Thousands of shops are planning to open at midnight for the launch of Halo 3 on the Xbox 360, and Microsoft has a big event planned for the IMAX cinema on the South Bank in London. So a lot of people are going to be extremely angry with Argos, the UK retailer, if it is really selling copies a week before the official release.
But according to GamesIndustry.biz, that's what's happening: "The news comes from the forums of Eurogamer.net, where users have been posting pictures of boxed copies of the game, along with receipts."
In the Xbox 360 Forum, user blogsrus says:
As luck would have it, if you go to the Argos website and do a reserve for store pick up on Halo 3, take the number and make your way down to your local store, you can get your hands on Halo 3 early. I know, because it's sitting here on my desk. Don't try to pay at the machine though, as it will come up as not for sale. Instead, take your number to an ordinary till and if providence smiles upon you, you will walk away with a nice shiny copy of Halo 3 a week early.
Will Argos plead incompetence rather than malignancy?
Update: In a follow-up story, GamesIndustry.biz quotes Neil Thompson, senior regional director for the UK and Ireland in Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, saying "it was just an honest mistake [and] Argos reacted incredibly quickly" to fix it.
