Xbox Gaming in South Africa

Those pesky pirates were at it again over the weekend, this time distributing a copy of the highly anticipated shooter Halo: Reach all over the internets. The leak supposedly came from a listing on Xbox LIVE Marketplace which was intended to allow reviewers early access, but just ended up giving the hackers a way in.

This isn't the first time a leak has occurred on a Halo release, with Halo 3 finding its way onto file sharing sites before its official release, however, this time Microsoft looks ready to deliver a crippling blow to anyone who decides to test the dark and murky waters of pirating. According to a tweet by Xbox LIVE Director of Policy and Enforcement Stephen Toulouse, anyone caught playing an "unauthorized" copy of the game will not only find their Gamertag banned from Xbox LIVE, but their console too.

And if you think you'll get away with it anyway, Toulouse offered up this ominous warning: "We have ways of knowing". And yes, that should be pronounced "Ve haf vays of knowink."

Halo: Reach is officially due out world wide on 14 September. The wait won't kill you.

[via Eurogamer]