anaemic
    anaesthesia
    anaesthetic
    anaesthetics
    anaesthetise
    anaesthetised
    anaesthetises
    anaesthetising
    anaesthetist
    anaesthetists
    anaesthetize
    anaesthetized
    anaesthetizes
    anaesthetizing
    analogue
    analogues
    analyse
    analysed
    analyses
    analysing
    anglicise
    anglicised
    anglicises
    anglicising
    annualised
    antagonise
    antagonised
    antagonises
    antagonising
    apologise
    apologised
    apologises
    apologising
    appal
    appals
    appetiser
    appetisers
    appetising
    appetisingly
    arbour
    arbours
    archaeological
    archaeologically
    archaeologist
    archaeologists
    archaeology
    ardour
    armour
    armoured
    armourer
    armourers
    armouries
    armoury
    artefact
    artefacts
    authorise
    authorised
    authorises
    authorising
    axe
    backpedalled
    backpedalling


    US
    accessorize
    accessorized
    accessorizes
    accessorizing
    acclimatization
    acclimatize
    acclimatized
    acclimatizes
    acclimatizing
    accouterments
    eon
    eons
    aerogram
    aerograms
    esthete
    esthetes
    esthetic
    esthetically
    esthetics
    etiology
    aging
    aggrandizement
    agonize
    agonized
    agonizes
    agonizing
    agonizingly
    almanac
    almanacs
    aluminum
    amortizable
    amortization
    amortizations
    amortize
    amortized
    amortizes
    amortizing
    amphitheater
    amphitheaters
    anemia
    anemic
    anesthesia
    anesthetic
    anesthetics
    anesthetize
    anesthetized
    anesthetizes
    anesthetizing
    anesthetist
    anesthetists
    anesthetize
    anesthetized
    anesthetizes
    anesthetizing
    analog
    analogs
    analyze
    analyzed
    analyzes
    analyzing
    anglicize
    anglicized
    anglicizes
    anglicizing
    annualized
    antagonize
    antagonized
    antagonizes
    antagonizing
    apologize
    apologized
    apologizes
    apologizing
    appall
    appalls
    appetizer
    appetizers
    appetizing
    appetizingly
    arbor
    arbors
    archeological
    archeologically
    archeologist
    archeologists
    archeology
    ardor
    armor
    armored
    armorer
    armorers
    armories
    armory
    artifact
    artifacts
    authorize
    authorized
    authorizes
    authorizing
    ax
    backpedaled
    backpedaling


    Edited by sjmlondon at 25/08/10 @ 09:10