Halo: Reach credit wipe, bans begun

By Oli Welsh Published 13 September, 2010

Bungie fires the starting gun.

Bungie's final weekly update before the launch of Halo: Reach mentions that it has already wiped Credits early players have earned in the game, and begun banning online cheaters.

Under the heading "A Brave New World", community reps Sketch and Tyson acknowledge that there are players with legitimate, legally obtained copies of Reach out there now - "courtesy of an eager retail store that couldn't wait".

So the developer has reset Credits, as it promised to last week in order to ensure a level playing field for Reach players. Credits are used to buy cosmetic customisations in Reach's Armoury.

Bungie has also already begun banning cheaters in the online game. "We take the Reach online experience VERY seriously. Bungie has invested years of hard work creating a game that we want our fans to enjoy for years to come and we have zero tolerance for people who try and ruin that experience for others," Sketch said.

"Modifying your console or the game itself is a violation of the terms of use for LIVE and Reach and will result in potentially severe penalties. We are already aware of a number of nefarious deeds by a very small percentage of early adopters and we have already been taking action."

Halo: Reach is released worldwide tomorrow (officially). We reviewed it yesterday.

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • chrisjm #1 2 years ago

    how have they found cheats/exploits already?! and if they know of them, why is it even possible.

    i guess EG has a lot of cheaters for all the negs!
    Edited by chrisjm at 13/09/10 @ 10:13

  • DoctorFouad #2 2 years ago

    I hate cheaters and pirates, they ruin a lot of things for a lot of people...

  • Lotos8ter #3 2 years ago

    @chrisjm - its less about cheats and more about pirated/torrent copies of the game. Apparently one of the MP maps called Reflection (apt?) won't load on pirated copies. Whether this is an advanced form of copy protection/detection, I don't know but good on Bungie I say.
    The credit reset has been mentioned before by Bungie. They want a level playing field for all players, so, if you're lucky enough to get the game early, you'll be starting on the same armour and unlocls as everyone else on launch day.

  • Username_0074 #4 2 years ago

    @chrisjm:

    There will always be stuff like glitches and other exploits that the devs miss, but the cheaters won't. Expect to see them eventually get adressed with a patch.

  • muscleblade #5 2 years ago

    I have a legitimate copy so does many others. The game has been in the shops since thursday over here.

  • metalangel #6 2 years ago

    So just stick with SP until midnight if you're that bothered.

  • NewbieZilla #7 2 years ago

    "We are already aware of a number of nefarious deeds"

    Anyone else read this and think http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Y8m29ZLX5ag/Sx...

  • governmentyard #8 2 years ago

    Why should he, Metalangel? If Bungie don't want their game to be played before the fourteenth, don't ship it till the fourteenth, then no-one legitimately can.

    This is punishing honest consumers for the sake of their launch. I'm having Reach but I can't afford it for a couple of months. Where's my 'level playing field'? Are they going to reset the game as it's not fair on me as well?

    My arse they will.
    Edited by governmentyard at 13/09/10 @ 09:41

  • Transmission89 #9 2 years ago

    @governmentyard

    What fanstasy world are you living in?! How are retailers supposed to stock the game if Bungie don't ship it until release date? You do realise that stock arrives a few days or a week before launch in order to ensure there is plenty of supply. Shipping on launch day would just not be possible or practical!

  • bumgut #10 2 years ago

    Can't see the point of resetting the points if they only buy COSMETIC changes to armour as I'm led to believe.

    Do I really care if someone who has got it a few days earlier sports a different armour that he/she has put in legitimate hours to unlock? How am I disadvantaged in a fight?

  • IneptPercy #11 2 years ago

    "If Bungie don't want their game to be played before the fourteenth, don't ship it till the fourteenth, then no-one legitimately can."

    So that means shipping how many million copies all in 1 day, they go to distributors early so they can get them to retailers and distributors send them to shops early so they can all be on the shelf come release day.

    If some retailers sell early who is to blame?, why do they do it?, quite simply you will sell out if you sell early. With smaller retailers the temptation is too much.

  • Stifler #12 2 years ago

    I'm struggling to see the big deal here - its only cosmetic differences isn't it?

    Why even bother resetting XP , it won't give you and edge and as others have said, its the nature of on-line games. If I pick up an on-line game 3 months after launch people will have these items anywhere so what's the big deal about a level playing field!

    Maybe I'm misconstruing it.....

    EDIT - ah sorry bum gut, never saw your post :)
    Edited by Stifler at 13/09/10 @ 09:51

  • GamesConnoisseur #13 2 years ago

    I thinks it more re for the mass number of fans who rushes to get game on first day but still beaten to it by the lucky numbers who already taken advantage of extra times.

    Level playing field from offical first day, those who OPTS to get game later do so in full knowledge that others will have been playing for months.

    So what the moans about?! I think it's very fair of Bungie.

  • mkreku #14 2 years ago

    Only cosmetic changes you say? What if you can buy a camouflage armour? Or a chameleon skin?! YOU NEVER KNOW!

  • Whitster #15 2 years ago

    It's a bit different, you choosing to buy the game 3 months down the line after offical release means you accept that people in on day one will have a head start on you. Getting the game on its offical launch date because you don't have access to one of the dodgy indies who break street dates or have pre-ordered online, etc shouldn't get you punished for doing things properly.

  • governmentyard #16 2 years ago

    Transmission,

    As I've already explained, once the game leaves your warehouse, it's out there and will be sold from the moment it lands at the first shop. Thinking anything else is living in a fantasy world. If Bungie don't ship till release date then no, retailers can't stock it. Boo hoo.But that's the reality of the situation. If you don't want it played, you can't ship it.

    Frankly this move by Bungie to punish those who got their paid-for product and started using it is crap. I'd imagine most people who buy their game do so not on release day. Even for those who do, the playing field isn't level as anyone with a job/school/whatever will be many levels behind the unemployed ninja gamer who will stay up for 48 hours just to top the board and give their life some meaning.

    The concept of a level playing field is fallacious and this reverence in which people seem to hold the release date is nearly as laughable as Bungie's mean spirited fun-ruining for legitimate consumers. If you're going to get all pissy about people starting a few days early, what difference is that to starting a few days late? And GamesConnoisseur, people not buying on release day aren't necessarily 'OPTSing' to buy it late. And those who buy on release day OPTS to do so knowing that some people have already got it due to timezones, early sales, etc.

    I think being pissed off a legitimately purchased game's progress has been partially or wholly wiped is more grounds for dissatisfaction than being two million and tenth in the rankings as opposed to two million and sixth because someone got it on Saturday.

  • Nephirion #17 2 years ago

    Things appear much easier on steam everything is locked till release time

  • governmentyard #18 2 years ago

    "Getting the game on its offical launch date because you don't have access to one of the dodgy indies who break street dates or have pre-ordered online, etc shouldn't get you punished for doing things properly."

    Good grief, man.

    Punished? Really?

    Isn't buying the game, taking it home and playing it 'doing things properly'? Is ordering online not 'doing things properly'?

    And why this conceit that an Indie is dodgy if they sell their stock when they've got it RIGHT THERE, and that Tesco, Sainsbury's et. al. aren't jut as 'guilty' at times?

  • telboy007 #19 2 years ago

    Instead of having a steam style lockdown, the 360 needs a looping vid of Major Nelson wagging his finger going "Ah ah ahhh, this is xbox live's Major Nelson..."

    Edit: General spelling and lack of capital letters...
    Edited by telboy007 at 13/09/10 @ 11:38

  • governmentyard #20 2 years ago

    See THAT'S how to treat this issue with the reverence it deserves :)

    Heh, the post above gets +6, I agree with it and get -2. Love it!
    Edited by governmentyard at 13/09/10 @ 13:43

  • coolbritannia #21 2 years ago

    Everyone whinging about COSMETIC armour permutations is not a true Halo fan. Lest we forget, I CAN HAZ RECON?!?

  • metalangel #22 2 years ago

    ANYWAY Mr. Yard, assuming you get your copy today or tomorrow I hereby demand co op hijinx.

  • coolbritannia #23 2 years ago

    My Legendary just arrived, sweet!

  • muscleblade #24 2 years ago

    "So just stick with SP until midnight if you're that bothered. "

    You do get credits in singleplayer too. You also rank up actually. I hate too see my points go but i got a warning form Bungie when i first booted up the game. Hello early adopter...........................

  • Sunyavadin #25 2 years ago

    Ooooold news. Bungie announced they'd done the wipe on THURSDAY. Surely you could have reported it last week, when it was still relevant news to gamers who got their preorders early?

  • azeldazel #26 2 years ago

    the xp reset happened on thursday or friday. i had preordered with zavvi, they dispatched on thursday and i received it on saturday. anyones that has got it over the weekend is fine, play and enjoy the game you will not get your xp reset now.

  • governmentyard #27 2 years ago

    Metalangel,

    I'd love to, but hinges on a cheque arriving :/

    If I'm the one person on your friends list (or in the world) playing MW2 you can assume the worst.

  • medicineboy #28 2 years ago

    So?

  • hardtech #29 2 years ago

    @Sunyavadin

    Eurogamer DID report it on Thursday.

  • muscleblade #30 2 years ago

    @azeldazel

    If thats the case im glad i waited until Saturday to play it. Wanted to finish some dlc for other games first.

  • Transmission89 #31 2 years ago

    @Governmentyard.

    Boohoo? they can't stock it? that means they can't sell it!!! It's not like it goes from publishers to individual stores, it goes to a retailer's warehouse where it is then distributed amongst its chains. Your methods would mean that noone would have it on launch day full stop and that stores would have to rely on UPS and Royal mail to get ahead on the competition. This is quite frankly an absurd and ridiculous notion!!

  • onyx_elite #32 2 years ago

    A developer/publisher has the right to a)have their game placed into stores ready for sale on the agreed release date and b) to do pretty much whatever the hell they like to see that stores stick to that date. There are contracts in place between retailers and publishers and when a game is made available early that contract is broken and the store, indie or otherwise are liable for hefty fines.

    The publisher/developer are also entitled to do whatever they like to ensure that people who get the game early are not given an advantage over players that get the game from a retailer acting legitimately, especially when the game has a strong multiplayer aspect like this one.

    Why not just be grateful that the devs have put the effort into making a decent game and stop whinging because they've reset online credits earned over a couple of days?