As the latest in a spate of urban action video games, Crackdown was getting little attention until Microsoft's game studio played a trump card--giving buyers early access to the latest version of blockbuster game Halo.
Microsoft in early January announced that retail buyers of Crackdown, due out on February 20 for the Xbox 360 console, would also get a special key allowing them to be on the team that will test Halo 3 this spring.
The marketing strategy set off buzz about Crackdown, which was created by the maker of the original Grand Theft Auto games and, like the blockbuster titles that came before, allows players to cause mayhem in an open virtual world.
Beta test key holders will get to play an unfinished version of the game and help developers work out any glitches in its code before the expected release of Halo 3 at the end of the year, Microsoft said.
The marketing scheme also sparked complaints from some gamers, who in online forums have charged that Microsoft is forcing people to buy a $60 game they may not have otherwise purchased to get prerelease access to one of the most hyped games of 2007.
"(Crackdown) was not highly anticipated," said Garnett Lee, managing editor of video game network 1UP. "Millions might pick (Crackdown) up now."
Microsoft defended its strategy.
"I can understand why people might think that," said Craig Evans, Microsoft's director of marketing. "But the bottom line is that Crackdown is a game that stands on its own."
Evans said more than 600,000 people downloaded a free demo of Crackdown over the Xbox Live online service in just a couple of weeks, demonstrating its worth as a game.
"People are definitely saying, 'I'm getting a free beta with Crackdown,' not the other way around," Evans said. "The Halo 3 beta isn't going to push the game's sales into the millions. Crackdown is going to push its sales into the millions."
Beta tests for console games are usually conducted either behind closed doors or with small, preselected groups of hard-core gamers.
While public betas are common for PC games, the Halo 3 test marks the first time a major console game beta test has been opened to so many players.
Since it will be a downloadable game, the Halo 3 beta will only be available to players registered on Microsoft's Xbox Live online service.
Halo and Halo 2, both for the original Xbox console, have sold a combined 14.7 million units worldwide, according to Microsoft.
Microsoft in early January announced that retail buyers of Crackdown, due out on February 20 for the Xbox 360 console, would also get a special key allowing them to be on the team that will test Halo 3 this spring.
The marketing strategy set off buzz about Crackdown, which was created by the maker of the original Grand Theft Auto games and, like the blockbuster titles that came before, allows players to cause mayhem in an open virtual world.
Beta test key holders will get to play an unfinished version of the game and help developers work out any glitches in its code before the expected release of Halo 3 at the end of the year, Microsoft said.
The marketing scheme also sparked complaints from some gamers, who in online forums have charged that Microsoft is forcing people to buy a $60 game they may not have otherwise purchased to get prerelease access to one of the most hyped games of 2007.
"(Crackdown) was not highly anticipated," said Garnett Lee, managing editor of video game network 1UP. "Millions might pick (Crackdown) up now."
Microsoft defended its strategy.
"I can understand why people might think that," said Craig Evans, Microsoft's director of marketing. "But the bottom line is that Crackdown is a game that stands on its own."
Evans said more than 600,000 people downloaded a free demo of Crackdown over the Xbox Live online service in just a couple of weeks, demonstrating its worth as a game.
"People are definitely saying, 'I'm getting a free beta with Crackdown,' not the other way around," Evans said. "The Halo 3 beta isn't going to push the game's sales into the millions. Crackdown is going to push its sales into the millions."
Beta tests for console games are usually conducted either behind closed doors or with small, preselected groups of hard-core gamers.
While public betas are common for PC games, the Halo 3 test marks the first time a major console game beta test has been opened to so many players.
Since it will be a downloadable game, the Halo 3 beta will only be available to players registered on Microsoft's Xbox Live online service.
Halo and Halo 2, both for the original Xbox console, have sold a combined 14.7 million units worldwide, according to Microsoft.
Article courtesy news.zdnet.com
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