Microsoft slams Halo 2 leak

By Tom Bramwell Published 14 October, 2004

Xbox FPS now widely available in illegal channels.

Halo 2, Microsoft's most prized Xbox asset and its biggest hope for success this Christmas, has been leaked onto the Internet just days after developer Bungie officially completed work on the game and announced that it had shipped it off to manufacturing, and nearly a month prior to its official US release date, November 9th.

The highly anticipated first-person shooter has appeared on various newsgroups and websites already, and its proliferation amongst the underworld of Xbox gamers downloading illegal software is likely to be swift and damaging.

Earlier today a number of websites using the popular BitTorrent file distribution format indicated that hundreds of users were downloading the game, which reportedly clocks in at just under three gigabytes in size. Early reports suggest that it's a PAL version of the game with French language dialogue and English subtitles.

Reacting to the news this morning, Microsoft slammed those responsible and described downloaders and people hosting the file as thieves, encouraging real fans with any information to come forward and help it track down the source of the leak. The company's statement follows in full:

"Microsoft has learned that a version of Halo 2 has been posted to various newsgroups and web sites. We consider downloading this code or making it available for others to download as theft. We are currently investigating the source of this leak with the appropriate authorities. Pending the result of our investigation, we do not have further comment. Microsoft takes the integrity of its intellectual property extremely seriously, and we are aggressively pursuing the source of this illegal act.

"The launch of Halo 2 worldwide remains unaffected.

"We're asking anyone with information on the source of this leak to contact Microsoft at 1-800-RULEGIT or send email to piracy@microsoft.com."

The good news for Microsoft is that only Xbox owners with modified consoles - a relatively small percentage of the total number of Xbox owners - will be able to play the game at all, and that the key Xbox Live component and the functionality it offers will be unavailable to pirates.

There is also a sense, given the popularity of the Halo franchise and the reverence most Xbox owners offer it, that a lot of the people downloading it this week and in the future will be rather more likely to buy it afterward than they would be with other games.

And even if that weren't true, the publisher would still be able to extract some small consolation from the fact that piracy is unlikely to deny Halo 2 a successful launch. As Doom III proved earlier this year, pre-release piracy isn't enough to stop a highly anticipated game hitting the peak of the charts.

It is nonetheless a source of some embarrassment for Microsoft, particularly with nearly a whole month to go before the game makes it onto high street store shelves, and it'll be interesting to see how the company deals with those responsible when it inevitably unmasks them.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (167) Latest comment 7 years ago

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

  • krudster #1 7 years ago

    So how long before a review appears I wonder? And will the fan sites and professional websites touch it?

  • kalel #2 7 years ago

    Damn. I for one was glad of Bunjie's secrecy. I don't want to know about the single player game, but its gonna be hard work not finding out now.

  • tiddles #3 7 years ago

    1-800-RULE GIT? Oh the irony...

    So Krudster, RUDOWNLOADINGHALO2?

  • speedjack #4 7 years ago

    Its a shame, but pre-release leeks of everything almost seem inevitable now.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #5 7 years ago

    Microsoft already has review NDAs in place and a strict plan for review code distribution, so I doubt we'll see any reviews posted on professionally run sites before those expire.

  • aabyssx #6 7 years ago

    > PAL version of the game with French language dialogue and English subtitles

    Oh, then don't worry it's just $ony style marketing again.
    I'm sure this will be The Socker News on every site...

  • Thamuhacha #7 7 years ago

    This a high profile leak, comparable to the Half Life 2 and Doom 3 issues.

    However, its impact will be considerably lesser than those examples since Xbox piracy is far harder and a smaller deal than PC.

    Makes for interesting viewing, but won't damage sales.

  • Tiger_Walts #8 7 years ago

    "pre-release leeks"

    Would that be the version in Welsh?

  • MikeP #9 7 years ago

    I assume this version has buttons mapped for "Drop Weapon" and "Raise Hands"

  • Nemesis #10 7 years ago

    I'd say...you've waited this long, have some bloody patience and get it at retail.

    The excuse of 'I'm downloading now mate, will purchase later' is bollocks. Stop trying to open yer pressies early and wait.

  • [maven] #11 7 years ago

    From the nforce-nfo, it is is Multi5 (uk fr ger ita spa). I am still working on finishing Halo 1 ("The Library" Meh!), though, so no point in getting...

  • krudster #12 7 years ago

    No I'm not downloading it, as it happens.

  • IronGiant #13 7 years ago

    I heard a rumour that Halo2 has in fact been finished for sometime and MS purposely held back it's release as there's a large percentage of XBox Live subscriptions up for renewal about now.. of course that could all be complete bollox but if MS were being honest saying it was in fact finished last week then there's someone with balls of steel who had the nerve to sneak the code out now!! Unless they've had it for a while..

  • NAC #14 7 years ago

    The warez scene, were always going to get their hands on Halo 2 before the release date. It was just a matter of when not if. The good news is that it is only a minority, and from my experience these guys don’t really care about the game they just want the latest game because it is the newest thing out. The people that actually like the game and support it, will buy it regardless.

  • IronGiant #15 7 years ago

    and anyone who thinks this won't damage sales figures is dead wrong.. have you been to a car boot sale lately and seen the queues of people for xbox copies?

  • urban #16 7 years ago

    *GIGGLES at microsoft ....silly bears

  • binky #17 7 years ago

    Well fuckadoodledoo.


  • RedboX #18 7 years ago

    I don't want to know about the single player game, but its gonna be hard work not finding out now.

    They are all ghosts and it the first game was all a dream!

  • Lutz #19 7 years ago

    Arseholes.

    I fucking hate pirates.

  • Thamuhacha #20 7 years ago

    >I assume this version has buttons mapped for "Drop Weapon" and "Raise Hands"

    And a "collaborate" mode for when you finish the main game.

  • Lutz #21 7 years ago

    Modding consoles I can agree with to some respect. Like regional locking etc.

  • binky #22 7 years ago

    If I hear ANY spoilers for this I'm gonna frikkin' dual gun shoot someone!!

    /puts fingers in ears.
    lalalalalallalalalallalalalallalaa

    One of the things I loved about the first game was the story! And if I get any of it ruined by twatty pirates I'll be quite cross.

  • sturgeon #23 7 years ago

    "..the key Xbox Live component and the functionality it offers will be unavailable to pirates."

    although they are playing the Live/multiplayer component with third party xbox connect software.
    Edited by 2 at 14/10/04 @ 12:01

  • Master Cheif #24 7 years ago

    FFS i hate pirates!! had to ruin it didnt they, if anyone comes up to me and says they've got Halo 2 i swear im gonna drop these guys an email

  • scoopex #25 7 years ago

    Well i paid for my xbox and if i want to mod it like i have done so be it.People buy cars and pcs and mod them so i cant see any difference.

  • Daryoon #26 7 years ago

    Chain of Memories, one of the biggest GBA games to date, gets leaked months before it's release - no one cares. Halo 2 gets leaked and it's the biggest news in the industry and gets splashed across even non-gaming sites.

    Bah.

  • Freylis #27 7 years ago

    What I find really amusing about all this is that the said same people bashing the Halo 2 pirates are the exact ones that compain about the RIAA trying to clamp down on P2P music sharing.

    Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

  • Nemesis #28 7 years ago

    I don't use P2P matey, so I'm allowed to bitch!

  • Tiger_Walts #29 7 years ago

    " Chain of Memories" - Whassat then?

  • countlippe #30 7 years ago

    Does this game feature those pesky dancing potatoes like the last one?

    TELL ME ITS TRUE!!

  • IronGiant #31 7 years ago

    /avoids all new Halo2 threads in the forum..

  • IronGiant #32 7 years ago

    I believe that once you have purchased something you should be able to do whatever the hell you want to it.. as it is now your property, or is it not your property if you're not allowed to modify it?

  • Pirotic #33 7 years ago

    i have a chipped xbox, but wont be downloading it. I'd rather get it the same time as everybody else so i can join in the 'buzz'. not to mention i'm not that fussed about the single player anyway.

    i always assumed it'd get pirated a day or two before release, but a whole month is going to make it too tempting for the major Halo2 fans.

  • space_ace #34 7 years ago

    what's the big deal

    halo 2 done, halo 2 leaked, halo 2 8 of 10, halo 2 earns big $

    nothing unusual

  • krudster #35 7 years ago

    The only justifiable argument to modding an Xbox as far as I'm concerned is to unlock progressive scan support, which Microsoft ridiculously took out of the PAL machines. I'm all for region free machines too, but I can understand why they have to include it, to a small extent. I would argue, though, that Nintendo has hardly suffered greatly by making the GBA region free, and that import sales would be miniscule if publishers made more effort to launch worldwide. Even when they don't, the games involved are usually so niche it hardly matters - they just end up pissing off the hardcore, which is counter-intuitive.

  • Lutz #36 7 years ago

    Freylis: Same here, I don't use P2P and things like Kazaa and Napster (Original form) should be banned IMO.

  • IronGiant #37 7 years ago

    There is also the fact that MS have released the most easily moddable console evah with the XBox.. you honestly think they didn't know what they were doing? Piracy = increased console sales.

  • countlippe #38 7 years ago

    Katamari Damacy to you to, and a happy new year

  • Lutz #39 7 years ago

    IronGiant, you also seem to forget that more consoles sales = more of a loss, as consoles are sold at a loss, to gain interest in people buying legit games to make a profit.

  • IronGiant #40 7 years ago

    But MS wanted to get as many XBox's in as many homes as possible, they knew they would be making a loss on hardware for a long time.. MS have a long term strategy for the XBox and it's successors.

  • IronGiant #41 7 years ago

    Out of the trenches you mean? ;)

  • Pirotic #42 7 years ago

    the xbox isnt region locked, region locking is done in software and is optional and upto the developer.

    Halo2 is region free (supposidly), as is Fable, as is that robot game with the massive bloody joysticks, and a fair few of the xbox live titles etc etc.

  • Stevas mkII #43 7 years ago

    Tell you what, if they DO find the joker responsible for this...
    I pity the fool.

  • Lutz #44 7 years ago

    They'll rape his ass with a freight train if they catch him.

    I'd bet Ł100 that it's someone at the DVD pressing fact. Betcha.

  • aabyssx #45 7 years ago

    > Piracy = increased console sales.

    But you know, on every sold console the manufacturer loose money until it reaches a large number of units (let's say 50 million) where it reaches zero.
    Games (and the license fee after every sold unit) make money!!!

  • Captain Fetid #46 7 years ago

    IronGiant, you also seem to forget that more consoles sales = more of a loss, as consoles are sold at a loss, to gain interest in people buying legit games to make a profit.

    Not true. Imagine a console costs 100 to manufacture it, and it is being sold at 80. Loss: 20 credits.
    But what it it isn't sold at all? Loss: 100 credits.

  • aabyssx #47 7 years ago

    BTW just look at this thread grow to 50 comments in a hour!
    M$ and HALO2 acquired lots and lots of attention by a very cheap method. This news spreads like fire.

    I would not be suprised if it turned out that this "leaked", French HALO2 is full with bugs and almost unplayable.

  • Lutz #48 7 years ago

    Why would M$ then issue such a statement as above? It'll be the full prestine verison.

  • eviltobz  #49 7 years ago

    the xbox aint region locked as such, but there's still stuff in there to allow devs to lock games and mod-chipping circumvents this.

    unlocking progressive scan is another valid reason for mod-chips.

    also there is an active homebrew scene with stuff like the xbox media player which is another good reason to chip a box without damaging sales of gear.

    all in all, plenty of good and legal (even if marginally grey) reasons to mod your box. if the console allowed people to do all this stuff from the outset then squashing the modchip suppliers due to piracy would be a whole lot easier.

    still after this news i can guarantee you that i have no plans to buy halo 2 :)

  • eviltobz  #50 7 years ago

    disclaimer: i wasn't going to buy it anyway, so don't get all flamey ;)

  • krudster #51 7 years ago

    No company deliberately leaks something like this. It's some enthusiastic lorry driver or duplication plant monkey. At least they can't blame the journos for once, which is the favoured publisher tactic.

  • Pirotic #52 7 years ago

    it looks like it has an xbox live co-op mode, woot!

  • Stevas mkII #53 7 years ago

    I blame the journos. It's always one of them fu -
    Oh.

  • ssuellid #54 7 years ago

    Are there seperate European versions? I would have thought that there would be one or two multilingual versions for the whole of Europe.

  • IronGiant #55 7 years ago

    asd, serious question.. do you work for MS or Bungie?

  • Pirotic #56 7 years ago

    Of course it wasn't finished age's ago - nobody just sits around with a completed game, even if they could of got the game out sooner but MS delayed release, they'd of gone back and added extra content into the game and such.

  • Lutz #57 7 years ago

    ssue: IIRC there's 5 EU versions, 1 US verision and 2 asain/jap versions.

  • Royal Fool #58 7 years ago

    I can't image how someone would risk his/her own job security to do something so trivial such as this. I mean, IT'S JUST A GAME. Why get fired just so you can brag about supplying the game to pirates? What the hell?

    Stupid pirates.

  • Razz #59 7 years ago

    Ah, this is best news I've heard all day. See what happens when you steal a company from us PC gamers Microsoft? Shit like this happens to you! Fuckers... you made Bungie rush HAlo 1, it was going to be the best game ever, but thanks to yout meddling they fucked it. I won't even touch Halo 2 because of that. Again, best. news. all. day!

  • Thamuhacha #60 7 years ago

    Most games are localised into EFIGS (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish). Disc space usually dictates how many languages go on one disc (for a big spoken RPG like KOTOR you couldn't fit mroe than 1 or 2 languages on it).

    However, if a release is staggered you might also get single language SKUs to avoid grey importing (hard for a UK retailer to sell purely French stock!).

    Which makes it wierd that the pirated version is French language with English subs.

  • IronGiant #61 7 years ago

    Even with the piracy this game should still be the first, i think, XBox exclusive to take the number1 spot in the charts.

  • Razz #62 7 years ago

    I actually own a Mac

  • Precision Auto #63 7 years ago

    W*nkers.

  • Stevas mkII #64 7 years ago

    Do we know it's the full game? I mean, yeah, it's 3 gig, but that means sod all. What if the big M leaked it themselves? Like, and they made it so it was little more than an extended demo? and then they come out all embarrassed at some press conference, with a couple of them giggling in the background, and they say "man, we are like, HELLA pissed at the dude what did this. Can anyone give us some help on [snigger] catching the perpetrators?"

    Put it this way: is there any other news that would have got quite so many replies in such a short space of time? And would quite as many people have tried to download it if they'd known it came up with some message after the first level saying "HA! It's only a demo, dude! How stoopid do YOU feel?"

    Hey, it's just a thought.


    It's what I would do.

  • Royal Fool #65 7 years ago

    "See what happens when you steal a company from us PC gamers Microsoft? Shit like this happens to you! Fuckers... you made Bungie rush HAlo 1, it was going to be the best game ever, but thanks to yout meddling they fucked it. I won't even touch Halo 2 because of that. Again, best. news. all. day!"

    Bitter much? Get some prozac.


    "It's what I would do."

    Unless you're a multibillion international software conglomerate.
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/04 @ 13:19

  • Precision Auto #66 7 years ago

    Though to add, did anyone see the amount of promo Halo2 discs they had just lying around on that bungie video diary?! Why!?

  • Pirotic #67 7 years ago

    make that 99 now.

  • HankScorpio #68 7 years ago

    just visiting some of the US boards to see the Yank reply to the situation:

    along the lines of "french subtitled? then it must be the french who leaked it! damn bastards tried to ruin our War on Terror and now they're trying to ruin halo 2 as well!!!!!!"

    good thinking guys!

  • Wretched Chin #69 7 years ago

    Lutz: "IronGiant, you also seem to forget that more consoles sales = more of a loss, as consoles are sold at a loss, to gain interest in people buying legit games to make a profit. "

    Yes, but selling *some* consoles is still making *less* of a loss than if they sold none.

  • Kilters #70 7 years ago

    I'm in work and people have already downloaded it. 5 people have modded xboxes here. i'm gonna have to wear ear plugs to stop hearing spoilers. bollox.

    Gonna wait though. The prosppect of playing it tonight though is extremely tempting albeit I'll be controlling 'Le Master Chief'.

  • Stevas mkII #71 7 years ago

    So it was the French, right?
    And America is, like, *technically* not at war with anyone at the minute, yes?

    Wooo, boy.

  • Pirotic #72 7 years ago

    the french version has some changes anyway, supposidly the co-op mode works by running away and letting your allies do all the work for you. *cheesy grin*

  • Thamuhacha #73 7 years ago

    >the french version has some changes anyway, supposidly the co-op mode works by running away and letting your allies do all the work for you. *cheesy grin*

    Mike P and I did this joke above. YOU PIRATED OUR GAG. Bastard ...

  • krudster #74 7 years ago

    The fact that it's 3gig shouldn't surprise anyone - I would assume that it will be a lot bigger uncompressed.

  • Thamuhacha #75 7 years ago

    >7 gig? On one side of a DVD? I don't think so...

    Dual layer = about 8.4gb

  • Tiger_Walts #76 7 years ago

    I bet the Scorpion only travels in reverse too.

  • Lutz #77 7 years ago

    Yeah, dual layer DVD is over 7gig...

    Anyway... I STILL wouldn't want to be the sods you nicked this if MS catch them...

  • Daryoon #78 7 years ago

    Of course it wasn't finished age's ago - nobody just sits around with a completed game,

    Square :o

  • Thamuhacha #79 7 years ago

    >I did it with the second post, I win!

    Bugger. Makes me a pirate. Arse arse arse.

  • Sko #80 7 years ago

    Is Microsoft's feet stamping actually doing any good apart from saying "It's out there and it's free!" to those on the cusp of Xbox piracy?

  • gaztech #81 7 years ago

    Games get pirated every day, no one cares, Halo 2 gets pirated theres moral ourtrage... tsch!

  • Blerk #82 7 years ago

    The only real surprise to me is that it's taken this long. Games players today are thieving scumbags more than ever - why else do you think the PC games industry is dying on its arse?

  • daveo #83 7 years ago

    You can't actually dial 1-800-RULEGIT from outside of the USA, and considering that it is apparently a French copy of the game I find it kinda funny.

    Also, isn't this just another Bush election plot whip up some anti-french fervour 'cos he's not doing very well in the polls at the moment? (or am I reading too much into this?)

  • Pirotic #84 7 years ago

    since when has the PC games industry been dieing on its arse?, or did i miss something. normally its around now (consoles lifecycles coming to an end) that the PC market picks up.

  • Lutz #85 7 years ago

    Try 01, or 001. Some coutries have VERY odd ways of getting to each other.

  • Blerk #86 7 years ago

    since when has the PC games industry been dieing on its arse?

    Did you check out the charts recently? I can only remember Doom 3 and Sims 2 making any kind of impact.

    I only know about six PC gamers. None of them buy any software at all. They all have broadband and torrent programs.

  • ssuellid #87 7 years ago

    I don't think piracy is anywhere near as bad as it was in the Amiga and ST era.

  • [maven] #88 7 years ago

    Before they start a war on the French, let me repeat this: It is (according to http:// www.nforce.nl/index.php?m=nfo&id=77364) the 5-language (uk fr ger ita spa) PAL version.
    Although it's not as if they care, they'll invade anyway... ;)

  • brokenkey #89 7 years ago

    The only real surprise to me is that it's taken this long. Games players today are thieving scumbags more than ever - why else do you think the PC games industry is dying on its arse?

    You're not aware of [deleted by Krudster]

    [Come on you buffoon, don't post links for gawd's sake]
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/04 @ 15:07

  • Blerk #90 7 years ago

    No, but Usenet is a general 'no go' area for me these days. :-)

    I'm well aware of the extent of Xbox piracy as well, though. As I've said before, I have more Xbox-owning friends who are pirates than ones who aren't. Indeed - I'm sure the ease of chipping and the readily available pirated games are one of the main reasons why they bought a machine in the first place.

  • oceanmotion #91 7 years ago

    Bastards !!!!

  • Thamuhacha #92 7 years ago

    The PC market is dying on its arse. Since quite a few people here are PC gamers it is a biased sample, but the market is shrinking every year.

    The reason that the sims was successful is that it played on most PCs and appealed to people who could start a quick game after updating their spreadsheet and checking the emails in the evening. Its the same as ChampMan - games only sell in large quantities on PC if they are appeal to people who "don't normally play games, me".

    Obviously things like Doom3 and so on are going to shift numbers, but look at the UK chart, its at number 32 or something. The fact is that the install base of "gamer rig" hi-spec PCs is lower than the install base for Xbox, nevermind PS2.

    PC gamers are a dying breed. Publishers want console or multi-format stuff at least. If it wasn't royalty free, no one exept id and Blizzard would still be bothering. (OK that's a bit extreme but you see my point ...)
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/04 @ 15:04

  • HarryB #93 7 years ago

    some of you lot are so stupid in your "theories"

    saying MS has done something really cool and tricked all the pirates and given them a big demo full of bugs and its so funny HAR HAR HAR

    MS has not done this, when a game goes gold it's stolen in a few days... it's the same with any game

    I don't even understand why Eurogamer posts these stories because its not very interesting anyway and you just get loads of comments going

    they deserved it, im buying it aswell!, or MS did it on purpose

    aaah foolish ones, it's just a regular occurence yet it is made out to be OMGZORZ ITS BEEN LEAKZORED!!!

  • ssuellid #94 7 years ago

    Its so uninteresting that it attracts comments? Thats barking.

  • IronGiant #95 7 years ago

    /agrees with Blerk.. XBox piracy is rampant, not upto the ridiculous levels of the Amiga but it's on the way.

  • captain-future #96 7 years ago

    @deathgibbon
    > And people who mod their consoles.

    Reasons for a mod chip for legal import games:
    60 Hz
    earlier release-dates (jp-us-eu)
    cheaper games

  • Thamuhacha #97 7 years ago

    122 posts before this thread went downhill. Not bad.

    Unless its a hoax in which case ... erm, well done. Or something.

  • kalel #98 7 years ago

    "ssuellid
    14-Oct-04 13:45:23 I don't think piracy is anywhere near as bad as it was in the Amiga and ST era. "

    And don't forget about the tape days. I once had a couple of tapes that had pretty much every single speccy game ever on them, and all you needed to copy it was a double tape deck!

  • MikeP #99 7 years ago

    frod, I think you'll find that Thamuhacha, stole your Collaboration gag. I went for the Capitulation angle.

    I'm just off to raise the Jolly Roger on the good ship Comedic Piracy - Shiver me Timbers

  • UncleLou #100 7 years ago

    The PC market is dying on its arse. Since quite a few people here are PC gamers it is a biased sample, but the market is shrinking every year.

    That's a UK-specific point of view. Sales of PC games are growing in Germany, at a rate of about 8%. The console games market grows a bit faster, at about 9-10%. In absolute numbers, the PC games market share here is still a lot bigger than the console games market share.

    This might not be globally representative, but the same goes for the UK's shrinking market.

  • David_W #101 7 years ago

    "The good news for Microsoft is that only Xbox owners with modified consoles - a relatively small percentage of the total number of Xbox owners" -?

    /Agrees with Blerk and Iron

    Care to back up your statement? I know people that buy an xbox just to mod it and use it as a media center for their d/l dvd's. The ease to mod the xbox has almost become a sales reason in itself. Or maybe I'm the one stuck with thieving friends. As for me I haven't modded, yet. But I will mod my ps2 to get rid of the green RGB nuisance though.

  • Slim #102 7 years ago

    "The only justifiable argument to modding an Xbox as far as I'm concerned is to unlock progressive scan support, which Microsoft ridiculously took out of the PAL machines."

    That's some quality crack your smoking there! Piracy and region free are fringe benefits to xbox modding as far as I'm concerned, xbox media centre makes it worth it alone.

  • UncleLou #103 7 years ago

    I only know about six PC gamers. None of them buy any software at all. They all have broadband and torrent programs.

    Makes me sick that I pay for these stupid assholes' thoughtlessness.

  • onyxbox #104 7 years ago

    I suspect that MS don't really care too much about Piracy, If they can tell your XBox is modded over an Internet connection why the hell can't software like Halo 2 just do the same check.

    I get the feeling that they're just not bothered enough, they want market share above all else. The only reason they check it on XBL is because the service must retain credibility from Modders cheating in some way... at a guess.

  • Thamuhacha #105 7 years ago

    >This might not be globally representative, but the same goes for the UK's shrinking market.

    I will accept that Germany are a special case. The PC market is huge there, and growing. Greece are growing a little too.

    However, on the whole, the PC market is shrinking.

  • IronGiant #106 7 years ago

    The modchips can be switched off, it's only if you're foolish enough to forget and try to logon then MS will detect it and ban you from XBox LIVE.

  • Lutz #107 7 years ago

    IG: But obviously the pirated version won't work with the mod chip switched off. ;)

  • IronGiant #108 7 years ago

    It'll top the charts until GTA San Andreas is released..

  • Eighthours #109 7 years ago

    It'll top the charts until GTA San Andreas is released..

    What will? Halo 2? Er... released after San Andreas, I think you'll find.

    Surprisingly enough, pirated versions of games don't make the charts.....

  • UncleLou #110 7 years ago

    If I can spend the cost of a video card on a console instead, and it will play every game made for it, why would I buy a video card that needs to be replaced six months later?

    Because you won't need to upgrade your video card every six months unless you always want 150 fps, something a console will never deliver anyway? Because PC games are much cheaper?

  • Thamuhacha #111 7 years ago

    >Because you won't need to upgrade your video card every six months unless you always want 150 fps, something a console will never deliver anyway? Because PC games are much cheaper?

    Pfff ... German console hater :-)

    They'd have to be bloody cheap to justify the difference between a Ł200 console and a Ł1500 PC.

  • UncleLou #112 7 years ago

    I have got a PS2, mind. :-)

    I won't post my infamous calculation again, but with standard German games prices, you'll have "saved" the cost for a new PC when you bought 40-50 PC instead of 40 console games.

    And saying a new PC costs 1500 quid is a bit silly, my friend. :-)

  • UncleLou #113 7 years ago

    Oh, and mind, when I said consoles don't deliver 150 fps, that wasn't meant negative. Quite on the contrary - who needs 150 fps? Noone. That's why noone needs to upgrade his graphics card twice a year.

  • MBar #114 7 years ago

    And saying a new PC costs 1500 quid is a bit silly, my friend. :-)

    a proper gaming pc will sting you that much. i've been shopping around just recently, and Ł1,400 is looking like a good estimate for something high spec, but not super high spec.

    edit : think i'll forget the whole pc gaming thing, and just buy i nice high spec machine for internet (and Java programming) purposes for under a grand.
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/04 @ 17:53

  • Thamuhacha #115 7 years ago

    >I won't post my infamous calculation again, but with standard German games prices, you'll have "saved" the cost for a new PC when you bought 40-50 PC instead of 40 console games.

    If you BUY 40 games ... OK. But I think it is very likely that someone will need to upgrade their PC before the 40-50 mark. Who really buys more than one a month except serious hardcore people? (who are hardly the purchasing powerhouse needed to drive an industry).

    >And saying a new PC costs 1500 quid is a bit silly, my friend. :-)

    I didn't. You can get a "sims and Champ Man" level PC for Ł700. But a decent gaming PC (good video card, surround sound, big monitor) is MUCH more.

    >who needs 150 fps? Noone. That's why noone needs to upgrade his graphics card twice a year.

    Utterly agreed. The eye doesn't notice past 75hz I think. It's all willy waving past that.

  • Nause #116 7 years ago

    Generic outrage...........

  • Lutz #117 7 years ago

    MBar: If you buy pre assembled, yes. Buy it and build it yourself, it's much cheaper.

    As for FPS it's all relative to the distribution of them. 150 fps can look shit if all 150 frames are in the first half of the second... They have to be equally spaced out.

  • MBar #118 7 years ago

    Buy it and build it yourself, it's much cheaper.

    unfortunately not mate. i checked about building my own and the combined components still came to Ł1,300. Mesh Computers weren't much more expensive than this. i was going to build my own, but now i'm not so sure...

    edit : its not like i'm shopping at Dell. now they are rip-off merchants. and you can tell them i said that.
    Edited by 2 at 14/10/04 @ 17:59

  • space_ace #119 7 years ago

    *sigh*

    hey what's this, did you hear larry 8 is out!!

  • IronGiant #120 7 years ago

    Hmmm, whats the release date for GTA:SA? be interesting to see the sales figures of these 2 gaming giants! :)

  • Lutz #121 7 years ago

    IG: 28th of Oct IIRC

  • Pirotic #122 7 years ago

    rumour's are about that GTA:SA was also leaked yesterday, i suppose the Halo2 news may be overshadowing it. it hasn't turned up at the usual places anyway.

  • krudster #123 7 years ago

    I doubt that - SA hasn't even gone Gold yet, or rather the inevitable Gold announcement hasn't been made yet. It can't be far off leaking though. And man will the interweb creak when that game leaks...
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/04 @ 18:13

  • Thamuhacha #124 7 years ago

    >Buy it and build it yourself, it's much cheaper.

    Not cheaper. No fallback when something goes bang. Windows and Office (which I need) cost a fortune.

  • Lutz #125 7 years ago

    twits: Fuck lost sales, they'll hardly make a dent. What I'm concerned about is teh bellends who'll flood the net with spoilers.

    Piracy is wrong, end of discussion. If you think otherwise you need locking up.

    Krudster: I was sure that it was pencilled in for the 28th? But you're right, no gold annoucement...

  • Lutz #126 7 years ago

    Yeah, office is a bitch of a price.

  • Thamuhacha #127 7 years ago

    >You people are SO clueless about piracy.

    I bow my head in shame

    >contary to industry propoganda every downloaded copy doesn't equal a lost sale. Some people download things just because they can and never would have bought the game.

    And that makes it OK does it? We have had the "but I wouldn't have bought it anyway" argument in here before and it hasn't really had that much support mate.

    >Since they aren't taking any resources from the company and just make one of an unlimited amount of copies its not a lost sale.

    And why the FUCK should they be able to use something that another person has spent time making as part of their livelihood without paying?
    This is how society works you plum, if you want something you have to pay for it, like it or not. If you can't pay you don't get.

    People like you make me very angry indeed. No, it isn't a "lost sale" for every download, but that doesn't in ANY way justify the illegal act of piracy.

    >The industry has filled your heads with nonsense and its time you smartened up. You're all ridiculous sheep.

    What you are doesn't bear typing.

  • Lutz #128 7 years ago

    Thamuhacha, well said.

  • IronGiant #129 7 years ago

    LOL.. great use of the much unused 'plum' cuss ;)

  • UncleLou #130 7 years ago

    /is in full agreement with Thamuhacha's last post

    ;-)

  • meepster2312 #131 7 years ago

    'I doubt that - SA hasn't even gone Gold yet, or rather the inevitable Gold announcement hasn't been made yet. '

    Are you sure Krudster. UK release still 29/10 according to the posters all round London (and the States even earlier)

    They better get a move on - less than two weeks to manufacture (I guess thats all Austrias capacity swen up for the next two weeks - no other PS2 releases until November then!) and ship to high street retail who will want stock at least w/b 25/10 (just so they can break street date in London if an indy in Inverness does)

    GTA SA *must* be about to manufacture if the given street date is a go.

  • mcmonkeyplc #132 7 years ago

    Catch that son of a bitch and sentence him to life a life of army men games!

  • HarryB #133 7 years ago

    kids, eh? Mention pirates and they get far too excited

  • meepster2312 #134 7 years ago

    share then.....

  • commander dixon #135 7 years ago

    122 posts before this thread went downhill. Not bad.
    Big mistake tamuhacha, it went downhill on the 2 nd one
    so you can go fuck yourself and keep reading the Daily Mail

    and btw
    frod, mike P, Tiger-walts can share and enjoy it too ...

    i knew as i read the article that it will open the door to every french-bashing comment.
    i didn't expect from EG that it will come so quickly :/

  • brutal #136 7 years ago

    wow - it's been taken down from suprnova...

    how the hell did MS manage THAT?!!?

    (and why is it ok to download all the other bits of illegal software / media)?

  • meepster2312 #137 7 years ago

    I think you'll find it's not 'ok' at all.....

  • Toby #138 7 years ago

    "I wish I could, but it will compromise my position in the industry - I'm not willing to take that chance, lest it be leaked. I'm sorry I even brought it up mate."

    You're so important!

  • mash the x button #139 7 years ago

    shame. shame about the AI also.... HEY GUYS, LET'S STAND OUT IN THE OPEN SO WE CAN GET BLASTED!
    Brainwash shyte....

  • mash the x button #140 7 years ago

    trollo

  • mash the x button #141 7 years ago

    Dies but is ressurected in HALO3* tm* due to biotechnology

    /cynic mode on

  • otto #142 7 years ago

    "Microsoft takes the integrity of its intellectual property extremely seriously"

    As opposed to everyone else's, which it just nicks. Allegedly.

  • otto #143 7 years ago

    Lutz
    14-Oct-04 11:23:02
    Freylis: Same here, I don't use P2P and things like Kazaa and Napster (Original form) should be banned IMO.

    So Lutz, you'll be deleting those music files I downloaded for you the other week then?

    /sweet smile

  • Lutz #144 7 years ago

    3 didnt' work, 2 I already had, the rest, bar 1, I can live without. So aye, they're gone. I'll buy the other for a Ł5 somewhere.

  • otto #145 7 years ago

    Three "didn't work"???

    Glad my time was spent so fruitfully.

  • Nause #146 7 years ago

    Don't mean to be a dick, but can people confirm what the multiplayer opinons are yet ? System link co-op ?

  • Feanor #147 7 years ago

    "$250.000 or more"

    I assume you meant $250,000, or maybe you're South African?

  • penhalion #148 7 years ago

    Hah!

    This is no biggie. What would be the point of putting a pre-release Halo2 on the net for download? Wouldn't it be like a few gigs worth of data and more importantly who the sneck could play it?

    I don't know about most of you but, I for one never bothered modding my xbox and I certainly wouldn't do that just to play a game that may or may not be any good!

    (I know I'll buy and play it but, since doom3 I wary of the hype machine now more than ever!)

  • Renzo  #149 7 years ago

    "I assume you meant $250,000, or maybe you're South African?"

    I think I may be missing the joke here, but what exactly does being South African have to do with it?

  • Thamuhacha #150 7 years ago

    >wow - it's been taken down from suprnova...

    how the hell did MS manage THAT?!!?

    I think a certain group of pirates are about to find out that ripping off a new FPS from a small developer in the Czech Republic, and ripping off the Christmas priority for the world's biggest software company are two totally different things.

    Even a relatively big publisher like, say, Activision, rely upon external agencies and legal enforcement groups to catch pirates. Microsoft have a multi-million dollar arm of their company dedicated to it.

    The alarm bells rang when they published their central anti-piracy line as the contact for information. It won't stop the spread of the files, but it will make hosting it a risky proposition.

    BTW - Commander Dixon, I am sorry you took offence to the various French jokes. I am positive that none of them (mine included) are actually xenophobic in intention. The comments and forums on Eurogamer are always going to have loads of jokes about national differences due to the nature of the site.

  • Lutz #151 7 years ago

    Otto: Yeah mate. 2 were blank, and one was a totally different song. Thanks for the effort though. :)

  • Thamuhacha #152 7 years ago

    I think one of the problems with piracy is that it seems so remote when the perpetrator is sitting in their room.

    I know that, from an industry point of view, the people in a warehouse pumping out 1000's of cracked copies a day are the real financial threat. However, its the lone downloaders who are easier to catch and make an example of. Not ideal, but any action helps and M$ are one of the few who can make that difference.

    I think that examples like Valve enlisting gamers to help track down the HL2 hacker and this Halo2 episode are positive steps to convincing the communities to see piracy ina different light. Its a long road though ...

  • space_ace #153 7 years ago

    pirates are better than halo

  • IronGiant #154 7 years ago

    What i find strange is why Halo2 should be the focus of so much attention, just about every single game evah released on XBox/PS2 has been pirated and downloaded, Ninja Gaiden and Outrun2 are both high profile games that i'm pretty sure were downloadable before the release dates yet no articles on sites like this and no huge threads debating piracy. Yes i'm looking forward to Halo2 as much as anyone but just because it's Bungie and MS it's gone ballistic.. GTA:SA will be pirated too, can't see all this fuss going on about that.

  • Lutz #155 7 years ago

    IG: If GTA:SA get's leaked a month ahead of schedule this will be nothing in comparrison...

  • Clive_Dunn #156 7 years ago

    " seriously don't beleive you guys, and don't feel sorry for you at all.
    If this issue delays the game, oh well, I'll find something else to buy.
    maybe I'll buy GTA: San Andres instead. It about time to stop whining
    about Intellectual property and put up or shut up, my gaming dollars
    won't last forever or wait for grand promises to bear fruit.
    I'm a "real fan" of your game, but I won't follow you blindly, if you can't
    protect your product from "Thieves" thats not my problem, and as a consumer and customer of Microsoft I will not pay extra for your LAX
    security and incompetence."

    Hmmm, option 1) long waffly reply on the evil of piracy especially with regards to the damage it does to niche titles, unfavoured formats and small developers. Or Option 2) Tell you to fuck off.

    Fuck off.

  • Thamuhacha #157 7 years ago

    >Hmmm, option 1) long waffly reply on the evil of piracy especially with regards to the damage it does to niche titles, unfavoured formats and small developers. Or Option 2) Tell you to fuck off.

    Afternoon Clive. I keep going for option 1 and it just winds me up. Option 2 from here on in for me too ...

  • commander dixon #158 7 years ago

    @tamuhacha
    ok, understood, i will collaborate ;)
    i got upset very quickly, the problem is that maybe there is many jokes in this forum but i am alone against everyone one this one ...

  • mash the x button #159 7 years ago

    Piracy means money so it's going to happen. How many of the purists here have bought anything pirate? I mean jeans/dvd/perfume/cd/you name it, it's out there....

  • otto #160 7 years ago

    Not alone, Dixon, moi aussi j'en ai marre de la francophobie suiviste qu'on doit considérer comme l'humeur anglo-saxon, apparement. Voir aussi ce filet sur un sujet 'voisin'... ;)
    Edited by 2 at 16/10/04 @ 05:20

  • commander dixon #161 7 years ago

    @ otto
    cheers :)

  • jellyhead #162 7 years ago

    @R2-D2 - using my psychic powers of observation i reckon it's a vietnam based game using the unreal engine of some sort and it's called... (...thinks...) P... (scans room hopefully)... (someone sighs)... Purple Heart.! Ta da!
    :)

  • #163 7 years ago

    the omly thing microsoft slams is mens dicks because it dont have enough money to get a hooker and all it does is copies off ps2 and whos sold more items um... how about ps2 xbox is a dick

  • otto #164 7 years ago

    spoiler deleted by moderator

    Before doing something like that, Piracy=GOOD, you may want to reflect on the fact that we can see your IP address and report it.

  • IronGiant #165 7 years ago

    There was always gonna be someone who couldn't resist spoiling it, especially after all the talk about it here.. some people get a kick out of ruining the experience for others. Though reporting his IP address for posting a spoiler seems strange, if he'd posted links to download sites then fair enough. Can you ban his IP from posting on EG?

  • otto #166 7 years ago

    We have the technology

  • DodgyG #167 7 years ago

    I doubt that - SA hasn't even gone Gold yet, or rather the inevitable Gold announcement hasn't been made yet.

    It went gold last Friday. Only know this because of people who I know work at R* North
    Edited by 1 at 20/10/04 @ 22:02

  • mash the x button #168 7 years ago

    If all the purists do not want spoilers, then I politely suggest to not read any threads relating to the subject. Simple really. Stay away. Oh, and by the way, Harry dies in the last chapter....