Halo: Reach Leaked Online

The official release of Halo: Reach is still a few weeks away, but an online community of modders have figured out a way to download it right now from Microsoft’s own online marketplace.

A member of game-modifying site Game-Tuts.com were able to trick Microsoft servers into allowing them to download fully licensed copies of the game to their Xbox 360 hard drive. The game was placed on the servers so reviewers could obtain an advanced copy through the use of a special download code. Since the game has already been authenticated by Microsoft’s servers, the team claims it will play on unmodified consoles.

This isn’t the first time the Halo series has fallen victim to Pirates. Halo 2 was leaked a full month before release back in 2004 after a European manufacturing plant leaked code from a retail copy online. Then in 2007 Halo 3 hit the web a full two months ahead of schedule. Microsoft hit those who played the game early hard by banning their Xbox 360 consoles.

Is another ban wave ahead? Hard to say. The folks over at Game-Tuts claim they will not release the game online or leak it early. Time will tell.

[via Game-Tuts, however the post about Halo: Reach has been taken down]