Save the 'Halo 3' drama for yo... oh wait, nevermind.

So like every great high-profile retail release, there's bound to be some screw-ups. According to www.pro-g.co.uk, a nearby high-street store (in the UK) sold them a copy of 'Halo 3.' After the United Nations had been contacted and a charity concert was scheduled (just kidding about those things), they contacted Microsoft to ask if it was OK to play the game.

Microsoft issued a warning that anyone caught playing the game prior to the launch date would be banned from Xbox Live. Even if you play the game offline, the second you connect your 360 to the internet, you're banned. Wow.

After word about the threat spread like wildfire, Microsoft quickly retracted the statement and said the threat was only for their own employees.

The drama has been playing out through several blogs and has actually been quite entertaining. It also makes me wish someone would accidentally bring me a copy of the game.

Follow along here, won't you:

• First post... buying the game (with video)

• Reporting of the ban

• Retraction and official statement from MS