US soldiers get to play Halo 3

By Tom Bramwell Published 3 January, 2007

Just for being in Iraq. Cuh.

We'll have to wait until spring 2007 at the earliest to get our hands on beta versions of Halo 3, but not everyone has to - with US soldiers in Iraq given the chance to go hands-on with an early version over the Christmas break.

According to reports (complete with photos and even two short videos), Bungie flew over copies of the multiplayer beta to help the troops feel a bit less rubbish about missing Christmas on account of, you know, that.

Microsoft has yet to comment on the reports, but they're pretty widespread, and the response has been mostly positive. "First of all, it's about damn time our soldiers get stuff like this!!! They risk their lives for us!!!" wrote an excitable fan over at 1UP.

"Second: every video game company should do this!!! Third: Thanks to the US Armed Forces, thank you for fighting for the freedom of the United States!!!"

No doubt you'll want to share similar sentiments! Feel free. After all, it used to be Christmas.

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. Follow him on Twitter.

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

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Comments (89) Latest comment 5 years ago

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

  • n3rdh8r #1 5 years ago

    America is teh suck.

  • jack.wilson #2 5 years ago

    I think i'm the only one who thinks that this little action by Bungie was totally tawdry. They are soldiers, they are fighting, shooting everyday (mostly), and now they present is to continue the war sitting in front of a television?

  • masterson #3 5 years ago

    Like all soldiers these guys just go where they are ordered to.
    They are not the ones you should be annoyed with, they are merely pawns.
    Add to that the fact those poor bastards are getting shot at whilst we're tucked snugly behing our keyboards spouting off our opinions and I find it hard to begrudge them early access to a bloody video game. Especially one thats all about shooting stuff; more practice = less "friendly fire incidents". :D

  • Gl3n #4 5 years ago

    Macho computer games are just the sort of cultural boost poorly educated young American soldiers need in 'the fight for hearts and minds' in Iraq.

  • mattigan #5 5 years ago

    I didn't realise that Americas freedom was in so much danger from Iraq. . .

    I thought it was all about the oil.

  • killest #6 5 years ago

    I plan to trespass upon my neighbour's property tomorrow and may well topple their ornamental birdbath. This may well have the destabilising effect of causing the different breeds of garden birds to fight over access to the rain water in various smaller containers scattered around the garden. However, I believe that I can justify the aforementioned action because the birdbath looked distasteful to me from my house several streets away.

    I think Bungie should reward my brave exploits by allowing me to play the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta.

    LOVE THAT!!!!!! :D
    Edited by killest at 03/01/07 @ 08:19

  • NthSimulachum #7 5 years ago

    Freedom has lost all meaning in the US. It is bandied around as an unassailable buzzword, rather than a meaningful concept.

    Iraq had shit all to do with freedom, but was all to do with "freedom".

  • sickpuppysoftware #8 5 years ago

    Isn't this like sending a beta version of the latest Lula videogame to pornstars?

  • Grunk #9 5 years ago

    I thought freedom meant french?

  • brooza #10 5 years ago

    I think i'm the only one who thinks that this little action by Bungie was totally tawdry. They are soldiers, they are fighting, shooting everyday (mostly), and now they present is to continue the war sitting in front of a television?

    The game promotes peace and co-operation of all humans, remember, all races are fighting side-by-side against the alien scum

    I thought freedom meant french?
    No, you're thinking of "surrender"
    Edited by brooza at 03/01/07 @ 08:34

  • Eraser #11 5 years ago

    Why don't they stop buying planes, guns and missiles and simply decide wars in a game of Halo deathmatch? Saves a lot of trouble and lives.

  • TonyCocaCola #12 5 years ago

    Maybe the US military are testing out Halo 3 as their new soldier training game, a bit like full spectrum warrior but with more jumping n stuff.

  • Eraser #13 5 years ago

    I'm pretty sure that strafejumping will give a significant tactical advantage. Getting them to do it without the grunting will be the hard part though.
    Edited by Eraser at 03/01/07 @ 09:00

  • Xerx3s #14 5 years ago

    "First of all, it's about damn time our soldiers get stuff like this!!! They risk their lives for us!!!" wrote an excitable fan over at 1UP.

    They do? I don't recall asking them.

    "Third: Thanks to the US Armed Forces, thank you for fighting for the freedom of the United States!!!"

    Yeh, the invasion of Iraq really made the world a saver place. I think those 70K dead people would agree.

    /slow claps.

  • djchump #15 5 years ago

    Multiple exclamation marks are the sign of a sick mind.

  • Furbs #16 5 years ago

    And the award for grossest oversimplification of the situation in Iraq goes too......

  • Xerx3s #17 5 years ago

    I plan to trespass upon my neighbour's property tomorrow and may well topple their ornamental birdbath. This may well have the destabilising effect of causing the different breeds of garden birds to fight over access to the rain water in various smaller containers scattered around the garden. However, I believe that I can justify the aforementioned action because the birdbath looked distasteful to me from my house several streets away.

    I think Bungie should reward my brave exploits by allowing me to play the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta.

    Very well written. Kudos.

    I thought freedom meant french?
    No, you're thinking of "surrender"

    Funny, considering that france produced more tactial geniuses than you did over the course of history and iirc, they gave you (and us) an arse kicking as well every now and then.

  • TonyCocaCola #18 5 years ago

    George Bush?

  • space_ace #19 5 years ago

    why, did the soldiers get tired of gears of war so soon?

  • jiveguy #20 5 years ago

    Halo 3 sucks because some American guys with not much say in the matter got sent to Iraq by some politicians.

  • Furbs #21 5 years ago

    Not enough baby killing.

    Ho ho. See what I did there? I made a funny based on the idea that your average American serviceman is an evil , psychotic badguy because I dont have a clue about the real situation over there. ROFL.

  • space_ace #22 5 years ago

    i tought they only played hangman in iraq...

  • space_ace #23 5 years ago

    they lied to them about the just cause, now they lied that halo is a cool new game!

  • penhalion #24 5 years ago

    why not send something like madden or tiger woods etc. etc. something to allow the troops to wind down not wind them up!

    From what I'm hearing the game plays like halo 2 in all respects....
    Edited by penhalion at 03/01/07 @ 09:33

  • mkreku #25 5 years ago

    America, the land of the brave and the free. And they'll kill you if you don't want to be free according to their definition of free. A definition which involves oil. And terrorism is sort of thrown in there as well, cause that's the big fad right now.

    I wonder.. how do they decide who gets to play Halo 3 the most? Whoever raped the most Iraqi teens get first in line? Or is it the guy with the most kills? How do they decide who has the most kills if all you have to do is drop a bomb on an unsuspecting village? A village full of terrorists, of course. Especially the infants.

    Go America go.

  • smoison #26 5 years ago

    I guess the UK soldiers in Iraq get to watch the Americans play....

  • space_ace #27 5 years ago

    you lot are enemies of freedom and have been marked

  • TonyCocaCola #28 5 years ago

    No, the british soldiers get to join in on the team matches but they have to stand around and let the americans shoot them.

  • Steroyd #29 5 years ago

    @mkreku

    Obviously the ones that are about to go on the front line they need a recap of all their training.

    Just hope they have a sense of reality and the troops remember they don't have a regenerative shield.

  • AcidSnake #30 5 years ago

    In other news, bungie is already under a lot of pressure from microsoft and the US government to have Halo 4 ready for the end of 2007 and the invasion of Iran...

  • space_ace #31 5 years ago

    no, that's defcon...

  • space_ace #32 5 years ago

    back when i was in the army, we played civilization! (true story)

  • mkreku #33 5 years ago

    When I was in the Swedish army, all we ever got to play was Sex Games on the Commodore 64 :(

    I'm crap at shooting things but boy, do I know how to furiously wiggle that joystick..

  • knocker #34 5 years ago

    I hope this works better than giving them copies of katamari
    http://snipurl.com/16foa

  • Putty-Man #35 5 years ago

    MS should make a game like Rome Total War, except call it Oil Total War and send it over to them.

  • Dark_Stranger #36 5 years ago

    Quote "I guess the UK soldiers in Iraq get to watch the Americans play.... " by smoison

    and get taken out by the odd stray friendly controller.

  • SBfistfun #37 5 years ago

    serves them right for being fucking stupid enough to join the army.

    Bellends

  • Xerx3s #38 5 years ago

    Not enough baby killing.

    Ho ho. See what I did there? I made a funny based on the idea that your average American serviceman is an evil , psychotic badguy because I dont have a clue about the real situation over there. ROFL.

    And your the first to do it. GG.

    /slow claps

    Afaik, all comments are directed at the policy or the politicians in one way or another, none that implicate that the soldiers are evil.

    Apart from that, I never asked them to 'defend my freedom' (I don't see how my freedom changed since sadam was dethroned). And if they really where there to 'defend my freedom', they would understand the freedom of opinion and the right to say what you think. Or do you think that everybody should support a war that has caused more death than saddam could purely for money.

  • AcidSnake #39 5 years ago

    I asked them once to defend my freedom...
    I had this math exam I was totally unprepared for...
    So I spoke Bush's name three times in front of a mirror with my eyes closed and when I opened them wouldn't you know?
    He invaded Iraq...

    I'm not sure where the connection lies though...

  • Mr_Brown #40 5 years ago

    Yep, that should make the US army in iraq more popular. Not only are they invading their country, they get to play Halo 3 before them just for being their. Iraq insergence will swell with angry gamers now...fools

  • PearOfAnguish #41 5 years ago

    Apart from that, I never asked them to 'defend my freedom' (I don't see how my freedom changed since sadam was dethroned).

    I would be very interested to hear from these people who believe we're 'protecting freedom' by invading Iraq as to how exactly some guys in the desert would have even endangered it in the first place. I'm talking practical considerations. Marched up to the White House and demand we start listening to them? Invade our countries with their ragged bands of religious nutcases?

  • jonsaan #42 5 years ago

    All. Please take your political views over to a non gaming site. You are very boring.

  • pagedown #43 5 years ago

    Halo 3, the gaming choice of true patriots.

  • skillian #44 5 years ago

    I can't imagine sitting round with mates playing some Halo, then actually picking up a gun and having to kill people for real. Most of these guys are younger than me too - it just doesn't bear thinking about.

    It's the politicians making the wars, most soldiers are just doing their job. I certainly don't begrudge them a bit of free gaming after spending Christmas in maybe the most dangerous place on the planet.

  • Nige #45 5 years ago

    >Easy make these suggestions sitting at your keyboard and computer screen.

    Hey, it's what George W does.... except he probably uses some kind of specially modified Speak and Spell.

    And anyhoo - the thread is about soliders out in Iraq, so we mostly seem to be on topic.

  • Yossarian #46 5 years ago

    probably the worst, most hateful, and most ignorant comments thread I have ever witnessed

  • Nige #47 5 years ago

    @Yossarian.

    Try reading a comments thread on Joystiq sometime, in fact, any time.

  • jonsaan #48 5 years ago

    Northy. You are obviously way too deep and intellectual for me. I am honored that such a brilliant mind would chose to respond to a humble poster such as me. Thankyou, thankyou.

  • SBfistfun #49 5 years ago

    Welcome to the suck









    penis

  • JediMasterMalik #50 5 years ago

    This kind of thing pisses me off.

    I'm against the war in Iraq, but using soldeirs as marketing tools, which this no doubt is, is pretty low. They'd be better off paying for some psychological rehab from shelshock the giving them a Halo 3 beta.

  • mezzomorto #51 5 years ago

    Funny how times change.
    In the old days (i.e. Korean War) they used to send Bob Hope and Marilyn Monroe out to entertain the troops, nowadays they send an unfinished version of a video game...

  • flapps #52 5 years ago

    As a UK-based guy, this kind of PR stunt is lost on me. I couldn't care less if some US troops get to play Halo 3. In fact, it has a reverse effect and actually comes across as an obvious attempt at garnering US kudos. Sorry, maybe that works for the States, but I don't think the impact is so positive for Europe.

  • Carrybagma #53 5 years ago

    Playing Halo is patriotic.
    Only commie terrorists don't like Halo.

  • The-Bodybuilder #54 5 years ago

    LONG LIVE THE POLITICAL KEYBOARD WARRIORS, WHO SLAG OFF OFF US SOLDIERS BASED ON THE RETARDED COMMENTS OF AMERICAN GAMERS, AND THE ACTIONS OF POLITICIANS.

    Hailt to the keyboard politicians, who can solve the world's problems whilst playing WOW.

    Oh and yes, I'm clearly not as "deep" as some people in this thread.
    This is probably the worst thread I've seen, with some displaying political knowledge based on more 4 documentaries.

  • morriss #55 5 years ago

    USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

  • mkreku #56 5 years ago

    Love how all the war mongers are like, "You haven't been there, you must be uninformed".

    Yeah, whatever. Go play your Halo, its braindead action should suit you just fine.

  • Carrybagma #57 5 years ago

    I wonder what the UK is sending out to amuse 'our boys' at the front?

    A pack of cards, or a bag of the latest marbles? Perhaps a binatone pong console?

  • JediMasterMalik #58 5 years ago

    Are you assuming that, because we are gamers, we don't have valid opinions on world affairs?

  • ruttyboy #59 5 years ago

    Ja_Long - That's clearly bollocks. Is a historian's opinion on Ancient Rome not 'valid' because he was never there?

  • blindlemonjefferson #60 5 years ago

    This all brings to mind the 'Bunnies' scene in Apocalypse Now.


    Regarding 'northy vs. Ja_Long', I think that everybody should try to develop an opinion on everything that they come across - no matter how 'uninformed' they are (or they might seem to be) - and then try to articulate it, 'cuz everybody benefits from a thoughtful argument.

    'Shallow' is too harsh a judgement for someone who wants to opt out of the argument - fuck knows everybody's pretty tired of Iraq/US etc. debates - but, then again, the people who don't care to argue should let the argument go on anyway. It arose pretty organically from the content of the article...


    Edit: ha, try and make sense of that if you can
    Edited by blindlemonjefferson at 03/01/07 @ 14:35

  • ruttyboy #61 5 years ago

    Not really Ja_Long, you look at the evidence available to you and work from there. As new discoveries are made in archaeology etc. opinions can change too.

  • JediMasterMalik #62 5 years ago

    Sorry, that's BS. We all live in democracies, nothing would ever get done if everyone had to live through the experience of every decision made. People are allowed to have opinions, just because we haven't experienced it forst hand, does NOT mean we are uninformed.

  • Rich72 #63 5 years ago

    [link url=http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1641823602
    ]http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseac...[/link]


    how do you make a damn linky...... i play games!

  • SBfistfun #64 5 years ago

    Don't worry, at the next election Hulk Hogan will be voted president.

    If he can't sort it out nobody can.

    "whatya gunno do when SB comes to fist YOU."

  • Cadence #65 5 years ago

    er, does anyone have anything interesting to say about the footage, brief though it was, or are you all interested in spouting crap about Iraq?

  • Eraysor #66 5 years ago

    Massive kudos to Bungie.

  • Mr_Brown #67 5 years ago

    Agreed, the fact is its easy to argue that the Iraq war is a waste of time and worthless because its so far away and easy to say nothings coming from it. Thats because most people don't know or don't care about what happens in the middle east and the likes. To most people masacres in Africa or tyrants abusing their people half way across the world come second to seeing pictures of Tom Cruises baby.

    Lets just put it this way, theres no way Saddam was a good leader for Iraq and theres no way that pulling troops out of iraq now would be a good thing because then it would have been a waste of time as another dictator would take over after a long period of anarchy.

    I don't know whether the war in iraq was a good thing or bad thing, but its happened and is happening. Theres valid points for both sides but at the end of the day the fate of iraq doesn't rest on a few squabling forumites.

    I personally support the war, though not sure if the US intentions were entirely selfless TBH.

  • SBfistfun #68 5 years ago

    "er, does anyone have anything interesting to say about the footage, brief though it was, or are you all interested in spouting crap about Iraq?"

    You rebel scum

    /dons glove

  • El_MUERkO #69 5 years ago

    ja_long is being raped by a bear

    i have an opinion that he doesnt like being bear raped

    i could be wrong thou

    /plays halo 3

  • trevd72 #70 5 years ago

    @jack.wilson

    soldiers don't shoot at an enemy that often. being a soldier involves hanging around for a long time or being on patrols, very little action but loads of time to fill (watch jarhead). Also not all service people are infantry. just thought i would mention it.

  • skillian #71 5 years ago

    Even Fox News and the Daily Mail can see the failings of the Iraq war.

    Don't be so quick to blame the "leftist" media - the problems in that country aren't being invented by journalists.

  • Carrybagma #72 5 years ago

    And remember, these are the same people who, through there inactivity, were ok with Saddam and the thousands of victims of the 90s UN-embargo – another evidence that never really made it onto the news radar for the lack of 'strong' images.

    So how did anyone know enough to choose to be inactive if it didn't make it onto the news radar? Nobody saw gassed Kurds then - or they chose to ignore it? What a bizarre (and yet curiously focused) post.
    Edited by Carrybagma at 03/01/07 @ 17:15

  • Danbojones Verified Senior Staff Writer, GamesIndustry International #73 5 years ago

    And isn't George Bush the guy who has been quite happy to see atrocities being committed by despots all over the world in places where there doesn't happen to be large deposits of oil? Don't more people die of goddamn diarrhoea in Africa every year than were ever killed by Saddam? I'm not saying he was a good guy, or anything but a murdering bastard, but don't think anyone is fooled into thinking this was a justified and morally focussed war.

  • cyber_nicco #74 5 years ago

    mkreku
    that was not called for
    I have not read enough to know if that was rebuffed, but, that was really out of line what you said.

    Please reconsider.

  • cyber_nicco #75 5 years ago

    I had to delete my message, because maybe because of the length
    it was - well - too long
    lol
    some of these messages are a little hateful, I understand this will be a forum for discussing this, and that's to be accepted.

    but, I think it could be kinder for all the people involved, regardless of the political preference.

    We are talking about normal people dying every day
    please

  • Bluetooth #76 5 years ago

    God bless Merica and their fucked up priorities.

    I bet there's a multiplayer mode called "Capture The Oil Barrel" at the request of their Government. Damn damn Elite insurgents!
    Edited by Bluetooth at 03/01/07 @ 18:05

  • Carrybagma #77 5 years ago

    Yes, but what game were British soldiers playing over Christmas, while the Americans were playing Halo3?

  • The-Bodybuilder #78 5 years ago

    >"Yes, but what game were British soldiers playing over Christmas, while the Americans were playing Halo3? "

    Killzone.
    Although rumours are the version played is being stored along with the WMDs.

  • Khanivor #79 5 years ago

    Well I knew this thread would be studed with racist and idiotic comments and was not in the least bit let down.

    I wonder where all those who explode in rage at American involvement in the US were during the war in Congo last century or hwo many letters they have written to their MP about Darfur. Not even decent enough to be hypocrites, just woefully ill informed bigots who have about as much interest in the plight of the Iraqi people as they do in victims of other conflicts in the world who are not being killed within a few hundred miles of an American soldier.

    No one forced these chaps to join the armed forces but social pressures , both negative and positive, have influenced them. Regardless, they are doing a job which may not be simply connected to our freedom our safety this time but in the past and future they have. Soldiers deserve our respect for doing something that often needs done and 99% of the population (and all but around 30 on this site) are too fucking cowardly to do.

    So kudos to Bungie for giving those guys a lift. I'm one of the biggest cynics around but in this instance my cynicism meter isn't registering, just my empathy and respect ones.

  • logos01 #80 5 years ago

    I think it's great they get some enjoyment during holidays. They can shoot and get shot without fear. The war of 'freedom' of the US, I think it's based more on the fight on terrorism rather than the Iraq war. After over 3,000 thousand civilians were killed on September 11 politicians probably felt they had to do something.

  • Salato #81 5 years ago

    Nauseating from Bungie. Some may believe that it’s a noble gesture from bungie to give a gift to troops far from their homes, but I just keep seeing the marketing ploy, which to me seems in bad taste.

    On the tiresome Iraq debates yet again, the problem I think a lot of people have is a lack of consistency. Some people may have been more likely to support the Iraq war if it was part of a true effort to free people and end human rights violations in tyrannical countries around the globe, but the record just doesn’t show that. While invading Iraq, we’ve friends with Saudi Arabia, we’re friendly now with Gaddafi since he changed sides, we don’t a problem with so many regimes around the world that torture and kill just like Saddam did. The record of support for dictators is why so many raised an eyebrow when the emphasis was changed from WMD’s to liberating Iraq from tyranny.

  • kali_mist #82 5 years ago

    Aw feck it. If Rare brought goldeneye 2 over to the british troops for Chrimbo that would be allright would it not (Im not british)
    Its a shitty war, but not the troops fault. Any vidoegame goodness for the poor fuckers at xmas is allright, no?.

  • tenma #83 5 years ago

    Gl3n: Macho computer games are just the sort of cultural boost poorly educated young American soldiers need in 'the fight for hearts and minds' in Iraq.

    Man, shut the fuck up. It must be great to be able to sit behind a computer screen and lob lazy men's American stereotypes around. Whether or not you agree with the war in Iraq (I don't), calling those enlisted poorly educated (because being an idiot is the only reason why anyone joins the military, right?) is pretty ironic especially in your case.

    If you guys think that just because they're members of the military they don't deserve the chance to wind down with an enjoyable game (regardless of it it's a FPS), that's pretty sad. Make jabs at the government, not at those willing to put their lives on the line (although I winced at the "God bless you for defending our freedom";) quote. The snobbery in this thread is too much.
    Edited by tenma at 04/01/07 @ 02:10

  • Khanivor #84 5 years ago

    TBH, you'd think the oppurtunity to wind down and let off aggression against virtual foes and kill virtual enemies would be a good thing and less likely for that agression to be unleashed down the barrel of a real automatic rifle.

  • Dr.Mott #85 5 years ago

    Hopefully the Brits will get a free copy of Elton John's new single about Saddam to lighten their moods, "Dangle in the Wind".

  • Khanivor #86 5 years ago

    LoL, that's a good one mate. Sounds like it comes from a forces man!

  • Inflatable #87 5 years ago

    I'm happy they sent the US troops something like the Halo3 beta to relax with, they deserve it..

    About the Iraq-war.. Tbh I feel sorry for all those US (and British) troops in Iraq risking their lives for something as vague as 'protecting our freedom'.. Because I don't see what occuping a country like Iraq and getting rid of a dictator like Saddam has to do with US's (or our) freedom.. As far as I know the "organisation" that attacked the US at 9/11 (which was the main reason to start a war again somewhere) was based in Afghanistan, not Iraq.. So what are we doing in Iraq?? Imho the whole Iraq-war is only counterproductive, creating only more hatered in the Middle-East against the US and the rest of the West.. A hatered that was already pretty big mainly because of the ongoing unconditional support from mainly the US for Isreal in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.. A conflict which imho is the main source of most of the problems in the Middle-East, and the problems we have with moslim-terrorisme right now.. And since I'm sure people in our goverments are smart enough to see and understand that aswell, there must clearly be other (secret) agenda's for the US (and the rest of the West) to not properly address that conflict, and to start messing with Iraq etc.. It must be that, because I refuse to belief the US leadership is so naieve or stupid to sent so many of it's people into their death for nothing else then the so-called liberation of the Iraqi people or to get rid of weapons of mass-destruction that didn't exist.. Already more Americans died in Iraq then did on 9/11, I just hope it was worth it..

  • bunnymc #88 5 years ago

    mattigan:"I didn't realise that Americas freedom was in so much danger from Iraq. . .

    I thought it was all about the oil."


    U right. Who da fuck is attacking USA so they have to fight for freedom. U fight for freedom when u are attacked or your country is taken over

  • Bluetooth #89 5 years ago

    How dare you insult 'our boys' bunny!

    They ARE fighting for freedom. The freedom to make full use of oil sources abroad.