Halo 2 Stolen and released on Internet

[Crispie]

Most of you already know about this, but for those who dont...

Halo 2 Piracy
Posted by SketchFactor at 10/14/2004 10:57 AM
Halo 2 has been illegally released onto the internet and we need your help...
Last night a pirated copy of Halo 2 was released onto the internet. Needless to say we think this really sucks. Aside from years of hard work being stolen from us, we've gone to great lengths to ensure that the details of the Halo 2 campaign remain a mystery for players to experience for themselves on November 9th. Microsoft is currently engaged in a full scale investigation and to those foolish enough to partake in this piracy, you will soon witness the firepower of this fully operational battle station.

Members of the Bungie community - we need your help. The Underground Army is being called into action; this is not a drill. Anyone who has information regarding the leak of the game or individuals or websites promoting the download of these illegal files is asked to please contact us by sending email to piracy@microsoft.com or calling 1-800-RULEGIT. We also ask that you help us minimize the spoilers for those opting to wait for the retail release by refraining from posting screens, talking about the story and deleting any such posts you encounter. Many of you have already been actively tracking down and forwarding links to us and we thank you for your help.

http://www.bungie.net/News/Story.aspx?link=CABA3088-9E1B-49A3-A74D-77A67E324180

 

[SUNSTONE]

This sucks!

They need to put stiffer penultys for this kind of thing. Anyone stealing a song, a movie, or a game, should be charged just the same as if it was from a walmart.
Like if you steal a few songs, then you will be charged with a few counts of misdemeanors. And if you steal alot of songs, then you may be charged with a felony!

Alot of people steal things off of the net, and they have their excuses for doing so. I have heard christians braging about it. Which tells me that they believe everyone is doing it, and so no one will get caught.

 

[mrsir]

that idiot who ever stole halo is going to jail for life or at least sued for 50 billion dollars when that happens hes gonna wish he just waited like every one else

 

[SUNSTONE]

I feel the maximum sentence for this thing is in order, with alot of publicity.
This makes the jobs work that much harder, for it was an inside job that did this.

The company needs people to test the game out, the more the better. Or else you have a glitched up game.

 

[rgbivens]

Thats pretty darn crazy...But oh well, I'll just have fun buying it when it comes out and playing it...

-Grant

 

[dastangman]

I'm rgbivens, doesn't matter who has it or what. Hasn't ruined the surprise for me, so as soon as November 9th hits, WAM BAM, I'll be gettin real sleepy and fat. 24-7 Halo 2, Mountain Dew, Chips, and couple bathroom breaks.

 

[skysthelimit]

mmm....mountain dew........

Yeah I posted about this on the other Halo topic. Words out real fast since this is such an anticipated game.

 

[marduke]

wow!! im speechless... was it an insider that stole it? id assume it was. how else could pirates get their hands on it...?
damn that sucks

 

[Dracil]

Another Half-Life 2 fiasco.

It's been happening in the movie industry for a long time (which by the way, is released mostly by insiders)

 

[nstinson2004]

I had heard this was a rumor, and nothing more,.....

 

[Felron]

I had heard this was a rumor, and nothing more,.....

You heard wrong.

My opinion on this? MS got what was coming to them. Just like Valve. If you're going to skimp on something, security shouldn't be on the top of your list.

 

[Dracil]

MS is not exactly known for their security.

 

[marduke]

no thats very true.. lol look at how long it took for the xbox to be hacked.. and not to mention all the software that has been pirated and cracked...

 

[Dracil]

And all the holes in Windows and IE that keep cropping up.

 

[Niz]

alot of times video game companies like to delay their final product to get more publicity( i.e. HL2). There's alot to think about when you rip XBOX games. Cause most XBOX games have DVD movies enbedded in them so a game size will be more then 5 gigs to download all at once plus you need some type of XBOX emulator for it to run on PC or some ModCHIP to transfer it to XBOX. I do know that in some selected cities Halo 2 is released.

 

[Niz]

It's been happening in the movie industry for a long time (which by the way, is released mostly by insiders)

not really by insiders. All downloaded videos that just got released are from a handheld camera. So anyone can really do it. The DVD Screeners are from when DVD are going to be released, they send them to companies and such. Then it gets in the wrong hands and then they copy all the files from the DVD to VCD. It's kinda a simple process just time comsuming.

 

[SUNSTONE]

You heard wrong.

My opinion on this? MS got what was coming to them. Just like Valve. If you're going to skimp on something, security shouldn't be on the top of your list.

MS didn't make the game, bungie did.
And they did all they could to keep it a secret. But someone on the inside betrayed them.

Videogame companys are in a heated battle right now, so alot of top games, are top secret.

 

[JCMLR]

Yes!
I hate halo......I mean, I'm so sorry for the bad news

 

[Dracil]

not really by insiders. All downloaded videos that just got released are from a handheld camera. So anyone can really do it. The DVD Screeners are from when DVD are going to be released, they send them to companies and such. Then it gets in the wrong hands and then they copy all the files from the DVD to VCD. It's kinda a simple process just time comsuming.

False. The studies have shown that the majority of the files are not actually cams, in fact, it's very rare to find cams online nowadays. Why bother when you can get the better quality version from the insider releases?

http://www.p2pnet.net/article/7931
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/4480.cfm
http://lorrie.cranor.org/pubs/drm03.html
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/03/09/15/1714226.shtml?tid=126&tid=188&tid=95&tid=97

Here's a quote.

A recent study published by the AT&T Labs revealed that most of the illegal copies of movies available on P2P networks have been "leaked" by the movie industry insiders, not by movie enthusiasts armed with digital camcorders.

Almost 80 percent of 300 copies of different movies found by the researchers on P2P networks, were apparently leaked to the Net by people working within the movie industry. According to AT&T Labs, this is the first study that tries to identify the sources of leaks for popular Hollywood movies. Nearly all of the movies in the study were found on the Net before their official U.S. DVD release date, some of them even before their movie theater release.

Ever wonder why movies come out before it's even in theaters? (And if it's not in the theater, how is someone supposed to camcorder it?)

 

[Niz]

uhh..True.
it's called private screenings. I saw Team America World Police 2 weeks before it was released cause i paid an extra 15 bucks not cause i'm an "insider". If you don't believe the fact mainly all new released movies are cams. I suggest you actually download one or use the programs. The media blows things way out of line, just to get security higher.