Halo Reach listed at $1250 on Xbox Live Marketplace (and why you can't buy it)

by Andrew Yoon on Aug 16th 2010 4:00PM

No, this isn't a glitch. Halo: Reach is technically available on Xbox Live Marketplace right now, a full month before its official retail release. But before you load up on Microsoft Points to get early access to the game, be warned. Even with $1250 worth of MS magic money, you won't be able to download the game. Unfortunately, you'll need a special code that unlocks it.

According to an official Microsoft Support document, "customers can see the item in the Web Marketplace but cannot purchase it unless they have the special pre-paid token ... The content is available only to users who have a special 25-character pre-paid token that enables them to download the item."

It's likely that the full version of Halo Reach is being offered to reviewers via digital distribution; however, don't expect Halo: Reach to be available via the Games on Demand service. Microsoft had previously enabled early digital distribution of Crackdown 2 for reviewers -- and Crackdown 2 is still unavailable to the public via Xbox Live.

Update: A Microsoft spokesperson has offered this statement on the matter: "We plan to provide a limited number of copies of Halo: Reach using the Games on Demand technology for media review purposes only. While we are thrilled to be able to take advantage of the technology to provide media with a more accessible and convenient review experience, there are no plans to launch Halo: Reach to the public through Games on Demand."

[Thanks, don!]

Tags: games-on-demand, Halo-Reach, microsoft, xblm, xbox, xbox-live-marketplace

Reader Comments (66)

I think this is Bungie just messing with us. They did the same thing with the Sargent Johnson pre-order DLC. Bunch of kidders they are

@ben linus uhhhh how many people does Microsoft employee? could be them rating it...

@ben linus

fanboyz

@ben linus

fanboys?

Why not sell it at this price? Microsoft might actually get someone to buy it out of cheer Halo fanatic and make some money. Does he get the game early, sure, but you are paying a HUGE price for early access.

I never would buy this, but I bet there is someone crazy enough that getting the newest Halo game early a month would maybe pay this.

But I like this idea of sending the full games to reviewers this way. Fast and possibly more effective since they can track who downloaded it.

@nightmare452

"hey mum . Just borrowing your credit card for a second"

"That scamp"

I wonder how long it will be before games are released day an date on PSN/XBLM the same day they hit retail shelves. I'm guessing not until next gen....tho its possible it COULD happen this gen.

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi

I want it. I want it so badly.

I know they're worried about people abusing it, but why not just use some kind of online activation JUST for playing without the disc in the drive? If you use the disc, you can play while only or offline, but if you want to play without the disc, you need to be authenticated online.

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi It won't happen until they think they can make just as much money without brick and mortar stores. Because if they start offering day 1 downloads of disc based games, retailers will revolt and do everything they can to make life hell for whoever tries it first.

@Vcize not sure how easy it will be abused....I mean I'm on a crazy amount of forums and I have yet to see anyone talk about the PS3 being hacked....so it could easily be done on the PS3....IF they have PSN built up strong enough to support it....I would love to be able to rent, buy, FULL games ON release via PSN or XBL. I mean the HDDs on the systems are getting bigger and bigger....hell I have a 640GB HDD on my PS3 right now....if I could download full titles I would be in heaven!!!

@Vcize I may be wrong, but I don't think that Games on Demand needs online activation.
XBLA games does not need it, but Indie games does.
Can somebody clear that up for me?

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi
Well on the 360 that makes sense but on PS3 you've got games like Gt5 that are literally 50GB's! I would not want to download that, hell I thought downloading mass effect 2 off steam was pretty bad at about 13 GB.

@Kleptomaniac obviosuly that wouldnt work with some games....but games like Infamous, Red Faction, Etc. it would work fine with....I mean since more and more Full games are about to be on PSN I'd imagine that not ALL of these games are that big....hell even tho they take that much space, they could be brought down via compression....tho as with FF13 that has been proven to have some negative effects.....so Idoubt you will see it happen to MGS4 or GT5 for instance

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi

Wow what's with the downvoting? I completely agree with Chris... Obviously this would be a pretty poor idea for multi DVD games, or full bluray games, but having the games available on the release date would be FANTASTIC!

Even if it was like how Sony deals with PSP games (releasing them when the PSN store updates). That would be fine. Or better yet, make it just like steam!

Its just specifically made for Justin Timberlake.

I would put a bullet in a man, in front of my own mother, to get one of those 25 digit codes.

@Jerk Face

I would put a bullet in my ManMother!

@Jerk Face
I wouldn't. You still need 99999 MS points.
Then again, if you're okay will killing a man in front of your own mother, you would probably just steal a buttload of point cards

@Brodo He said he could put a bullet in a man, but it does not mean he gonna kill him. As far as I'm concerned, he could be talking about "suppositories".

@Jerk Face

I would put a first into my Father-Mother.

@Courtney

*fist* not first.

[banned for being a creep]

@Dan I am rich
Well yeah, maybe thats why the PS3 has fanbois...

I'd be scared if my 360 tried blowing... the system in general fails 50%, and I'd hate to see it get lock-jaw and bite something...

@Dan I am rich

Banned for being a creep? Why did joysti-

[banned for questioning Joystiq's authority]

And I payed $40 for my copy of Reach. I got ripped off damnit!

@SpacePenguinBot Sorry, I thought that said 1250 MS points. Thus is the extent of my MS brainwashing.

@SpacePenguinBot I payed 45... You're lucky.

@SpacePenguinBot @Grubasaurus Rex

Just a simple tip, the word is paid. And paid is so cool that it is even less letters to type!

Day -29 purchase

@ben linus You can rate anything on Xbox Live whenever it appears on the marketplace, so even a gameplay video months ahead of time can give people the opportunity to rate the game early while also breaking the rating system.

VENBOISZ!!?!?

@Dan I am rich

Certainly does! Best Purchase ever! ;)

I wonder if some fanatic bought that many MS points just to find out he/she couldn't buy the game.

ceiling fans.

Trailers and videos appear under the games section of the marketplace, you can rate the game from there.

Next CoD map pack will be 99999 Microsoft Points as a test run.

@Lt Cobalt
funny thing is thats the real price for the next new mapack and guess what not only does it come with one map and also a signature from Bobby Kotick as a bonus it also comes with the soul of the orphans used to make bobby more powerful.

So Joystiq, got your code yet?

certainly cheaper than sending out review discs.

Joystiq staffers, I know this is kind of a longshot, but how do you get in contact with Bungie? I run a decently sized Halo site (small by your standards, of course, but decently sized for a fansite) with around 30k-100k visitors monthly and was wondering if they might throw a review copy my way.

Trouble is, I have no way to contact them. If you can shoot an email to admin@haloreachbeta.com

@Vcize

Have you tried contacting xboxpress@edelman.com and arranging to be recognized as a member of the "press"

@Reddjoey

Forgot to say that is their PR firm, but it should get you started. Or contact their (MS) community manager Trixie360.

@Reddjoey

Nope, I had no idea. Thanks for the heads up.

Is there contact info for trixie360 anywhere?

@Sally
Cuz they don't give a crap about consumers. It's easier to just leave it the way it is, rather than to hide it behind some special "exclusive gamertag mode" This way the whole world can be reminded that they're too insignificant.

http://www.nefariousdelights.com/news/article_images/ironmanjptvspot2.jpg

I'm Iron Man and I can buy whatever I want!

@Iron Man

No you can't. Bill Gates can kill you with one shot: http://dvice.com/pics/BillGatesGun-1.jpg

Is it just me, or is it odd that it has nearly a perfect rating when no one has played it?

@lcchoops
The rating is based on the trailers that are available. Also, there was a beta..

@lcchoops
It is a bit, Im looking forward to this game but giving it 4.5 stars (guessing cod fanboys down voting it) a month before release is a lttle too much. So far I would probably give them game 4 but without playing it nobody can tell. Should disable ratings until release date really instead of something being rated off hype and then if its bad still has a high rating

@shruikan
oops, forgot about beta.....

| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.

Breaking News

The most popular posts
in the last 7 days

Vita 'UMD Passport' won't be offered in US 220 comments
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review: A tempting fate 153 comments
David Jaffe leaves Eat Sleep Play, layoffs hit developer [Update] 108 comments
Don't call it a remake: Final Fantasy X is a 'remaster,' to be clear 95 comments
Battleship movie adapted into FPS by Double Helix 93 comments

Halo: Reach

Halo Reach listed at $1250 on Xbox Live Marketplace (and why you can't buy it)

Reader Comments (66)

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:06PM Prboi said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:06PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:07PM a dark day said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:09PM shadowhowl1900 said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:09PM nightmare452 said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:15PM ClarkyAC said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:09PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:13PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:13PM SpacePenguinBot said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:18PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:56PM SewerShark said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:06PM Kleptomaniac said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:48PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 8:43PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:09PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:09PM Jerk Face said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:11PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:41PM Brodo said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:59PM SewerShark said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:36PM Courtney said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:36PM Courtney said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:10PM Dan I am rich said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:22PM DevilSei said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:21PM SnorlaxTheSerialKiller said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:10PM SpacePenguinBot said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:15PM SpacePenguinBot said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:54PM Grubasaurus Rex said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 11:29PM sho220 said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:14PM oOWallaceOo said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:16PM CrashTunoku said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:17PM MystileArmor said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:17PM ClarkyAC said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:18PM TooManyFoppies said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:21PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:21PM BlackedOut said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:25PM Lt Cobalt said

Posted: Aug 17th 2010 12:26AM Special Agent Bob said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:29PM daytripper said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:32PM Joeybeast said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:49PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 7:19PM Reddjoey said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 7:23PM Reddjoey said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 8:26PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:50PM Themoreyouknow said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:50PM Iron Man said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:23PM SnorlaxTheSerialKiller said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 4:52PM lcchoops said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:20PM Snowblind said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:31PM shruikan said

Posted: Aug 16th 2010 5:31PM shruikan said

Halo: Reach Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

Double Fine Kickstarter passes $1 million in under 24 hours, breaking yet another record

Featured Stories

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier brings information warfare to the front

Rhythm Heaven Fever review: Crazy into you

Remedy not done with Alan Wake

The most popular postsin the last 7 days

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW

The most popular posts
in the last 7 days