- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
I knew this was going to happen somehow. First Half-Life 2 gets its source code stolen then Doom 3 beta gets out now the French release the Pal edition of Halo 2. hmpf... French!
So as I was tempted to download it I decided it would ruin the game not understanding what is happening as I watch and play. So my advice to all.. Don't download it.. Support the makers! Below is the article found on gamespot.
--> Qouted from Gamespot.com
Pirated version of Halo 2 widely available online
Microsoft's biggest Xbox release for 2004 has been leaked to the Internet; surfaces on file sharing sites. Company stands by official November 9 release date.
Late last night, 27 days before its officially scheduled retail release, a complete version of Microsoft's upcoming first-person shooter Halo 2 was leaked to the Internet. The pirated release, a PAL version of the game with French-language dialogue, is currently making its way around various Usenet newsgroups and peer-to-peer networks.
In a statement that Microsoft is sending only to media outlets that request comment, it admits the game "has been posted to various newsgroups and web sites."
While Microsoft says it is "currently investigating the source of this leak with the appropriate authorities," there has been no word on precisely where or how the game originally surfaced at this time, although Microsoft says it is actively tracing the leak. "Microsoft takes the integrity of its intellectual property extremely seriously, and we are aggressively pursuing the source of this illegal act."
It should be noted that players who download the game illegally could face a maximum penalty of $100,000 per instance for copyright violations. "We consider downloading this code or making it available for others to download as theft," the statement continues.
Halo 2, which continues the adventures of Master Chief with an all-new single-player adventure, as well as Xbox Live support for Internet-based multiplayer, is scheduled to hit retail shelves on November 9--a date that Microsoft says "remains unaffected."
By Staff -- GameSpot
POSTED: 10/14/04 01:23 AM PST