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Today is a big day for fans of the popular FPS/ Microsoft cash cow Halo series. The Halo 3 beta begins in earnest today, allowing various gamers to test the current build of the game. The beta was supposed to be available for download today, but everyone using the Crackdown invite method have encountered errors.
Consumers that purchased Crackdown were supposed to be able to boot up their copy of the game today and have the option to download the beta, but that option is still grayed out and telling users to try again at a later date.
Bungie, the company developing the franchise, is aware of the problem and urging gamers to be patient. “Folks are reporting problems downloading the Halo 3 Beta via Crackdown this morning. We have alerted the appropriate Live authorities and they are taking care of the problem as we speak…With any luck this will be a short delay. People entering the Beta through other methods – Friends and Family, Rule of Three and so on, are unaffected,”
Some sites are suggesting a 24-hour delay, which would be a letdown to many gamers that have been waiting in anticipation to play the beta since it was announced.
In addition to the beginning of the beta, Bungie has also revealed that Halo 3 will be released on September 25th, two months earlier than previously expected by consumers. “That’s been the plan for months and months,” states John Barnes, executive producer on Halo 3. “The only thing it does however is make the end seem very, very real to people. To be honest, the critics in the studio are those who drive and stress the team the most. External dates and announcements just bring home the excitement and expectation the public has for the game, and this makes the hard work feel worth it.”