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Halo 2 breaks street date in US

And people are making a killing on eBay...

Renegade US retailers are facing the wrath of Microsoft this week by selling Halo 2 fully five days before its official launch date, it emerged today.

Obscure US retailer Meijer has reportedly been selling the blockbusting Xbox-only title across the mid western United States - and enterprising punters have been quick to cash in on the pent up demand.

A quick scan of eBay listings reveals hundreds of people trying to sell Halo 2, but most are to ship on the day of launch - November 9th in the US. But this one in particular caught the eye, and fetched an eye-popping $265 (£144/206 Euros) illustrating the frenzy surrounding the game.

Microsoft has yet to comment on the news, but will reportedly come down hard on any retailers tempted to pull the same trick in Europe, with retailers forced to sign all manner of contracts to make sure they honour street date agreements. Our advice is sit tight - it's only six days to go...