The $US1250 version is for reviewers, a Microsoft spokesperson told Kotaku today and it’s not something anyone will have to or be able to pay for:
“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 [Xbox Live download service]Games on Demand.”
Microsoft used this technique with Crackdown 2, providing reporters like me codes for the full retail game that were redeemable over Xbox Live prior to the game’s release. Crackdown 2 is not sold to regular Xbox 360 consumers through the Games on Demand Xbox Live shop. It is only sold on disc.
If you want to buy Halo Reach for your Xbox 360, you’ll have to get it on disc next month. The game launches on September 14.
Michael
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:07 AMIt costs reviewers $1250 to play review code? :o
Brink
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:33 AMYeah what gives? Please clarify kotaku!
Dilbert
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:51 AMof course not, reviewers are obviously given a code that allows them to download it as it says in the article, the price is just what 99999 mps would cost its not actually for sale.
andyvan
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:54 AMyeah its so that people dont actually buy the thing i guess.
but i dont see why they just cant hide it from everyone and just give a code that downloads it.
Aaron Meacham
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 1:38 PMthey would usually hide it, the game being on display to everybody was probably just an error.
Richard
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:55 AMNo, the review copies are provided for free to professionals, probably through redeemable codes.
They set the price to 99999 MSP because it’s probably the highest number that they can set.
Nazxul360
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 12:23 PMI want to know what would happen if somebody actually purchased that amount of points and then tried to download the game.
I’d try it if I had that kind of money to throw away.
cakemixer
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 2:51 PMi suspect that due to review copies of xbox 360 games being leaked early they are trying to stop distributing the review code as a disk
Brett
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 5:31 PM@Nazxul360
There is a limit to the amount of MSP you can have available on your account at any one time. Although I can’t remember what that limit is I know it’s lower than 99999 MSP. It’s worth noting that other game Add-Ons like GoW2′s golden lancer and other pre-ordered bonus content also use the same steup.
Khanh Le
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 7:03 PMI agree with cakemixer, I’m pretty sure review copies sometimes get leaked and MS are trying to prevent that now.
Strand0410
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 7:23 PMI too wonder why MS doesn’t just price it at $999999 or whatever highest price they can fix with their digit limit.
I’m also curious if there are some rich billionaires out there who just go “screw it” and buy the game early anyway.