As the Halo 3 public beta testing date nears, some lucky gamers have already been sent the word that they have been selected for the honor of being involved in the test. But in addition to those who have already been selected, and those planning on trying to get in by playing Halo 2, some gamers are resorting to the last alternative–buying specially marked packages of the game Crackdown, which offers access to the beta. But this aspect of qualifying for the beta test has some gamers confused.
The question coming from many potential Halo 3 multiplayer testers is just how many copies of Crackdown will actually have the special offer, and whether or not there will be enough to satisfy demand. A Microsoft employee blogsite, GamerScore Blog, addressed this concern and indicated that there is nothing to worry about. The blog entry stated:
"It has come to our attention that there is some confusion surrounding entry into the Halo 3 beta via Crackdown. We’d like to take this opportunity to clarify. The initial shipment of Crackdown at retail will include access to the Halo 3 beta. The "initial shipment" is pretty huge, so there will be enough to go around. For those Halo 3 fans who are STILL losing sleep over this, you can guarantee entrance into the Halo 3 Beta by purchasing a copy of Crackdown when it launches Feb. 20th."
While the prospect of being in the Halo 3 public beta is certainly an event that will have many gamers fighting for positions, Microsoft’s attempt to essentially sell spots has some individuals upset. They see Microsoft as taking advantage of the situation by asking gamers to pay to enter the beta. While there is nothing illegal with the marketing strategy Microsoft is enacting, but the decision to bundle the free event with a game purchase may turn out to be a public relations mistake in alienating a public that has traditionally seen Microsoft as an uncaring business conglomerate.
