I realize there is an official specialization code email thread, but I don’t want this to get lost in the shuffle, as I think it will answer many questions. Here is a transcript of the chat I just had with xbox support:
info: Please wait for an agent to respond. You are currently ‘1’ in the queue
info: Privacy Statement
You are now chatting with ‘Aris’.
Aris: Hi Alex, how are you? Thank you for contacting Xbox Chat Support. My name is Aris.
Alex: I’m ok Aris. How are you?
Aris: I’m doing great.
Aris: I believe you have not receive your specialization codes right?
Alex: Correct. Can you confirm that the emails were sent to the address listed under contact preferences for those that did receive them?
Aris: For that Alex, I will have to get you an xbox live specialist to check this with you.
Aris: I will get one right away.
Aris: One moment please.
Alex: Thanks
info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to the best suited agent.
info: Privacy Statement
You are now chatting with ‘Rebecca’.
Rebecca: Thank you for contacting Xbox Customer Support. One moment please while I look over your information, and while I do so, how are you doing today?
Alex: I’m ok. How are you?
Rebecca: Doing good as well, thank you for asking!
Rebecca: And you haven’t received any emails for Halo 4 specialization codes, correct?
Alex: Correct. Can you confirm that emails were sent to the email address listed under contact preferences for those that did receive the email?
Rebecca: Yes, emails were sent to all users who had played the game by 11/20, had a good email on file, and had marketing permissions allowed on the email. The email on file we would have sent to is the same as the email used to sign in to your account.
Alex: I see. I believe that I did not have marketing permissions allowed. 343i’s community manager, Jessica Shea, has been telling us that emails were sent out regardless of marketing permissions. Can you confirm that this is not the case?
Rebecca: I can confirm that they were only sent to people who had the marketing permissions allowed.
Alex: And for those of us who did not receive the email due to not allowing marketing permissions, is there any way to get the specialization code email at this point?
Rebecca: You can change it, but at this time we don’t have any guarantees that they will be resent, but it definitely can’t hurt.
Alex: Thank you. I will change my marketing permissions. Also, I will post the transcript of this chat on Halo Waypoint. It will answer a lot of questions and clear up some of the misinformation we have been given.
Rebecca: Actually, I have a forum link that gives a lot of information on it as well.
Rebecca: Halo 4 specialization email issue.
Alex: Yes I took a look at that. Thank you for your time.
Rebecca: You’re welcome! And do you have any other questions for me at this time?
Alex: No, but if you can pass along this problem to whomever might be able to offer a fix, I would appreciate it. There are a substantial number of other Halo 4 players facing the same issue and a great deal of rage being vented on the Halo Waypoint forums.
Rebecca: I can definitely understand that! What I told you about the requirements was what we did find out when we investigated why the email wasn’t received by some people, also in some cases the emails were returned as undeliverable to us as well.
Alex: Thanks. I appreciate you looking into it.
Rebecca: Not a problem at all!
Alex: Have a good day, Rebecca.
Rebecca: Thanks for contacting Xbox Customer Support and have a great day!
Here is the twitter link where bsangel says emails were sent regardless of marketing preferences: https://twitter.com/bsangel/status/275117437983289344
TL;DR: According to xbox support, if you turned off marketing permissions, you did not get sent the specializations code email, and there is no guarantee you will ever receive it. Turning on the marketing permissions now may let you receive it if they are sent out again.