Microsoft Explains Twelve Hundred Dollar Reach Listing

Logan Westbrook

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Feb 21, 2008
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Microsoft Explains Twelve Hundred Dollar Reach Listing



An online listing for Halo: Reach costing more than a thousand dollars has been explained by Microsoft as for "journalists only".

If you've browsed the Xbox 360 Games on Demand recently, you might have noticed a listing [http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024d53085b/?did=f0000001-0000-4000-8000-00004d53085b&bt=0&sb=1&mt=4&gu=66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024d53085b&p=1&of=6] for Halo: Reach with a cost ever so slightly under one hundred thousand Microsoft Points. That rather large price tag translates into around $1250 in real-world money, which most would agree is rather a lot, even for a game as highly anticipated as Reach.

But Microsoft has said that it's not something that gamers should concern themselves with, as they won't be expected to pay that high price, and indeed, won't be able to. That listing, Microsoft says, is purely for distributing review copies of the game to journalists. Microsoft said it was thrilled to be able to take advantage of the Games on Demand service for this purpose, but that the listing shouldn't be taken as an indication that the game will be distributed over Xbox Live. Presumably, the high price is to dissuade people from trying to buy it, only to find that they're not allowed to. I'd be willing to bet more than a few have tried to buy it just to see what happened though.

It's kind of a shame that Microsoft doesn't release new games on the Games on Demand service, although Reach will almost certainly feature on the service in the future. Halo Reach is released - sadly, just on disc - on September 14th.

Source: Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5614359/the-mystery-of-the-1250-halo-reach-has-been-solved]





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TylerC

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Nov 12, 2008
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That's an interesting way to give developers review copies.

It is weird that they never put new games up on Games on Demand. I'm sure people would pay a few bucks more just for the convenience like on Steam.

I somehow didn't realize Reach was being released so soon.
 

silver wolf009

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Jan 23, 2010
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I would pay that without a second thought.

OT: well that is kind of clever so that someone doesnt go crazy and beat the journalist to take it. Does seem safer, like how when i went to the mall before halo 3 came out there was a legendary package just sitting there on the counter, any wacked out nutjob after it could have just broken the glass and taken it.
 

Cabisco

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I would love to know someone who got the microsoft points for that then proceeded to realise they couldn't actually buy it.

Also, as a question to the escapist staff
Logan Westbrook said:
attention grabbing, question below.
Is the escapist getting one of these copies to review early?
 

StriderShinryu

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They've done this before. If I recall correctly, it was somehow related to Gears 2? I do wonder if they have a traffic tracker to see just how many people do try to buy it though. :)
 

Optimystic

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So, do you have to have that many MS Points to try? Because I can think of better uses for your liquidity than tying it up in digital currency.
 

Worgen

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Whatever, just wash your hands.
TylerC said:
That's an interesting way to give developers review copies.

It is weird that they never put new games up on Games on Demand. I'm sure people would pay a few bucks more just for the convenience like on Steam.

I somehow didn't realize Reach was being released so soon.
yeah, people would be happy to pay more for not really owning a game, most people buy steam games on sale
 

Dioxide20

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I bet if they gave people the option to download games right of that games on demand service, they would be surprised at how many people would buy from them.
 

Megacherv

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Sep 24, 2008
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Pugiron said:
HALO exists only to provide new toys for Red vs Blue
Which I can't complain about, since I love that series.

I'm strangely looking forward to this game quite a bit, mostly because of Forge-World. I dunno why, but maybe because it's given me that canvas to build on like LBP did, which has me considering buying a 360 at some point (also so I can play Halo 3 without playing my friends bullshit variants)
 

Optimystic

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mattttherman3 said:
My question is the escapist going to dish out 1200$ for this or just wait for the retail version?
I don't think it actually costs the reviewers that much - it's just a high price tag so that regular Live users don't try to "buy" it. The people who were supposed to get it must have been in on the "joke."
 

Corven

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Sep 10, 2008
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Now that gives the thought, what if they released a higher priced version of the game but you get earlier access to it, say a month before the initial release date.
 

squid5580

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Feb 20, 2008
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Ok other than the humor of the situation why would they do this? I mean they don't have a way of putting the game out there without putting it into the general public's view like that? Since they obviously know who is or isn't allowed the copy in the first place.

Also isn't this just asking for someone to pirate it?