A month ago, we reported the opening of registrations for the chance to beta
test Halo 3. For those who do not like to leave things up to chance,
specially marked copies of the game Crackdown, developed by Real Time Worlds
and published by Microsoft Games Studios are to include invitations to the Halo
3 beta.
When the Halo 3 multiplayer beta surfaces in spring 2007,
owners of Crackdown with access to an Xbox 360 Pro console or an Xbox 360 Core
console with hard drive and a valid Xbox Live Gold subscription simply need to
load their copy of Crackdown into Xbox 360 and use the disc as a key to
download the beta from Xbox Live Marketplace. Crackdown will be available in
the on February 20. The only thing still I’m wondering about is if there is
some sort of unique key for each copy of Crackdown, otherwise a single rental
copy could provide the Halo 3 multiplayer beta to dozens if not hundreds of
gamers.
Microsoft has detailed a third method in which to get into
the beta test. Beginning Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, at 12:01 a.m. EST, all gamers
need to do is participate in at least three hours of Halo 2 multiplayer
sessions, via Xbox Live, before Feb. 3, 2007, at 11:59 p.m. EST and then be
among the first 13,333 to register at www.halo3.com.
The marketing effort calls this trio the “Rule of Three,”
which we’ll recap as: 1, register at the Halo 3 site today for your chance to
participate; 2, purchase a specially marked copy of Crackdown; and 3, play a
few hours of Halo 2 and be quick to register.
The whole incentive aspect of purchasing a game solely for
the bundled incentive inside is not a new one. The ones that managed to grab me
was the Metal Gear Solid 2 demo that was bundled with the first Zone of the
Enders. The MGS2 demo was awesome, but ZOE could have been much better (which
it was in the sequel). The Final Fantasy XII demo included with Dragon Quest
VIII was an excellent pairing of the two biggest RPG franchises in the world,
and both discs inside the package were equally attractive.
Initial previews of Crackdown seem to be positive,
especially because of its innovative co-op mode, but the sheer weight of Halo 3
may make some view their next purchase as “buy the Halo 3 beta, get Crackdown
for free!” Personally, I’m more interested in playing a co-op enabled sandbox
game.
