14 DAY TRIAL // If you're one of those unlucky gamers stuck with a Limited Edition of Halo 3 containing scratched discs, you're now officially lucky, as Microsoft has immediately responded to the issue, promising to replace every scratched or damaged Halo 3 disc (for whatever reason) for free, by December 31, 2007. After that, they'll begin charging $20 for any disc replacement, the same as before.
What's cool about Microsoft's new program is that if let's say you did get your Limited Edition copy of Halo 3, popped the case open, found two clean, untouched discs but then damaged them through the course of some idiotic actions, you still benefit from this offer. Or at least, so we're left to understand.
Xbox.com holds this Disc Replacement Program as well as the Disc Replacement Form. To save you the loading time for the page just yet, here's what the program looks like:
As stated above... "If, for any reason, you have a damaged Microsoft Xbox 360 disc and like to replace it, please review the information below" which you will, since you know this could be your last chance to replace the Halo 3 game disc you accidentally slid on for three meters across your tiles floor while chasing the dog:
"THIS PROGRAM IS GOOD ONLY FOR XBOX 360 CONSOLE OWNERS IN COUNTRIES WHERE XBOX 360 IS SOLD AT AUTHORIZED RETAIL LOCATIONS," the program screams loud and clear. It also notes that it "covers the Halo 3 Limited Edition Game Disc and Essentials Disc at no charge through 12/31/07."
Other games can benefit from this offer too, but only as long as they're Microsoft-published ones. Finally, the program form, which can be found on the same website, will have to be printed first and then completed (so you'll probably have to do it by hand).
Microsoft promises that gamers submitting the form will be getting back good copies of the game in no more than two weeks. Too long if you ask any Halo 3 fan on the planet, but hey, what's better: wait for two weeks and then own a decent game disc, or continue playing the scratched one until it damages beyond use? That's right, start printing that form right now!