Recently Microsoft announced Halo Online, an online multiplayer only F2P FPS. The closed beta was announced exclusively for the Russian marketplace however, so given we game on PC, one of the things that happens on PC, happened; mods. Chiefly mods that allowed gamers to bypass said Russian region lock.

Now news arrives that the modders behind such region bypassing solutions are apparently on the receiving end of DMCA takedowns from Microsoft’s legal representatives. The custom launcher that was allowing players to bypass the region lock, ElDorito (an apparent parody name of the official client, ElDorado) has now been pulled down from Github.

Currently it seems Microsoft has no intention of expanding the regions Halo Online is available in, thus I doubt modders will cease searching for new ways around region locks like this one. So while Halo Online is designed for the Russian marketplace specifically, maybe Microsoft should think of a solution that satiates the demands in Western markets for Halo on PC? Western PC gamers want Halo Online not because it’s the newest and greatest but because it’s the only attention the franchise has received on PC in years (sans Spartan Assault, the top-down twinstick shooter). The game itself is runs on a heavily modified version of Halo 3’s engine, to suit the needs of developing markets and the lower end PCs users own in those markets.

So why not give PC gamers the mainline entries in the Halo franchise on PC Microsoft? Then fewer in the US, Europe or other developed markets will want to play your F2P Russian entry.

Just a thought.