Halo 3 beta "not a demo"

360 News | Microsoft man keen to point out difference.

In a bid to play down the growing hype that's building up around the forthcoming Halo 3 multiplayer beta, high-ranking Microsoft bod Phil Spencer has advised gamers not to get too excited. And although no official date for the start of the beta has been announced yet (it's widely expected to kick off at some point in the next few months), Spencer was still eager to highlight the fact that what we'll be playing will be a beta, and not a demo. Got that, sunshine?

"It isn't really a tease," he said to MTV. "We're not looking at the beta as a way to string someone along in hopes that they might go out and buy Halo 3 when it finally comes out. We have a ton of confidence in that story and that game. We really look at it as a way... Of testing the technology and making sure that some of our more far-reaching design goals are being met. So people should expect a pretty robust experience when they're playing."

"Don't call it a demo," he added. "This is a beta. There might be some seams that are showing at certain points because it is a beta. But we think this is the best way to get ready for the Halo 3 launch."

In other news concerning our readers' most anticipated game of 2007, there's still time to get in on the Halo 3 beta goodness if you missed the original sign-ups - though you will need to purchase a copy from the first shipment of the (rather bleedin' brilliant) Xbox 360 game Crackdown, which will come with a free Halo 3 beta key.

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22 Comments

Nev

5 years ago

Microsoft must be pretty confident in how Halo 3 is shaping up. A flood of positive responses from this "non-demo" could give the Xbox 360 a real shot in the arm from those still on the fence about whether to pick up a 360 or continue saving for a PS3. If the title totally eclipses (in terms of quality and hype) PS3 shooters like Resistance, it could be the smartest move they've ever made.

On the other hand, if there are as many "seams" showing as indicated, it could be disastrous. We all remember the public flogging the demo for Sonic received (well-deserved though it was).

LeonJ

5 years ago

^ Sonic wasn't that bad.

Halo 3 will be polished till the cows come home. M$'s flagship will not have an 'seams' showing. They will delay it 6 months rather then release a buggy product.

Spanca

5 years ago

Halo 2 had plenty of seams showing...

But Bungie's weekly updates recently have spoken quite openly of how they were rushed with finishing it, and how it'll be a different matter this time around. The game is finished in terms of single player and has been for awhile now, so they've got the better part of a year to polish and refine the whole game.

slapshakle

5 years ago

Am I the only 360 owner whos not excited about Halo 3 ? Sure, I'll buy it and Im sure I'll love it.... Im just not excited about it.

I'd prefer GoW 2

B3NBO

5 years ago

Im not excited about it either its not realistic or gorey like GoW and theres so many little brats on it.

Emuaust

5 years ago

leonmc wrote

^ Sonic wasn't that bad.

And it wasnt that good either, the demo just harmed sales as some peoples
expectations where destroyed.

Slapshackle wrote

Id prefer GoW2

Yeap Im busting for God of War 2

slapshakle

5 years ago

Emuaust wrote

slapshakle wrote

Id prefer GoW2

Yeap Im busting for God of War 2

I would also like to play God of War 2 since I still haven't played the original.

So, Id prefer GoW 2 and GoW 2

NismoR34

5 years ago

slapshakle wrote

Am I the only 360 owner whos not excited about Halo 3 ? Sure, I'll buy it and Im sure I'll love it.... Im just not excited about it.

I'd prefer GoW 2

Yeah I'm with you. I couldn't care less about Halo 3 until it releases. Once it does I'm sure I will love every moment of it as I play my copy and whatever, but until then I'm just not fussed. Gears has played into that a bit (and yes I would prefer a Gears sequel); I mean, to me (now) Gears of War is where it is at when it comes to console multiplayer. It just works on so many levels that it completely blew Halo 2's multiplayer out of the water for me. Sure, Halo 2 had more options and whatever but I really couldn't care for Capture the Flag and all of that. Gears has a small amount of modes but in those modes (well two of them anyway - Assassination sucks) it has nailed the fun and intensity of multiplayer gaming. For the moment.

So yeah, I am with you completely.

Jellyfish

5 years ago

B3NBO wrote

Im not excited about it either its not realistic or gorey like GoW and theres so many little brats on it.

Shouldn't be brats in Halo 3, in fact there'll be less than there is in GoW. With a huge amount of people playing the game the Zones will be work wonders and you won't have any squeekers unless you're in the Underground

slapshakle

5 years ago

nikack wrote

B3NBO wrote

Im not excited about it either its not realistic or gorey like GoW and theres so many little brats on it.

Exactly. Don't forget about the A-hole button

Crestfallen

5 years ago

NismoR34 wrote

... I mean, to me (now) Gears of War is where it is at when it comes to console multiplayer....

Phew, I thought you were going to go crazy and put it on the same level of PC multiplayer (where the real f***wits live)

slapshakle

5 years ago

crestfallen12 wrote

NismoR34 wrote

... I mean, to me (now) Gears of War is where it is at when it comes to console multiplayer....

Phew, I thought you were going to go crazy and put it on the same level of PC multiplayer (where the real f***wits live)

That's really confusing..... are you saying live > pc online or visa versa ?

Crestfallen

5 years ago

^
PC online is better.

However, it possesses quite a load of assclowns.

Newbie

5 years ago

Beta / demo whatever it is, Im getting Crackdown on Thursday so I should be in it.

I'm also not overly excited about Halo 3. I will get it as I know it will be good, but im more excited about Mass Effect, Forza 2, Bioshock etc... Its hard to get excited about Halo3 when its still 10 or 11 months away!

slapshakle

5 years ago

crestfallen12 wrote

^
PC online is better.

I disagree, I do really enjoy pc online aswell though.

ObsoletE

5 years ago

crestfallen12 wrote

^ PC online is better.

really depends.

the ease at which consoles can get online and playing now is significantly better than a lot of PC games. more people need to support things like X-Fire, which is really the closest thing for PCs atm. even Gamespy, and ... that other one... iseeyousee or something, are pretty average in comparison.

Microsoft's Zone was/is pretty decent too, easy to see where the XBL process came from.

it's not hard by any means to get going on a well designed net-code, but it's so much easier on consoles atm.

once you get into game genre's though...

TheAnswer

5 years ago

Oh no it's not a demo

Seriously doesn't faze me, I never got the point of Halo and haven't been a fan of the series. Im buying Crackdown for Crackdown, the Halo 3 beta doesn't interest me in the slightest.

Crestfallen

5 years ago

@ slapshackle and Obs: What I meant to say is PC online is more "capable."

ObsoletE

5 years ago

there's a FAQ regarding the Halo 3 beta here.

i'm sure that if you are interested, you've already seen it though.

Ellegarden

5 years ago

I liked this question alot.

"I’m an experienced beta tester with a PhD in Astrophysics and a minor in messaging Bungie to whine about the beta. Why wasn’t I invited? "

Anyway if a friend has copy of crackdown will I be able to borrow his copy and get the download?

Jellyfish

5 years ago

No, you require the crackdown disc in the drive to even play the Beta.

Ellegarden

5 years ago

nikack wrote

No, you require the crackdown disc in the drive to even play the Beta.

Crap.

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Halo 3

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Australian Release Date:
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Standard Retail Price:
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Publisher:
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Genre:
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Year Made:
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Players:
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