More ways to get Halo 3 beta

By Robert Purchese Published 4 January, 2007

Including one that's not US-only.

If you are one of the many Eurogamer readers from across the pond who previously tried but failed to gain entry to the spring Halo 3 beta, do not despair! Microsoft has announced a further two additional paths to make your virtual dreams come true.

Your first option is to log into Xbox Live and play through three gruelling hours of Halo 2 online, between Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, 12:01 a.m. EST and Feb. 3, 2007, 11:59 p.m. EST. If your confidence still hasn't been shattered by twelve year-old toilet-tongued bratlings, then head over to the Halo 3 website and be one of the first 13,333 gamers to register for the "Rule of Three" program.

Failing to do this will leave you with only one other choice for now: to buy Real Time Worlds' co-op crime-busting title Crackdown. It's released across the US on 20th February, and in Europe on 23rd February, with certain marked copies of the game acting as keys that will let you download the required Halo 3 beta data from Xbox Live Marketplace.

Microsoft previously announced public beta sign-ups for the US gamers at the start of December, and it's encouraging to see them offering more ways to get involved.

While we expressed formidable anguish at being left-out of proceedings, the UK branch of the publisher has informed us that there will be further opportunites for European gamers to get involved closer to spring. That's proper boss, like.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • bdc #1 5 years ago

    I'm still pissed off at having to spend some form of money to participate in the beta.

  • WestBullet #2 5 years ago

    So the 'Rule of three' is open to Europe as well or just the Crackdown offer?

  • Huntcjna #3 5 years ago

    I didn't even realise the Crackdown offer was open to Europe to be honest I thought there was no way of getting European entry into the beta until spring.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #4 5 years ago

    It's just the Crackdown offer, at the moment, that's open to European gamers. Lets hope it's not shit.

  • ZuluHero #5 5 years ago

    i'm not all that fussed about this beta lark tbh, i like halo an' all - but i can wait for the full game to see it, its not like we're gonna see anything that we don't already expect from Halo.

    EDIT: and from the sound of it it looks like more effort than its worth...
    Edited by 1 at 04/01/07 @ 11:37

  • WestBullet #6 5 years ago

    I wouldn't mind if Crackdown turned out to be great game. The game sounds good but there is just something about it at the moment thats a bit iffy

  • MaskedDave #7 5 years ago

    Why do people feel the need to be in a beta so badly? Just wait for the damn thing to come out.

  • WestBullet #8 5 years ago

    @MaskedDave

    The whole thing does seem alot of effort for what might be either extremely buggy or extremely crap. But chances are it will rock! Even if its just Halo 2 multi with better graphics and matchmaking, I want to be along for the ride. I wouldn't purchase a crap game just to get in though.

  • Skooch #9 5 years ago

    "I'm still pissed off at having to spend some form of money to participate in the beta."

    @ bdc - well, don't participate then! If you feel the money IS worth it to play the game earlier then spend out. Don't get pissed off at a decision you have made all by yourself.

  • bdc #10 5 years ago

    You can say that, but why don't you take some time out to remember that the USA gamers didn't have to pay jack shit, huh ? Makes my point valid.

  • Wrobel #11 5 years ago

    with certain marked copies of the game acting as keys that will let you download the required Halo 3 beta data from Xbox Live Marketplace.


    ooh, its just like Willy Wonka. Rabid Halo fans seen shelling Crackdown boxes ;-)

  • L42yB #12 5 years ago

    Come on, we all know that only people working at shops like Game are gonna get these 'secret ticket' thingies... It's really not very hard to re-seal a game box so that it doesn't look like it's been opened before...

  • Skooch #13 5 years ago

    @ bdc - so what you meant was that you are unhappy with the unfair manner in which MS are distributing keys to the beta, and that, as a European gamer, you feel hard done by as you wish to play their game.

    Semantics, I know, but the devil's in the detail...

  • banjo21 #14 5 years ago

    I can't honestly believe that anyone gives a flying fig about a beta. ffs talk about the hype machine. Next they'll make it third person with a campaign of 4 hours and make it 2007 GOY for looking pretty. ho hum wonderful world.

  • HyperShadow #15 5 years ago

    Don't Game and the likes shell their games, so If there was something in the box, surely they'd get pinched?

    I know it was done with the 2 month Live trials, when I was working there.

  • Skooch #16 5 years ago

    L42yB - is that your gamertag on Live? If so, then I know you...

  • Bonus #17 5 years ago

    The crackdown website suggests that every copy of crackdown will allow a place on the beta trial.

  • Xerx3s #18 5 years ago

    I think the game enters a token.

  • SBfistfun #19 5 years ago

    If people are so hell bent on trying to play a bug ridden version of a game why not just get a job as a games tester?

    Believe me, you'll have had enough after a month.

  • sickpuppysoftware #20 5 years ago

    Now you tell me. I've only gone and signed up for the US Army to get on the beta

  • Mr_Brown #21 5 years ago

    Well if you really want to get on the beta that bad, you'll part with the cash...or time. Personally I don't care. I really want to play Halo 3, but I can wait for its release.

  • Steroyd #22 5 years ago

    This would be the perfect situation for me to say that Microsoft are really milking it now.

    Makes me wonder what would happen after Halo gets released... oh right... Halo wars...

  • Steroyd #23 5 years ago

    Disc are you saying ZOE is shite?

    /points finger of blasphemy

  • capcom23 #24 5 years ago

    NO need for stupid beta thing! I can wait a bit longer and will joy it as long as i like. Incredible how much people wants to play this game. Yes Halo 1 and 2 are ok, not not super FPS games! i've seen better.

  • penhalion #25 5 years ago

    so it's all boll**ks then...yep thanks microsoft

  • king_skins #26 5 years ago

    I've been getting quite interested in Crackdown after watching some videos. There is a demo out this month... 15th maybe... can't be arsed to check. I'll be checking that out to see if it's any good.

  • ruttyboy #27 5 years ago

    ZOE's art direction is brilliant, but I just couldn't get over the clunky controls and truly repetitive gameplay myself, which is a massive shame. Doesn't stop me owning copies of both like :D

    As for this Halo thing, I can see the appeal of getting things before others if you're a fan but to pay £50 (if you weren't going to buy Crackdown) for it? Hmmm, I wish people had more willpower.

  • kangarootoo #28 5 years ago

    @Skooch

    "Don't get pissed off at a decision you have made all by yourself."

    Man, I should get that made into a big rubber stamp. I would get so much use out of it on these pages. Spread the word brother, lets fix the internet :)

  • kangarootoo #29 5 years ago

    Talking of Halo, I feel like starting a fire.

    I played Gears of War for the first time yesterday. And I was pretty disappointed. It looks stunning, but aside from that I really don't get the fuss (I understand the fuss of course, big guns + gfx = teenage dream).

    Its not a patch on Halo for enemy AI (locusts kept jumping over stuff out of cover for apparently no reason, often when I was already shooting them, almost as if they just wanted to show me they could).

    As for the cover mechanic, now I understand when everyone meant when they talked about bad controls. Previously I had been playing RB6 Vegas and I guess that had spoiled me, 'cos GeOW could learn a thing or two from RB6 about efficient controls and use of cover.

    Anyway, slightly off topic but I wanted to share. I should add that I didn't get much further than halfway through the second level (still in the first act) before I gave up, pleased it was only a rental. So if there is greater glory awaiting me around the corner I am happy to be inspired to give it another shot.

  • The-Bodybuilder #30 5 years ago

    >"Anyway, slightly off topic but I wanted to share. I should add that I didn't get much further than halfway through the second level (still in the first act) before I gave up, "

    Yep. Same thing for everyone. Everyone pretty much judges the game on thier first try, whcih happens to be the boring few bits of act one.
    I thought the same to, and "meh"ed it up until the beserker bit and upwards.
    Just keep playing it, it gets MUCH better.

    oh, and Virtual ON > ZOE.

  • AtomicBanana #31 5 years ago

    'might buy crackdown from GAME, use the ''key'' to download the data from xbox live and then return the game and get my money back :-)'

    They don't do any returns any more :-)

  • peteb #32 5 years ago

    They don't do any returns any more :-)

    that was the only reason i ever shopped in Game...

  • Xerx3s #33 5 years ago

    This would be the perfect situation for me to say that Microsoft are really milking it now.

    Makes me wonder what would happen after Halo gets released... oh right... Halo wars...

    Unlike other games that are around 13 incarnations or over 100 already. If they are milking it, they should. They are there to make money and obviously there are idiots who are foolish enough to spend money on beta's. If I was ms, I would do exactly the same.

    Halo is one of the strongest brand names in the industry and it amazes me that ms only releases a game every 3 or 4 years. I would be spamming the shit out of it.

  • captainrentboy #34 5 years ago

    Kangarootoo you didn't really start a fire there :)
    Why would people argue with you about your own opinion?Unless of course they're really fooking stupid.You don't like G.O.W,big deal,I don't like any of the GTAs or MGS at all,obviously it's all down to personal taste.
    However I would say you kind of gave up on it a bit quickly,as I too was unimpressed with it over the first few parts.Then I grew to love it from chapter two onwards,especially on the ole Co-Op with a mate...But hey!
    Annnyway I'm unfortunate enough to be a Game employee,but if the Halo 3 Beta key is only in selected Crackdown boxes,I guess my job does have it's lil perks :)

  • m0thr4 #35 5 years ago

    I just couldn't care less about Halo. From what I've seen, its only real attraction is online deathmatch and I got bored with that many years ago on my PC.

    If, on the other hand, you're into single-player or co-op gaming, there are other far better games around.