MS confirms Halo 3 Limited Edn box scratch bug
Game added to Disc Replacement list
Halo 3 has only been out for a few hours in the UK, but there's already a problem. The Limited Edition box-set has been added to Microsoft's Disc Replacement Program (DRP) list because of possible scratches to the disc's surface.
Halo 3 Limited Edition: packaging can scratch the disc
The problem first arose in the US, and Microsoft responded swiftly by adding the Limited Edition game disc to its DRP on the North American Xbox 360 website.
Microsoft has since added the Halo 3 Limited Edition to its UK Xbox DRP list - presumably after receiving similar reports of scratches from upset UK gamers.
However, UK gamers will only be spared the usual £10 ($20/€15) replacement cost until 31 December. And only so long as at least 90 per cent of the damaged disc is returned - so don't smash up your already scratched disc with a hammer in frustration.
Register Hardware reported last week that Halo 3 Limited Edition was close to selling out through UK gamer pre-orders and that all copies of the top-of-the-range Legendary Edition had already been snapped-up through pre-orders.
Catalogue retailer Argos also made a slight goof over Halo 3, releasing the game early due to a "genuine administrative error".
COMMENTS
Not a good run there
MS aren't really having much luck with the XBox 360, are they?
Overheating, scratching discs, updates that brick the device... And now they are shipping pre-scratched discs.
Note to MS... The bigger you hype it up, the harder you fall flat on your face when there are problems (or a general disinterest).
Come on, these things happen!
When Forza 2 came out it bricked my 360, great. Lets be realistic, MS build quality is (to politely put it) poor. I dont know anyone that hasn't owned at least 2 360's. The point is the software is good, Forza 2 was good, halo 3 is good, if you're put off by a few manufacturing issues..... I'm prepared to overlook the poor manufacturing to play good games!
No ifs, no buts
The physical product is faulty. It's like buying a book that hasn't been bound properly and the pages fall out, or a cassette with a broken tape. The content doesn't matter and the licence is irrelevant. You're entitled to a full refund from the retailer under sale of goods legislation. If you bought online or by mail order, the retailer is also obliged to pay the cost of postage under distance selling regulations (page 27 of http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/general/oft698.pdf).
What they then do with the faulty games is their problem.
Taking it back to the store
Or shop or wherever you bought it won't really help if they're all scratched.
I agree that you should be able to replace faulty media at your POS, but the point here is that whoever Microsoft got to produce the disks has buggered up the whole production run.
Whether that was at the packaging stage with the flimsy disk holder or an actual fault in the disk manufacturing process, it shouts cheap bastards trying to squeeze every last penny of profit out of the thing.
Test runs in the manufacturing process are, after all, just money out the window - especially when all that's at risk is having to issue free replacements on a couple million DVDs.
Legality
"with the stupid software licencing now all game disks should be freely replaceable through the point of sale, not relying on posting it to the publisher and and paying a fee (i realise its free in this case, but only until december)"
They are, there's nothing to stop you getting it swapped in store, however Microsoft provide these services with the idea being that you don't have to go back to the store, or in the case that you bought it online it may be quicker and easier than dealing with the store. It's more of a courtesy thing however of course it's valid to accept that it's a courtesy thing that shouldn't even need to exist in an ideal world.
For what it's worth though, my Halo 3 arrived fine a day early yesterday from GAME for £29.99 after finally bothering to use up reward points I've built up over the past year so no complaints here ;)
