The US launch of Halo 2 for Windows Vista has been delayed due to the accidental inclusion of nude content. The hotly anticipated 3D game was due to be released in North America this week. Microsoft has now pushed the launch back to 31 May to allow the game's packaging to be updated with a warning.
In an email to gaming website Next-Gen, Microsoft said: "It has come to our attention that an unfortunate, obscure content error which includes partial nudity was included in our initial production of 'Halo 2' for Windows Vista.
"As such, we have updated the initial game packaging at retailers with a label, so customers are aware before purchasing the game." No details of the offending content have been released. However, Microsoft also said a patch removing the offending content has been developed.
With that in mind, it's extremely unlikely that the UK release of Halo 2, currently pencilled in for 8 June, will be purged before it reaches shop shelves.
Microsoft is positioning Halo 2 as a Windows Vista-only title in an effort to promote the new operating system as a gaming platform. However, with graphics performance in Vista currently lagging behind Windows XP due to graphics driver problems, Halo 2 will have to be a killer title to convince gaming enthusiasts to make the switch.
