Microsoft sells map pack pass for Halo 4, which allows you to get all of Halo 4’s DLC for free. Comes with the LE or separate for 25$.
The LE also allowed you to access all 8 specializations earlier than the rest of the userbase.
Near launch, they add an offer where you if you play in the first two weeks the game is out, you’ll get a code emailed to you to unlock the 8 specializations early.
Fast forward to the 9th. They release the first map pack. People figure out that if you have that specializations code from playing in the first two weeks, the game lets you download the first map pack for free. Microsoft admits it’s a mistake. Even their Xbox twitter support admits it was a mistake.
Then a day later they just make up -Yoink- out of their -Yoink- with this press release that all the journo sites gladly regurgitate with no question:
> As an additional reward to those customers that participated in our “14 Day, Buy and Play” program (which ran from Nov. 6 – Nov. 20), we are providing complimentary access to the Crimson Map Pack for a limited time, through Tuesday, December 18 at 9am UTC/GMT.There were some initial complications with the distribution of the “14 day, Buy and Play” reward tokens, and so we decided to provide the additional reward of complimentary access to the Crimson Map Pack, for a limited time, as a “thank you” to our customers that contributed to the success of the “Halo 4” launch.
Except if you Google “14 Day, Buy and Play” it doesn’t exist outside of their news story, nobody ever heard that the free maps were on offer before today for redeeming that code. They will not be reimbursing pass buyers for anything.
If you bought the map pass? According to Microsoft’s canon, you just paid 25$ for 20$ worth of maps.
Well, I’m glad I didn’t waste any money on the LE edition.
Well, this wouldn’t be the first time Microsoft has tried to covering for their mistakes. The only difference this time is how blatantly obvious it is.
“As an additional reward to those customers that participated in our “14 Day, Buy and Play” program (which ran from Nov. 6 – Nov. 20), we are providing complimentary access to the Crimson Map Pack for a limited time, through Tuesday, December 18 at 9am UTC/GMT.”
Im interested this can be easily tested if anyone was able to download the free pack through the ingame store only and didn’t buy the game until november 21 or beyond.
Microsoft is really deterring me from their future products. First their ridiculous handling of Spartan Ops, now their poor attempts to cover up a mistake.
How about everyone stop blaiming 343 aight? All they did was make the maps, Microsoft’s the one who did it, and in the end we still get the maps so chill the -Yoink- out. I’m tired of seeing this bull -Yoink- all the time now. You’re all supposed to be adults, act like it.
> > 343 and microsoft.
> > what a joke.
>
> How about everyone stop blaiming 343 aight? All they did was make the maps, Microsoft’s the one who did it, and in the end we still get the maps so chill the -Yoink!- out. I’m tired of seeing this bull Yoink! all the time now. You’re all supposed to be adults, act like it.
I can blame 343 for all the confusion about recruit armor and specialization codes all I want.
You’re an adult, and you can’t look at someone’s opinion without staying civilized.
The way I look at it, you need to grow up and act like an adult.
> > > 343 and microsoft.
> > > what a joke.
> >
> > How about everyone stop blaiming 343 aight? All they did was make the maps, Microsoft’s the one who did it, and in the end we still get the maps so chill the -Yoink!- out. I’m tired of seeing this bull Yoink! all the time now. You’re all supposed to be adults, act like it.
>
> I can blame 343 for all the confusion about recruit armor and specialization codes all I want.
> You’re an adult, and you can’t look at someone’s opinion without staying civilized.
> The way I look at it, you need to grow up and act like an adult.
Okay okay, let’s take off the flame suits and be respectful here. Let’s focus on the real issue alright?
Anyways, I personally think that Microsoft is just being lazy with their marketing of Halo 4. They know it’s 343’s first game, so they try to be extra careful with their marketing, but that leads to mistakes in the marketing, and you know what happens when something isn’t marketed correctly… ehem LE edition, specializations, crimson map pack, ehem
I think once Microsoft trust’s 343 enough to let them market the game themselves, possibly Halo 5, than we can truly see who’s to blame here.
> > > > 343 and microsoft.
> > > > what a joke.
> > >
> > > How about everyone stop blaiming 343 aight? All they did was make the maps, Microsoft’s the one who did it, and in the end we still get the maps so chill the -Yoink!- out. I’m tired of seeing this bull Yoink! all the time now. You’re all supposed to be adults, act like it.
> >
> > I can blame 343 for all the confusion about recruit armor and specialization codes all I want.
> > You’re an adult, and you can’t look at someone’s opinion without staying civilized.
> > The way I look at it, you need to grow up and act like an adult.
>
> Okay okay, let’s take off the flame suits and be respectful here. Let’s focus on the real issue alright?
>
> Anyways, I personally think that Microsoft is just being lazy with their marketing of Halo 4. They know it’s 343’s first game, so they try to be extra careful with their marketing, but that leads to mistakes in the marketing, and you know what happens when something isn’t marketed correctly… ehem LE edition, specializations, crimson map pack, ehem
>
> I think once Microsoft trust’s 343 enough to let them market the game themselves, possibly Halo 5, than we can truly see who’s to blame here.
At least there won’t be under 5000 ppl on the Crimson Dlc playlist
In my mind, both 343 and Microsoft are to blame. Neither of them take the time to communicate effectively with their audiences. This has been shown consistently recently, as Thursday points out.
I’m seriously regretting buying the WGMP, and doubt I’ll be getting Halo 5. There’s just issue after issue after issue, and it’s ALWAYS because we’re misinformed. I mean come on, did noone learn anything with the Recruit armour, or even the specializations?
> > > > > 343 and microsoft.
> > > > > what a joke.
> > > >
> > > > How about everyone stop blaiming 343 aight? All they did was make the maps, Microsoft’s the one who did it, and in the end we still get the maps so chill the -Yoink!- out. I’m tired of seeing this bull Yoink! all the time now. You’re all supposed to be adults, act like it.
> > >
> > > I can blame 343 for all the confusion about recruit armor and specialization codes all I want.
> > > You’re an adult, and you can’t look at someone’s opinion without staying civilized.
> > > The way I look at it, you need to grow up and act like an adult.
> >
> > Okay okay, let’s take off the flame suits and be respectful here. Let’s focus on the real issue alright?
> >
> > Anyways, I personally think that Microsoft is just being lazy with their marketing of Halo 4. They know it’s 343’s first game, so they try to be extra careful with their marketing, but that leads to mistakes in the marketing, and you know what happens when something isn’t marketed correctly… ehem LE edition, specializations, crimson map pack, ehem
> >
> > I think once Microsoft trust’s 343 enough to let them market the game themselves, possibly Halo 5, than we can truly see who’s to blame here.
>
> At least there won’t be under 5000 ppl on the Crimson Dlc playlist
I completely agree with you. With all the free maps going around we might actually see some of the DLC once the Crimson playlist is removed.
It definitely wasn’t intentional, because on Twitter they were saying that it was ‘their mistake, but if you got it free, it’s yours to keep.’
What probably happened? They couldn’t figure out the map pass situation so they just made it free to all in the meantime and then decided to say afterwards it was intentional. Had it been intentional, we would have heard so beforehand. Just saying.
Anyway I really don’t care, it doesn’t matter to me if everybody gets them for free even though I have the Limited Edition - I still consider the map pass being included as an extra bonus - the more people with the maps in matchmaking, the better!
Such a joke. I wouldn’t be complaining if they owned up to their mistake. Instead, they lie to us explaining that it was all intentional because they can.
Sad. And now that mistake was turned into something that will allow those who did not pay for the content to appreciate Microsoft even more. Kind of a slap in the face to those of us who paid for it.
All it would take would be for them to officially admit their mistake and apologize to us. But they can’t even bring themselves to do it.