Microsoft to Replace Scratched Halo 3 Discs at No Charge

September 25, 2007 | By: James Brightman

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Exactly how many are scratched is still not known, but Microsoft has confirmed that they will replace any limited edition Halo 3 discs free of charge. You'll be able to replace both the main game disc and the bonus disc, if both are affected. [Update: MS 'investigating scope' of problem]

Yesterday we reported on the unfortunate scratched disc problem associated with the limited edition of Halo 3. Now Microsoft has quietly acknowledged the issue by updating its official Xbox disc replacement page.

"This program covers the Halo 3 Limited Edition Game Disc and Essentials Disc at no charge through 12/31/07," the updated note reads.

At this point, it's still not clear what percentage of the initial shipments were affected. That said, GameDaily and numerous other games press have received scratched discs. In addition, we've received a number of reader e-mails telling us about their scratched discs.

While it's encouraging to see Microsoft react quickly, we're still left wondering why the program is limited to this year. After all, gamers could receive Halo 3 for Christmas and would have very little time to get a scratched disc replaced with the current deadline. Moreover, is Microsoft taking any corrective actions to fix the poor nub design in the limited edition casing?

GameDaily BIZ has contacted Microsoft for further comment and we'll update accordingly. In the meantime, if your limited edition copy (game disc and/or bonus disc) is scratched, hit the link above to find out how to get it replaced.

[UPDATE] Microsoft has now issued a statement to GameDaily BIZ. "We have identified that there are some instances of blemishes on discs as a result of the packaging of the Halo 3 Limited Edition. It is related only to the Halo 3 Limited Edition version of the game. This is a small fraction of the total number of Halo 3 games shipped and sold, and is a limited production version of the game," the spokesperson said.

The fact that it's a limited production version would presumably explain why the free disc replacement ends on December 31.

The spokesperson continued, "We are currently investigating the scope of this situation and notwithstanding the outcome of the investigation, we have implemented a plan to address it. We encourage anyone experiencing these issues to go to xbox.com/support and click on the Halo 3 Limited Edition disc replacement link. We will be replacing these discs and apologize for the inconvenience."