Halo 3 beta absent, internet explodes

by Justin McElroy { May 16th 2007 at 9:40AM }

After months of waiting, Halo 3 fans are now being rewarded with ... more waiting. Those who got into the beta by purchasing Crackdown were supposed to be able to begin downloading at 8 a.m. today but, as of 9:40 am EST, still have not been able to start the download. Those accessing the beta through other methods are unaffected. Bungie's Frankie is already on the case, saying "We have alerted the appropriate Live authorities and they are taking care of the problem as we speak. More news as it comes in."

Does that matter to the internet though? No. The internet, angered at having woken so early needlessly, is super pissed. One former fan on an official Bungie thread wrote "EVEYONE JUST PLAY GEARS..................FORGET BUNGIE" and that was when the demo was 1 hour and 8 minutes late. Man, that's cold. At this rate, in just a few short hours, they'll be screaming, "EVEYONE JUST PLAY BULLIT WHICH..................FORGET BUNGIE," and so on. They'll be lucky if anybody's left to play the thing when it finally appears.

Update: A fix is on the way.

Tags: beta, bungie, crackdown, frankie, halo3, xbox360

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Wickedneoq @ May 16th 2007 9:45AM

Everyone should just play Aegis Wing. I need teammates to play online co-op. T_T

JodyAnthony @ May 16th 2007 9:45AM

"EVEYONE JUST PLAY GEARS..................FORGET BUNGIE"

christ, I hate everyone.

bearxor @ May 16th 2007 9:46AM

I took two days off of work. Hope it's fixed soon.

quasimoto @ May 16th 2007 9:48AM

Lol. Talk about patience...

Konny @ May 16th 2007 9:48AM

ZOMG.. keep your panties on.. dont you guys have to be at work or skool anyways?

sheppy @ May 16th 2007 9:48AM

As long as it's fixed in time for me to DL it over lunch break, no worries.

Robert @ May 16th 2007 9:48AM

Kudos to you and your dedication bearxor.

Anyone think we'll see PS3-like catastrophy when Halo 3 releases in September?

J Low @ May 16th 2007 9:49AM

I'm more interested in why Major Nelson announced it was live a little after midnight last night, and there is still nothing. I'm assuming some Microsoft monkey put in 5 PM PST as the release time, which is why Europe seems cool to ride.

I could wax poetic about this snafu, but I'd also like to note how pissed I am they didn't just make this thing publicly available on marketplace. Most of the problems people are running into this morning besides the Crackdown issue, are those who still haven't gotten their Rule of 3 and friends and family codes via e-mail--which is likely due to their e-mail service providers.

Bah.

Chase Spell @ May 16th 2007 9:50AM

Just think of it like this guys. A release time is a lot like a release date. When's the last time Microsoft has made one of those? Feel better?

Wickedneoq @ May 16th 2007 9:50AM

You mean like people getting shot for Halo 3? Hmmmm.

I took Thursday off. I figured something like this would happen, plus I want a full 24 hours to play this beta at least.

Paul @ May 16th 2007 9:56AM

Dear Baby Jesus,

Please let all the stupid, cheating, bitching 15 yearolds decide Halo is the suxxxxxxxorz because it is a few hours late and leave the rest of us who arnt living with mommy and daddy (college students you are the exception) to play the game in peace.

Your Pal,
Paul

Jonah Falcon @ May 16th 2007 10:00AM

Joystiq does it again. I submit from GS, they go ahead and post from the source (which was from 5:22AM), and ignore the other stuff (ie. Major Nelson's site URL which I included.) (sigh)

serotoninzero @ May 16th 2007 10:04AM

So yeah, I woke up an hour early in the hopes I'd get around 45-60min of game play in before having to head to work, but it didn't happen. Sucks, but oh well. Wish I could at least set it to download so I don't have to do that when I do finally get off. Oh well, its to be expected. Halo 3 forums are full of people hating on bungie and microsoft. That's ridiculous. Problems happen. Some people are asking for their money back for Crackdown already and saying they deserve to have the beta extended. ... It's been, what, two hours?

GunForHire @ May 16th 2007 10:04AM

I love hardcore nerds. When something doesn't go right, they freak out.

OmGZOR!!1 Teh Halo3 beta isn't out yet! How dare they make me wait another couple hours!

Quick nerds, to MajorNelson.com! Hes so goin to get it!!11

Poor Major Nelson. Every time something doesn't turn out, he gets chewed out.

Really though, the fury of a hundred thousand geeks has taken it's toll on MajorNelson.com, it's as good as down!

Evan @ May 16th 2007 10:06AM

Jeez, you'd think Halo 3 was the Second Coming of Christ! It's just a game, the previous incarnation of which only about 5% of gamers owned (8 million copies of Halo 2 verses 175 million PS2,GC,XBox consoles sold). 95% of gamers don't play Halo! More people play Pokemon than Halo!

balsafas @ May 16th 2007 10:07AM

I think this post says it all

http://www.xbox360wire.co.uk/2007/05/16/halo-3-beta-crackdown-beta-entry-fucked/

bearxor @ May 16th 2007 10:07AM

I'm not freaking out. I'm taking this time to redo my Crackdown game after I lost it last night. I was at 499/299 so I'm starting over, probably for the best :)

EnderOSC @ May 16th 2007 10:25AM

The fact is, those comments were posted on Bungie.net which immediately discredits their importance. A majority of the posters on there are simply stupid.

With so many different ways of getting the beta is doesn't surprise me some are having issues, but I think MS should have stated the release date without a time stamp because you get people complaining they didn't get it at 8:00:01am, like MS promised. I am sure everyone will get it by the end of the afternoon.

santino_c5 @ May 16th 2007 10:12AM

umm...to all those freaking out bungie's site has a countdown for when the beta goes active so chill the f%$@ out

tituspullo @ May 16th 2007 10:12AM

i think most people are pissed because this is an ongoing problem with microsoft. they always drop the ball at the last second and delays and delays. i think people are just getting tired of it. then you have to figure most people bought crackdown just for the beta. i can see why people are getting frustrated but you can see it being taken to extremes on bungie.net forums

Drock @ May 16th 2007 10:13AM

I hope it becomes available soon. I took 3 vacation days off of work to get in as much halo3 beta as possible!!!

^FourthDimensionGod^ @ May 16th 2007 10:16AM

Everyone relax and watch the Red vs Blue using Halo 3 engine T-Bag/PSA. PH33R the T B4G

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d52SmGE_4o

DV @ May 16th 2007 11:29AM

honestly, they owe every single person who bought crackdown an extra day or more of the beta. this is flat out disrespectful, stupid a55 microsoft/bungie. people took off work, school, woke up early, i mean come on!!! its not about patience, its about priorities and people put this on their list.

now people who bought the game, a 60 dollar mediocre at best piece of crap for the beta cant even get it on time? this is unreal.

2 hours and not a single update on the progress

aic007 @ May 16th 2007 10:17AM

probably trying to implement something to detect backed up discs and ban them. They figured there would be a certain amount of people in the beta and those extra people loggin in with copied discs could screw things up.

Lixie @ May 16th 2007 10:16AM

What? Do they have interns handling the beta launch? How does one of the most wealthiest companies in the world fail so miserably at something so simple?

Ludwig Kietzmann @ May 16th 2007 10:20AM

You're right, Jonah! We couldn't possibly have found out about this ourselves. In fact, this morning's the first time we've even heard of this "Halo" game. And who's Major Nelson?

But thanks for the tips! We appreciate them, even if we don't use every one. :)

Vader582 @ May 16th 2007 10:19AM

Has everyone already received emails if they got into the beta via "Phase One" (ie: being randomly chosen)? I got in then and have yet to receive an email. Hrm...

Arno @ May 16th 2007 10:19AM

People need to chill out... it's a fuckin game!

^FourthDimensionGod^ @ May 16th 2007 10:21AM

damn people its a BETA BETA BETA. there will be problems. im guessing for some of you it will be the first time youve played in a BETA. Its better to have problems now in BETA than on release day.

Take Vanguard, the game was pretty much a beta when it was released.

Intentless @ May 16th 2007 10:27AM

I had the random drawing and DLed it before I left for work.... sadly didn't have time for a match...

baby sea tuna @ May 16th 2007 10:36AM

Man, I love Halo as much as the next guy (unless the "next guy" is your average Joystiq hater...ahem, 'poster') but y'all fat nerds need to get lives if you're seriously kirking out over this.

I mean, taking a week off from work just so that you can play a fucking video game? Really?!

Jack of No Trades @ May 16th 2007 10:41AM

Shit happens.

If you get this mad at a company just because the beta demo is late there is something wrong with you.

Vidikron @ May 16th 2007 10:42AM

LOL... people are ridiculous. I fired up Crackdown this morning to see if I could queue up the download before leaving for work. The Halo 3 Beta wasn't available (I thought maybe the servers were too busy) so I just turned the 360 off and left for work. Not once did an angry thought pass through my mind. It just simply didn't occur to me to be upset... then I get online and see this nonsense.

Stooch @ May 16th 2007 10:43AM

Thank god Bungie sent me a Friends&Family invite on Friday.
THANK THE LORD!

TadMC @ May 16th 2007 10:46AM

AHH! I through my 360 out the window I was so mad! I did this at 8:02! Because I CAN wait a gall darn minute, but not TWO

TK00 @ May 16th 2007 10:49AM

LOL play gears. Even it takes a fucking month, all the fanboys will be all over it.

Live in 3D @ May 16th 2007 10:50AM

I also recieved an email stating that I got in phase one but have not heard anything since. To those who got in through the random selection, Can you tell me when you recieved your download code?

dru @ May 16th 2007 10:49AM

http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/h/halo3

XBOX.com says 1PM

Intentless @ May 16th 2007 10:53AM

I got the code early I was able to DL at 7:30ish

Halo 3 beta playa! @ May 16th 2007 10:56AM

LOL been playing it all morning. Should have done the rule of three Crackdown buyers :P

AND I still have 60 bucks in my pocket.

astbravo @ May 16th 2007 10:57AM

How could MS/Bungie/XBox-Live not have forseen this? They've had months to prepare for this release. This has got to be the most hyped Beta download ever. They know that thousands of copies of Crackdown have been sold. Sounds like not enough testing of the download process was done. To get a job at MS you have to go through at least 6 interviews!!! Just goes to show that with all that money and talent they can still screw something as simple as a download!

PhrawzT @ May 16th 2007 11:02AM

If this isn't working when I get home from work tonight, I'm going on a murderous rampage. I shall carve "Halo is the suxxxxxxxorz" into the corpses I leave behind.

Or I will probaly just end up playing Crackdown and waiting some more.

tituspullo @ May 16th 2007 10:59AM

check your junk mail or trash

Alex @ May 16th 2007 11:01AM

@32,

I did the exact same thing. I saw that it didn't work, tried mashing the button a couple times (:D) to no avail and then simply just turned it off and walked away.

I also find it a little odd that people are taking holidays just to play the beta...rearranging a shift so you don't work today is reasonable. But I don't think i would take personal time off just to play.