http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/10/12/microsoft-investigating-possible-halo-4-leak.aspx

Apparently some people have access to Halo 4's campaign as videos on YouTube showing leaked content have been getting removed and Live profiles are showing people play it. Microsoft is looking into it, but obviously won't comment on whether the leak is the full campaign or an older build. Regardless, that's pretty bad if the full campaign is out there somewhere. Clearly someone got a little overexcited.

It's not hard to believe that copies of games are out this early, especially in the case of major titles that have release dates to meet around the world. They are shipped out so far in advance it's inevitable that copies will leak early, if this has what has happened here...I had Halo 3 nearly two weeks ahead of release date, not to mention countless other games even earlier than that over the years.

Sounds about right. I'd surprised if it didn't leak at this point. I remember MW2 leaking early and people getting a look at the No Russian level. Is there a Halo No Russian level? If not I'm OUT.

@MB: I suppose that's true. I guess I just figured that, somehow, they would try to be even more careful with this one since it's basically their last "huge"/flagship holiday title before a new console launch.

I may need to go dark.

It leaked. its all over /v/. almost a month out. I cant believe that this happened so far from release. Forza horizon leaked as well.

I'm really bad at avoiding spoilers on the internet.

Yeah, whole thing has been livestreamed. Caught at least the last few hours. Someone at 343 must have watched Fern Gully before they wrote that ending.

I always think its hysterical that game scripts are kept under tighter wraps than movie scripts. Considering all a movie has is the story, whereas a game can be exhilarating and fun even if you know the story.

Spoilers!! Master Chief is really a sandwich!!

@big_jon said:

Spoilers!! Master Chief is really a sandwich!!

What kind!?

Going dark.

@huntad said:

@big_jon said:

Spoilers!! Master Chief is really a sandwich!!

What kind!?

Ham!!!!

@huntad said:

@big_jon said:

Spoilers!! Master Chief is really a sandwich!!

What kind!?

Bacon.

Anyway, unless it somehow leaks into my hands I don`t really give a shit. It`s less than a month away now anyway. It`s not really that early for it to leak.

Pretty crazy it leaked this early... I guess it's bound to happen with these huge world wide launches. Pirates win again, enjoy Halo 4.

Spoilers: Master Chives loves potatoes.

Seriously, I'm not sure why this is "news" or even interesting. Unless the act or the reaction are different then file this under "whatever".

@EXTomar: The point is to make people aware so they are careful where they look and what they click, it is a service to people who don't want to have the story spoiled.

Master Chef loves Rigatoni pasta

The Prologue got leaked, I clicked on it and saw live action Master Chief, and Dr. Halsey almost pooped myself, and forced myself not to watch, I have never been this disciplined before a Halo release I hope I can last.

Everything got leaked. MS has been yanking the ending down all day off of youtube. Also there is movement to spoil the ending all over the internet. People have been going into message boards and posting the ending.

..... ending

Yeah, trying to avoid spoilers, since I kinda wanna get this game.

I watched the legendary ending on Youtube, and it was fucking awesome!

It didn't spoil anything for me, seeing the legendary scene never really have anything to the with plot of the game it just kind of an extra thing for fans. Know i've seen that i'm gonna stay away from anything else about the game until it releases.

did look up the reveal of a certain character that has been hinted at for quite a long time
 

Master Chief is a sandwich? Man fuck Halo! That doesn't even make sense.

Just watched the legendary ending to the game (wont say nothing, except you guys really gotta avoid the internet)
 
theres a level of confidence in their storytelling and voice acting thats pretty goddamm amazing and thats miles beyond the other halos, this game is gonna surprise people with how awesome the story is, and 343 is gonna have a big fanbase after this game, and people will be like "bungie who?" (which hurts more considering we have no damm idea what they are doing)
 
Halo is in good hands

@big_jon said:

@EXTomar: The point is to make people aware so they are careful where they look and what they click, it is a service to people who don't want to have the story spoiled.

Wouldn't they have to click on something labeled "Halo 4 ending leaked!" to do that? It sounds like they are being seeking it out with the express intent on finding it by clicking it.

Amazing how something like this can happen so far from launch.

There's been streams up for the last few days of people playing. This is a big leak!

All right people, I am now going dark, un-subbing from the Halo 4 forum till release, and I will not be updating it any more till then, thank you and goodnight!

I will not have the most important game in the last two years for me spoiled, or at least try not to.

Everything got leaked. MS has been yanking the ending down all day off of youtube. Also there is movement to spoil the ending all over the internet. People have been going into message boards and posting the ending.

..... ending

Is it my imagination, or did Bungie behave more proactively and agressively towards prelaunch leaks?

Anyway, I'm really excited for this game and the start of another Halo trilogy, and also so anxious to see how 343 has done with their huge budge and team. I'll also avoid any info/spoilers as much as I can. At least most users here are pretty considerate w/spoiler blocks etc.

Yeah - I got trolled and somehow ended up seeing the Legendary ending to the game...I was raging.

Yeah. I totally caught a livestream of some of it the other day.

The real spoiler is that the game looks great. So, whatever. A bummer for people super into the narrative, but I assume there'll be a bit more to the game than the shock factor of what happens/gets revealed.

@pweidman said:

Is it my imagination, or did Bungie behave more proactively and agressively towards prelaunch leaks?

Anyway, I'm really excited for this game and the start of another Halo trilogy, and also so anxious to see how 343 has done with their huge budge and team. I'll also avoid any info/spoilers as much as I can. At least most users here are pretty considerate w/spoiler blocks etc.

It's your imagination. Halo 2 and 3 both suffered widespread leaks that went without consequence. Microsoft is threatening perma-bans for the Live accounts attached to Halo 4.

Kinda mad at the trend that 343 blows anything that bungue previously did before halo 4. Both devs are talented and don't need to be in such a heated relationship.

Guess I can't click on anything Halo 4 anymore. Definitely don"t wanna spoil this for myself.

What happens in the game's story?

Only links I can find are news articles talking about the piracy, where I can read the full plot?

@Crixaliz: I can send you a message if you really want.

Fortunately I don't give even half a fuck about YouTube so I'll be a campaign virgin all the way to Nov. 6th.

Yea, it has definitely been leaked. I've watched a stream of it and I saw the ending. The production quality is obviously top notch, but the gameplay and general fun factor definitely pales in comparison to the series' high points, like CE and ODST. I can't say I'm surprised.

@HistoryInRust: Sure, I'm really curious to know

@MB said:

It's not hard to believe that copies of games are out this early, especially in the case of major titles that have release dates to meet around the world. They are shipped out so far in advance it's inevitable that copies will leak early, if this has what has happened here...I had Halo 3 nearly two weeks ahead of release date, not to mention countless other games even earlier than that over the years.

http://www.polygon.com/2012/10/24/3538296/data-entry-risk-management-and-tacos-inside-halo-4s-playtest-labs

"Thanks to non-disclosure agreements, Peluso's Polygon interview marks the only time he's contractually allowed to talk about what he saw before the game releases. Even now, as this story goes live before the game ships, he can't repeat the things we just quoted him saying. Such is Microsoft's security for Halo 4 testing."

The game hasn't even been shipped to retailers yet when this article was published (October 24th) and the game got leaked on September 27th.

@Ocean_H: I think you may be reading the term "ships" incorrectly here - I think he's talking about the release date of the game, not when copies are physically mailed. People use the term "ship" and "release" and "launch" interchangeably. Like..."Awesome, our game ships today!" See? They're not talking about production lines and manufacturing.

Games are sent out around the world that early. Remember Gears of War and Emergence Day and all that? When you have worldwide simultaneous launches of major games with hard target dates, they start sending out retail copies of the games quite far in advance especially to locations where it could take a long time for shipments to arrive. Companies like Microsoft can't afford to miss a huge date like the release of a major game such as Halo or Gears by even a day. For Gears of War, the first one, I had a retail copy in my hands nearly three weeks before "emergence day." It's how things are done...games aren't mailed out to retailers a day or even a week before their street dates, it can be and usually is far earlier than that. This is coming from personal experience over the years - the more high profile a game is, the easier it is for me to get it early.

I figured the game would get pirated because all huge releases usually do. I just hope nothing gets spoiled for me before I can finish the game.

@Mushy46: Don't go looking for spoilers, and you SHOULD be good. I had to look hard to find any streams of the campaign, and after the first mission I shut it off. It looks good, though.

@murisan said:

@Mushy46: Don't go looking for spoilers, and you SHOULD be good. I had to look hard to find any streams of the campaign, and after the first mission I shut it off. It looks good, though.

Yeah I won't be looking for them. I just know on other sites and forums things have been spoiled on purpose just to ruin things for other users.