Halo 4 - Specialization Code - Complaint [EU]

Games Other Halo
1

Ok, 343i staff/crew. I have now, a month after the launch, managed to find the “very small” text where it says which countries/states will get the Specialization code. It’s fair that you’ve given us the information before the launch, but really? To barely make it visible? That’s as cheap as the subscription advertisements about random stuff you can get on your cellphone etc.

Well. Here’s my story, and please, do not be ignorant.
I’ve played Halo, ever since I got my first Xbox 360 (in 2007). In fact, Halo 3 was my first Xbox Game. In 2009 ( I wasn’t really playing that much back then ), I experienced the Matchmaking for the first time. AWESOME!
This is where my Xbox Live career started.

Since then, I’ve been a huge Halo fan, buying all DLCs, all the new games (ODST, Reach, CE Anniversary, and now Halo 4). Where one of them (Reach) was a Legendary Edition. 250$ (I’m Norwegian, so 1200NOK is about 250$).

But lately, as I’ve recently spent all my money on a drivers license, I haven’t been able to purchase Halo 4. I knew that Spartans who had played before the 20th November, would get a Specialization code sent to their E-mail, registered with their Gamertags, within 30th November-1st December. (By that time, I hadn’t been able to see the “very small” text where it said which country/state would get this exciting e-mail)

So I did all I could in my power, to get Halo 4 (standard edition), before the 20th November. I had to do all sorts of jobs, both in my neighborhood and my home, to get the 100$ I needed for the game-copy. Now, don’t you come here and tell me that I should have bought the LE. I COULDN’T AFFORD IT!

So anyway, I managed to get Halo 4 by the 17th November, and since then, I’ve been playing like a crazy. November 30th, I got to SR70, and could finally relax for another 24-48 hours until I would get the Specialization code. (Still hadn’t seen the “very small” text where it said who would get the code)

Well, after being patient for a long time (now, two days), I started searching for this issue, where people hadn’t recieved the code etc.

First on the 343industries.org, as I’m often browsing through that forum. Then on Halo Waypoint and google itself.

It didn’t take a long time before I understood I was being screwd over. Sorry for my language.

You guys, simply took away a great feature from half of your players, for absolutely no reason! If there was a reason, such as different laws that wouldn’t allow you to send the Europeans the code, I’d be fine with it. But there isn’t!

I’ve been able to recieve tons of different codes from different firms the past 5 years, and I live in Norway. Yes, Norway. Only 5 million people live here, and probably only 100K max plays Halo 4. But still, we’re one of the richest countries in the world, which means we’re not unheard of, if you get what I mean.

And I’ve seen others from different European countries have the same issue, where it’s not a law that ruins our chances for the code…

So all I (and the others) can see from this, is that you guys favour the Americans, and Korea and some few other countries. What the …

Koreans are barely able to play the game, as most of them don’t even have Xbox, or in some cases, some of them don’t even have internet…

Well, please 343i team!, please tell us why you made this choice, to not let us have the code.
If you can come with one good reason, I accept it, but until then, me and many others, will both dislike your behaviour, and probably chill down on how much we play, or in the worst case, stop playing.
I know for a fact that I started losing interest, after I found out about this.

AND DO NOT BAN ME FOR POSTING THIS! I’VE SEEN OTHERS GETTING BANNED!!

2

You can add me for this as well. 343i I am upset.

3

Yeah, I got to level 70 actually a week ago and I haven’t been able to play because it’s just wasted xp from both matchmaking and the commendations and it sucks I can’t get past that level. I’m in Europe as well and I haven’t received the code and from what you read I probably won’t either, I haven’t seen the list, I’m in Spain but I guess it’s Europe in general.

I honestly was going to get Black Ops and decided to spend my money on Halo since I could only get one and I can’t even play, I’m about to go to the store in the morning and sell it.

4

OP, would you like my SPARE code?

5

omg bro, can i get your spare? i’d greatly appreciate it. been waiting like a week in a half to get back to halo and i’ve been searching for hours of any updates on the codes but im starting to lose hope

6

I’ll take a code, generous stranger. :slight_smile:

7

Here’s an idea:

How about they create an update that just unlocks the armor for everybody? That way our friends in Europe, latecomers, kids with barely enough money to even buy the standard edition, and those of us who deactivated microsoft marketing because we were sick of the spam can actually enjoy the full game experience.

It’s bad enough that it has become industry standard to charge people outrageous amounts of money for the rest of their unfinished games, or that companies like EA require people to purchace content passes if they buy the game used. The video game industry is being shoved down a dark hole by the greedy.

It is my wish for 343 to follow the example left by Bungie and seperate themselves from the rest of the mediocrity this industry has grown comfortable with and raise the bar high. This is not Call of Duty. This is not Battlefield. This is not Gears of War. This is Halo, and I would like a little more Halo with my Halo!

8

I live in Australia, and bought the limited edition, so I got the code.

I seriously can’t understand why they just don’t let everyone have a choice of all specialisations once they reach sr50. Sure I paid more for my limited edition but I think that giving access to everyone at sr50 is fair and good for the game, besides I got the armor and the future map packs.

Not giving people access based on where they live just makes them feel like second class customers. I hope they review this.

9

> So all I (and the others) can see from this, is that you guys favour the Americans, and Korea and some few other countries. What the …
>
>
> Koreans are barely able to play the game, as most of them don’t even have Xbox, or in some cases, some of them don’t even have internet…

hey, really not trying to be a -Yoink- here, and God knows i agree w/ the original intent of your post but S.Korea is a top 15 GDP nation in the world and one of the most wired countries in the world.

Most Koreans don’t play Halo b/c SC2 is our nat’l “pasttime” but pls don’t make it out like we don’t have the infrastructure to support Halo gaming. Korea’s one of the biggest gaming countries in the world, i believe.

10

If you were really worried about being BANNED for posting this crap then why would you post it… Please ban him!!!

11

Uhhh…

Obviously, this was your problem. You didn’t do your research correctly, you suffer for it. Plus, you got the game! Whats so bad about that? Not like at SR-130 you get something amazing.

12

> If you were really worried about being BANNED for posting this crap then why would you post it… Please ban him!!!

For the Staff to see how ridiculous their act was, and in hope to make them change their mind. Why would you even comment such a stupid thing?

13

> Uhhh…
>
> Obviously, this was your problem. You didn’t do your research correctly, you suffer for it. Plus, you got the game! Whats so bad about that? Not like at SR-130 you get something amazing.

It’s not just about that. As I said, it’s ok that they did inform us, but in a “very small” text, just like those stupid subscription advertisements you see on the TV for cellphones etc…

And I don’t care THAT much of what I get from SR130, but the fact that some people get to level up, while some don’t, when they have payed the exact same amount of money for the game… That is unfair, and it shouldn’t be like that.

14

> Here’s an idea:
>
> How about they create an update that just unlocks the armor for everybody? That way our friends in Europe, latecomers, kids with barely enough money to even buy the standard edition.

I take it that you’re an American. No problem, but if you read my post, I stated that I recently had spent all my money on a drivers license.
I’m not sure if you’re aware of the prices in Norway, but they are about 5-10x the price in the US. A Ford Mustang costs 5x more in Norway. Why? Because we’re rich from the Oil… Now, I am not poor, it’s just that I spent 4000$ on a drivers license, and another 5000$ on the car…

And don’t come here and tell me that I should’ve prioritzed Halo 4 before the drivers license and the car, and don’t tell me that it’s my fault that I wasted my money… If you’re really that ignorant, then you can -Yoink- IMO…

15

> OP, would you like my SPARE code?

I’m not sure who you meant by “OP”, but if you still have the code, and it was meant towards me (as I made the topic), I’d be really happy if you’d give me it.

To be honest, I’d be freaking crazy about it, coz it would change everything (for me)!! But if it was meant for someone else, that’s ok. :slight_smile:

Feel free to PM me or send it to me on Xbox (Recon Invision) if it was directed to me.

16

> > Uhhh…
> >
> > Obviously, this was your problem. You didn’t do your research correctly, you suffer for it. Plus, you got the game! Whats so bad about that? Not like at SR-130 you get something amazing.
>
> It’s not just about that. As I said, it’s ok that they did inform us, but in a “very small” text, just like those stupid subscription advertisements you see on the TV for cellphones etc…
>
>
> And I don’t care THAT much of what I get from SR130, but the fact that some people get to level up, while some don’t, when they have payed the exact same amount of money for the game… That is unfair, and it shouldn’t be like that.

Maybe you should pay more attention to fine print. I saw the text the first time I looked at the advertisement and read it to all my friends.

17

It’s still not about that!!! I’m fine with that they announced it, but how they only let half of their players get the code, when there’s no reason for the other half to not get it.

That’s totally unfair.
Some LE players might say that we shouldn’t even get the code. Well, that’s fine.
But when some players get (with Standard Edition) but others don’t, that’s ridiculous.

End of that discussion

18

Where is my code this is so dam unfair what my friends can get but I don’t I did the requirements so I want my dam code

19

I think the problem when arguing this case, is when you focus on this so called “very small fine print”

It wasnt that small, all you had to do was take the time to read the TOCs of the promotion and then you would have immediately read the exclusion of the UK and EU regions in this promotion

For me, the very fact this exclusion was ok by MS and 343i is the real crime, you give it to regions where the Xbox is barely played, and in regions where their online interactions are nothing but laggy pains for other regions, but they singled out the EU and UK for no clear reason

As an LE owner I never gave this promotion a second thought until it the exclusion was pointed out. Its giving an advantage to every other region but the EU and UK…how can that be fair or considered acceptable?

Immediately holding back some players whilst advancing others for no other reason then their geographical location, shocking

20

The EU has as many players as the US, so why the … would they even do this…