As we all expected, the Download H3 Beta option is grayed out right now.

However, there are four "new" agents to download in the XBL marketplace for free!

I guess I assumed that anyone could go to a store and get a copy of Crackdown with the H3 beta invite in it. However, I guess that's not the case.

I wonder if Wal-Mart, Target, and other major retailers will have H3 beta invites in Crackdown. Surely they will. But, it looks like if you go to EB Games or Gamestop you may be out of luck unless you pre-ordered.

I think the preorder idea is sketchy at best. I picked up my copy from Gamestop by Target here in Huntsville, and I saw that there was only one box he was grabbing the copies out of. Who knows he probably had 10 boxes of them in the back. Yes, my copy did have the H3Beta, so I'm good to go. Oh, and another surprising thing... there was no line of people I was anticipating at lunch time. It was quite non-eventful.

The guy up there's pretty cool, he's the stereotypical video game store attendant. They are fun to chat with, even if you can't take every word they say as gospel. I asked him for my copy of the H3beta with the Crackdown bonus disc, he obliged.

Hmmm. It looks like Mintz was right: http://hushedcasket.com/node/1693

I have no dout that what Midnight said is true.. but according to an email I got earlier today this shouldn't have happened. See attached pic.

You're forgetting the whole second part of the statement that says "if purchased before the Halo 3 beta period begins."

The "initial shipment" of Crackdown could easily mean more than just "the very first shipment." For all we know, copies of Crackdown will continue to be sold with the H3 beta until the beta is released.

Mintz WTF, Halo 3 beta for family and friends hasn't started yet much less beta for everyone, so therefore every copy of crackdown so far should have a beta inv. That is if were going to take what everyone has said in the past month or so (specifically today) about beta literaly.

We don't know for certain yet whether or not Pre-Orders are the only copies with the Beta. For all we know, every copy DOES have the beta so far.

Ok well I guesse it didn't click that since I posted in the topic started by midnight I was replying to midnight. So here goes.. midnight said "She said that usually she'll pre-order a certain number and she'll receive that number plus another random amount for general sale. Not so this time. She received the exact number of copies with the Beta that she pre-ordered, and all the extras did not include the Beta. She had Beta/Non-Beta versions divided into stacks behind the counter. She said many people had already called and been disappointed to find out that they were out of luck without a pre-order." All I was saying is that according to what the email I got from xbox.com said that shouldn't have happened, as in all the copies that that specific gamestop got shoulda all had the beta inv. I made no assumption whatsoever that any copies didn't have the code, I just commented on what midnight said. Does that make sense? or do I need to further spoon feed it to you?

Stop being such a smartass. Midnight said Gamestop received all pre-orders with beta invites, but no extra copies. That just means there were only enough copies for people who pre-ordered. That doesn't mean everyone else is shafted when it comes to copies containing the beta.

Your initial post (with the picture explaining all copies of Crackdown will contain the beta until the beta releases) said "this shouldn't have happened." By that, I understood you meant "every copy of Crackdown should have the beta, but didn't." What else was I supposed to imply from your statement?

Maybe a tape measure will settle this once and for all. Slayer, care to do the honors?

I don't understand what you two are debating, but I understand what Shyzza posted. If that info is true then every copy should have Halo 3 Beta.

BTW, I realized today that the difference has to be in the content on the disc itself. I didn't do anything magical with the card inside telling me about H3 Beta or the plastic wrapping with the logo on the front. I just popped in the disc and the option is available. I would like to see a screencap of the download screen with one of the non-Beta marked discs.

Sorry It's just been a pain to have to explain every single thing I have said, which is my fault probably more than anything else. Midnight said "She had Beta/Non-Beta versions divided into stacks behind the counter" so unless I've interprated what he said wrong (which is extremly possible) this tells me that she not only had a stack of copies crackdown with inv to H3 beta she had a stack of copies that didn't. That's what I've based everything I've said off of.

Why are you so excited for us to begin measuring? And why would you recommend something other than a ruler?

...

.......

I am not trying in any way, however sorely I am tempted, to start a fight but...

Mintz, you are the biggest smart@$$ in here. So I really don't know where you come off getting mad at Shyzza about it. There isn't a miss-spelling, mistake or detail in this forum that you haven't rubbed in someone's face or argued about. Again, I am not trying to start anything... but I don't think you have any business getting on to anyone about being a smart-anything.

Sorry if I came off a little like a jerk... I did my best not to.

Just figured that since you guys were starting to sound like an old married couple, you'd like to know that this could be on the front page of digg in a day or so and it seems that these arguments always break out at fantastic times. I just assumed that everyone required a tape measure... how close minded of me. I guess it's a miracle I didn't think to say micrometer, that would have been quite clever.

Jerkface.

Go fly a kite.

LOL! That's pretty funny.

I just bought Crackdown, with an invitation to the Halo 3 Beta, today, at my local GameCrazy. Today. As in, the day after the release of Crackdown. As in, not a pre-order.

You can still buy a copy of Crackdown with the Halo 3 Beta if you didn't pre-order.

Notice the question mark in the title? Notice these key bits of information in the article?

"The following information was provided by one Gamestop manager in Oceanside, California. I have no evidence to suggest it applies to every game retailer in the US, but it is conceivable that it might."

"Looks like the H3 Beta might not be as easy to obtain as we first thought via purchasing Crackdown. Then again, perhaps it's an isolated incident. Take the information for what it's worth."

Midnight != FALSE

Midnight is not false, he is just trying to stir up controversy.

Midnight, you are so false!

I got the beta in the first phase :).

DJ

Now now, let's not be snarky.

Not being snarky, merely being "better" <3<3<3

DJ

Saw several copies at the PX today with the Beta. You can also find it readily on ebay for below retail, including shipping!