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Software Early Copy of Halo 3 Sells on eBay
Marcus Yam (Blog) - September 11, 2007 11:59 AM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 34 comment(s) - last by aethyrmaster.. on Sep 12 at 1:51 PM

The seller's proof of a legitimate Halo 3 retail copy  (Source: eBay)
Halo 3 gets its game on two weeks early on eBay Australia

Halo 3 will be the biggest launch for the videogame industry yet. With already more than 1 million pre-orders for the title, Microsoft looking to break Halo 2’s record of $125 million of day-one sales. But what if day-one, set for September 25, was too far away?

Someone with an early retail copy of Halo 3 knew that there are millions of Xbox 360 owners dying to get their hands on the game as soon as possible, and looked to fulfill someone’s dreams via an eBay auction.

Found on eBay Australia is an auction promising Halo 3 – “the real deal” – as available immediately. Some may cry hoax, but the seller posted convincing photographs of both a sealed copy of the game along with another picture showing the complete, opened package with disc.

For such a hot item, one would expect a considerable bidding war for the chance to play Halo 3 two weeks in advance of official release – but interestingly, the seller set a limit for his auction with the “Buy It Now” option at AU$149 (around $124). Needless to say, the item was snatched up in less than a day.

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Is it really that important ...
By webdawg77 on 9/11/2007 12:59:57 PM , Rating: 3
to get the game "a full 2 weeks" ahead? I am just as excited as the next Xboxer to play Halo 3, but I can also wait another 2 weeks and pickup my preorder copy.

I'd also no like to get on Microsoft's bad side when it comes to anything Xbox related. Who knows what they'll have to say about someone playing this highly anticipated hit "before" you are supposed to play. Just ask those people who got banned for life (xboxlive) for playing the Epsilon version. I know they can get a new console / live ID, but that's not worth the trouble.




RE: Is it really that important ...
By Cheapshot on 9/11/07, Rating: -1
By webdawg77 on 9/11/2007 2:28:20 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
The first Halo's absolutely Blew! They were slow, they were Dull, and they were void of just about every aspect that makes an FPS a challenge... but as always its MSs turd and they know how to market.


Did I talk about the first two games?

I enjoyed the first two and want to see how the trilogy ends. I prefer FPS with tact instead of mindless "running 'n gunning".

quote:
So I would concur that he should have doubled his asking price for those less fortunate to not have an original opinion.


Did I talk about the ebay auction price?

You are more than welcomed to your opinion. I'll stick with mine :).


RE: Is it really that important ...
By blurredvision on 9/11/2007 2:55:02 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
but as always its MSs turd and they know how to market

I always hate the stupid-ass comment that Halo is only popular because of marketing. How do you explain that Halo 2 still sees over 200k unique players every day online almost 3 years after release? From what I'm thinking, they quit marketing that game years ago.

Just because you hate what's popular doesn't mean it isn't good.


RE: Is it really that important ...
By gramboh on 9/11/2007 4:07:17 PM , Rating: 2
Because Halo is the 'best of the worst', e.g. it is arguably the best/most accesible online FPS experience for console users. That does not make it a good title when compared to PC FPS games. The reason people (like me) hate on Halo so much is because it is awful compared to any modern FPS on the PC. Note that I do have an Xbox with Halo1/2, both the single player and MP are utter crap compared to say Half-Life 2 (2004), Quake 3 (1999) etc. The singleplayer story is mildly engaging in Halo 1 but other than that, ugh.


RE: Is it really that important ...
By FITCamaro on 9/11/2007 5:28:00 PM , Rating: 3
OK so you hate Halo (a game made famous on a console) because it doesn't compete with PC games. Newsflash. You're absolutely right.

People love Halo so much because its a great shooter on a CONSOLE. It's got great graphics, great controls, and is fun. It's hard to find shooters on consoles that are fun to play with a good control scheme. Halo nailed it on that. The controls were excellent, the graphics at the time were excellent, and the story was excellent. Halo 2 was a bit of a let down but still.

And if you think Quake 3 has a better story than Halo you're on crack. Quake has never been about the single player aspect. It's all multiplayer.

Is Halo the greatest game ever made? No. But its a damn good game for console users who don't have a gaming PC. Halo 3 will follow in that tradition with great graphics, great gameplay, and a great story. Just people like you can't get over that. You feel the need to berate anyone and everyone who loves the game because you have nothing better to do.

And I've never enjoyed Quake multiplayer. But me and my friends spent countless hours enjoying Halo on the Xbox in multiplayer battles. We still do when we all get together. That will likely only change once we have Halo 3.


By MonkeyPaw on 9/11/2007 5:48:52 PM , Rating: 2
Actually, Quake 1, 2, and 4 all had SP stories, quite lengthy ones at that. Quake 1 was around before most people had internet access, and Quake 2 was highly popular in multiplayer, and fueled the demand for more FPS MP games. Q3 was cool, but it was a let down for me. It's the only version I never bought.


RE: Is it really that important ...
By hrah20 on 9/11/2007 5:37:13 PM , Rating: 2
I'AM a pc gamer and I love halo on the original xbox, and I'm also waiting for Halo 3 for my X360, there's nothing wrong, I have a lot of fps games on my pc too, but just because I have great games on my pc doesn't make me a halo hater LIKE YOU,AND THE LACK OF FUNDAMENTS ON YOUR ARGUMENT is not gonna make anyone change their minds.


RE: Is it really that important ...
By FITCamaro on 9/11/2007 5:37:27 PM , Rating: 2
And Half-Life 2 came out 3 years after Halo. So why are you even comparing them.

Yes Half-Life 2 had a great story and I was awestruck by the game (same as with Halo). But was it worlds better than Halo's? No. Alien's have invaded Earth(in Half-Life) and freedom fighter tries to stop them. Not exactly an original, groundbreaking story. Still it was told well in the game with awesome graphics and gameplay. But the story wasn't hugely better than Halo's.

Honestly I'm sad that this will likely be the closing chapter of Halo. Just as I look forward to an eventual Half-Life 3. Since theres clearly room for one. I hope they won't stick with just small Episodic content forever and will give us another full game eventually.


RE: Is it really that important ...
By Alpha4 on 9/11/2007 6:10:51 PM , Rating: 2
I think he was comparing Halo 2 to HalfLife 2. Both were in the video game spotlight back in '04 (Until Vavle delayed HL2).


By Locutus465 on 9/12/2007 12:24:44 AM , Rating: 2
Regardless, the Halo series over all has been great, and I like many others can't wait to finish the fight... Ok, so I'm not willing to pay that much to do so for a standard game, but still :P

At anyrate, I'm an FPS gamer on both PC's and consoles with x-box... To be perfectly honest, I've had more fun playing the Halo games than any other FPS (HL2 & FEAR included). The story is great, and the books really help to fill it in, something other FPS's lack.


By Tanclearas on 9/12/2007 11:59:26 AM , Rating: 2
Half-Life 2 had a great story? Are you kidding? What, exactly, did you think was so great about it? The characters were dull (just like the AI), the ending just seemed like the "writers" couldn't come up with anything good, and the plot elements were specifically wrapped around showcasing a slightly above average game/graphics engine.


Stupid Seller
By gigahertz20 on 9/11/2007 1:14:37 PM , Rating: 2
Wow, he obtains an early copy somehow and puts it on E-bay for a buy it now of US $124....what an idiot. I'm sure he could have got at least a bare minimum of $300 if he would of just set it to a regular auction.




RE: Stupid Seller
By Ard on 9/11/2007 1:35:12 PM , Rating: 2
My thoughts exactly. I would've simply set a reserve price and let them have at it. There are people crazy enough to take the price up and beyond $200-300.


RE: Stupid Seller
By hughlle on 9/11/2007 3:16:00 PM , Rating: 3
well the reason he put it cheap is probably that if M$ found it on ebay they'd contact ebay and the guy would have his listing deleted and possibly account blocked, just as you do when trying to sell intel ES chips. get it sold before they can stop you


RE: Stupid Seller
By Ard on 9/11/2007 7:09:26 PM , Rating: 2
I can't see how. MS doesn't have a leg to stand on against the seller. First sale doctrine. He can do whatever he wants with his lawfully purchased copy.


RE: Stupid Seller
By xsilver on 9/11/2007 7:55:04 PM , Rating: 2
isnt that exactly the point?
how do you know its a "legally" purchased copy or just one that fell off the back of a truck?


Expect it
By FITCamaro on 9/11/2007 1:03:15 PM , Rating: 2
By that I mean the seller can expect to be fired from his job (at best) when they figure out who he is. Especially since he would have had to steal the game from his employer in order to get it already.

I hope it was worth it.




RE: Expect it
By murphyslabrat on 9/11/2007 1:12:12 PM , Rating: 2
Or maybe he is a reviewer who obtained a copy? So, he is now done with it, but still under NDA, he sells it.


RE: Expect it
By FITCamaro on 9/11/2007 3:40:38 PM , Rating: 2
He'll still get fired. And I don't think reviewers have the game yet fully packaged and everything.

I'm sure Microsoft will be getting the guys real name from Ebay.


RE: Expect it
By Vanilla Thunder on 9/11/2007 5:25:44 PM , Rating: 2
Maybe he was a FORMER employee of Bungie or MS and this was part of his severence package. Maybe he figures the $125 he's making is as much as he'll rake in for 2 weeks work at Wally World or Target and he just doesn't care. Maybe anyone who would pay $125 for a game because they can't wait 2 weeks for the release date needs to get out more....way more.

Vanilla