Split-Screen :: The Game-Geek’s Daily Read

Indian gaming site and publication Skoar! discovered animation reels from what appeared to be Halo: Reach in Contract Animator at Bungie Will Christiansen’s portfolio some time ago. Christiansen not only removed his Youtube channel containing the portfolio but later posted an edited montage, minus the animations. This silenced most skeptics – after all if he had nothing to hide, why remove it? Nonetheless, Bungie isn’t taking kindly to members posting alternate links to the animation reel on their official forums and have begun taking measures to clamp down on those who do.

“Anyone posting leaked material will be permanently banned from Bungie.net.”

“Moderator Notice: This user has been blacklisted from this forum. Until the user is removed from the blacklist, all posts this user has made have been hidden, and all topics created by this user have been censored.”

Bungie’s forum rules dictate that posting leaked material is not acceptable on the forums, and that, “leaks and illegal content on Bungie.net are fought with the strictest measures” (read: don’t even think about it). On reading the specific reasons for not allowing leaked material, Bungie forum mods state, “all users here have agreed that they will not upload files or post messages that contain photos, music, software or other material protected by intellectual property laws, rights of privacy or publicity, or any other applicable law unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents.”

This rule is specifically meant to protect print publications and licensed material from being plagiarized on the forums. However, the mod goes on to state that “leaked material includes any material not officially released by Bungie via its website, its employees in their official capacity, or to the press.” But what if it’s picked up by the press and the company offers no reason for it’s initial removal and then editing? We don’t count on Bungie answering that any time soon.