- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
When did Tech TV ever say there would be a Halo 2 demo? Do you have a link, the name of a program and the date by which I can watch the re-run. It's clear that Ryan McCaffrey from OXM has already stated that a demo will not be released until after the game ships. If it ships on August 24th you could be correct, but if it doesn't don't expect it to soon. OXM will be the first magazine/source by which you will get a Halo 2 demo disc. Now, they have stated several times that the new Holiday Preview issue will not be available for subscribers. It's a special issue just like the Holiday Issues which come each year, and are not included in the subscription. Instead they are issued earlier than the regular magazine for that month, and they are only sold on the newstands. The last issue which was like this covered Grand Theft Auto and came out around November/December of last year. Now, not to spoil your fanboy wet dreams, but here's a listing that I did on another site of the reasons why Halo 2 may in fact be released on August 24th...
* The blog, which was created by Microsoft/Bungie indicates that something extremely important will happen on this date, something on the same level as other major historical events.
* The date 11+09+04 if added to create a sum is the number 24.
* From August 24th to November 9th there are 11 weeks, which of course are 7 days a piece. The SPARTAN number for John, Master Chief is 117.
* The game has been tested in alpha/beta stages for the past year, sufficiently long enough to collect enough data for a release, especially based on the excessive in-house testing that has occurred at Bungie over the last two months.
* The game recently acquired its international and ESRB ratings, something that happens usually right before or after a game goes gold, not three months in advance.
* Recovering from the "delays" which have plagued the game, it would justly serve the fanbase for an early release.
* It would remove Halo 2 competition from other potential great games to be released in Fall/Winter, which would intern benefit Microsoft.
* The game was 90% complete during E3, in May. We are now three months off that date. Frank, has already said he has played through a near-complete campaign build of the game. Complete enough to be rated by the ESRB and foreign rating firms. This would indicate a game just shy of gold.
* It's the only modern game which could successfully survive and still exceed profoundly in sales with a "stealth release."
* It's a sure thing. With copies already on hold at every electronic gaming outlet, there's no need for a pre-emptive marketing ploy. Just like the ARG/blog, marketing can occur word-of-mouth with a game like this and still be successful.
* A stealth release would only secure even more of a spotlight, being that its the only one done within recent history and its being done with the most anticipated second-generation game ever. It would demand media attention just due to the covert nature of the release.
* A two-week, fourteen-day media blitz (from 08/10 to 08/24) would be much more affordable for Microsoft in promoting the game then a drawn out, five-month promotion ring for a game to be a top-seller for Christmas.
* The original "Fall" release date for the game was September 1st, before the Bungie marketing campaign at E3 2004 set an "official" release date as November 9th. The previous date is less then a week from the date in question and is closer to the original, estimated date of March - June which was set by Microsoft, based on information gathered from Bungie on the date by which they would consider the game ready to ship back in 2003.
* Bungie has not denied this as of yet. With the rampant information, it would only negatively reflect against their marketing scheme by promoting a countdown to something apparently this significantly. With thousands of fans, all over the world, now expecting this, it would behoove Bungie to allow it to be perpetuated without some sort of rebuttal simply restating the release date.
* Recent webcams have indicated that the entire staff seems to be involved in a daily meeting with men dressed in business suits. This has only started happening within the last week, indicating a drastic change in pace from their frantic activities of the "crunch-time-weeks" just prior.
* The date is a Tuesday, which is the normal date a video game ships.
I still remainn exceedingly skeptical about all of this.
[Edited on 8/3/2004 12:22:29 AM]