Microsoft: 'Master Chief on PS3 A-OK'

You've all seen the story in Business Week about an Unreal Tournament modder who made a character for UT3 on the PS3 that looks just a bit like Master Chief. Earlier today, Susan over at Game|Life asked what our lawyers thought, so Gamerscore blog asked one of the dozens--if not hundreds--of Xbox lawyers (jk) what he thought about it.

[decapitator]

Well now, isn't this something....The fine print says.."so far as it's free, they are ok with it."

[Ghoul]

That is very suprising as this is the first time ms is "ok" with the masterchief apering in any mod (free or charged)

[fenderputty]

LBP level dedicated to MC here we come.

[decapitator]

fenderputty check this out :

http://www.enregistrersous....

:)

[EastCoastSB]

Nicely done decap.

[FordGTGuy]

to sell copyrighted material but putting it into mods is actually protected as long as its free.

[barom]

This actually doesn't hurt MS in any way. If anything it's free advertisement.

It would be weird to see them get angry.

[mighty_douche]

Dont think it really matters if MS/Bungie care, this is a free mod, he isnt making any money out of it, which is probably exactly why MS didnt get involved, because there was no money to take.

Anyone actually seen this in the flesh? The Chief looks better than he does in Halo (thats obviously in my opinion, take your hate away).

[Corrupt]

Hell, I have the mod. Saw a few other people using the MC skin mod too. I saw about 2-3 MC's in the same map the other day.

[LJWooly]

I noticed that he looked better than the Halo version, too.

Still, would have much preferred a Solid Snake, although Epic have something against men who aren't beefed-up and wearing body armour, of course.

[THC CELL]

haha he looks better on ps3

[iAmPS3]

That Master Chief on the right is from the CGI they made for the superbowl and that is a lot better than what you have in game.

On the other hand the Chief on the the PS3 has far more details and better shaders, another slap on the XBOTS's faces.

[BUKKAKALYPSE]

gotta love how even the retarded sony droids want a piece of the cheif!!

[BenzMoney]

You gotta laugh at the droids who like getting pukey bjs from glass-eyed trannies during ocular with amputees that have osteo!

Those kinds of people don't use MSN Messenger when they're at work.

[Altis1]

Yeah the preview on the left is a fully rendered model in the character selection with all the bells an whistles turned on. In actual gameplay, all bump mapping is removed because the game can't handle the real Chief in action. The in-game model reflects the entire PS3 gaming lineup really well, flat and without definition.

[GETPWNT]

the one on the right is real-time running on 360 hardware, moron. go die now.

[slowlearner]

that is not the model made for the super bowl commercial. That is from the e3 trailer running in engine. On the 360 master chief gets better textures and hdr. Master chief on the ps3 looks fuzzy and bland.

stop spreading b*llshit

[slowlearner]

it was the in engine e3 trailer and the 360 model definitely gets hdr, but fair enough i guess the textures statement could be disagreed with.

Seriously though, the one on the right looks better :)

[PopEmUp]

that look disgusting hope that game never be exist on the ps3

[tweaker]

As long as its free, I don't think anyone would get in trouble.

MC looked cool now bring me Solid Snake and Kratos.

[beast]

We already have kratos and Snaaaaaaake on ps3

Only thing now after Master chief is...

MARIO

After that cycle is complete. we will have icons of MS and Nintendo

[decapitator]

Offtopic but have you guys see the LittleBigPlanet Kratos ? God he looks awesome.

http://www.enregistrersous....

[Salta_nelas]

LoL.

MC on Halo3 got surpassed by a UT Mod:P

[P4KY B]

All advertising is good advertising.

[slak]

They could have got involved in CS?I seen a mod that u can play has Chief what i see is just free advertising for them

[sa_nick]

Lol, the PS3 UT version does look a lot cooler than the average MS one.

[Phil Harrison Mkllll]

But i'll buy it when they do one that looks like Bill Gate$!!! ;-D

[Andronix]

I think that is a good attitude Microsoft have. At then end of the day they are happy because its a homebrew, and the underlying message is that the real thing is only available on Xbox. Normally companies would be funny about protecting their rights. Lego Stars Wars is a big success, and represents the mod mentality. and i think will work well with Lego Indy, and Batman.

Later this year Little Big Planet is coming with customisable everything. It would be great to see user generated content like Halo, and Star Wars. Although I dont think Lucasfilms will be so enlightened. Fingers crosed.

[Darkiewonder]

I hope they won't change their mind and i hope MM does LBP big with letting us fully customize the sackboys ;3

[mcgrawgamer]

and it's good to see the chief get a little love from the ps3 faithful, but I personally thought the chief was the most hated icon upon the sony faithful.

[Corrupt]

I don't think it's the PS3 faithful warming up to the Chief. It's more the point of being able to use a Microsoft owned character. I'm not too keen on Halo games really, but I have the MC mod.

I suppose in some ways it's treated like a formerly exclusive game going multi: even if the haters hate the game, it's the point of it not being exclusive to the opposing console.

[Figboy]

but i do get a little irked at the ridiculous ball-licking that goes on at the mere mention of Halo to certain X Box fanatics.

yes, Halo is a fun series (well, i enjoyed the first one, but i didn't care much for the last two), but some fanatics act as if it is god's gift to FPS games, and, history has shown us, that that's really not the case.

that, and the Halo 3 stuff on everything from Mountain Dew to my burger (i could have sworn i saw the Master Chief's face in my Quarter Pounder pattie), was a little over the top and unnecessary.

i downloaded the MC mod just out of curiousity, and i was really surprised at how GOOD it looked.

it's also funny to run around in third person, so you get to see his armor.

what's even *MORE funny, is i downloaded the Marcus Fenix, Cole, and Locust character models, activated the third person cam, and ran around a la Gears of War. that was definitely a hoot (yeah, i said "hoot." i 'm old) and people said Gears wouldn't come to the PS3. lol.

[Meus Renaissance]

"And no one is taking characters from PlayStation games (do they even have any games?) and putting them on our platform..."

[Meus Renaissance]

"And no one is taking characters from PlayStation games (do they even have any games?) and putting them on our platform..."

That's because you can't do it. It's like saying "there isn't much sunlight" at 11pm. If you were to open your infrastructure it's almost assured that the gaming community will import characters from all platforms. I just find your comment there a little immature and suggestive of fanboy mentality. If you're commenting on a matter on behalf of Microsoft, judging from your language, then atleast try to with some formality and professionalism.

[Truplaya]

Hfair play, at least they didnt try to stop people using the Master Cheif character. It does no harm. Actually its quite funny that someone would make it. I thought PS3 owners hated the master Cheif with a passion. At least you can have him in a better game now. UT3 > Halo3.

[creeping judas]

N4G's ps3 fanboys and xbox fanboys don't represent the majority of the gamers out there. Most players of either console don't care if their console beat the other by 5,000 units in a month. So no, most PS3 players don't hate the master chief, and most xbox360 don't hate solid snake. Just most of the N4G'rs who are fanboys, have the hate for the iconic characters of the other system.

Don't take what you see here as what the real world is about.

[riksweeney]

I'm glad it's OK with Microsoft as now Master Chief can feature in a proper FPS.

[Lord Vader]

Cool move Microsoft.

[mighty_douche]

Well im not sure they have a leg to stand on, there is no money involved or advertising it as Halo so i dont believe any copyright law has been broken.

Lets be honest, Halo isnt the first game to put a human in armor is it, im not sure you can copyright a "space marine" when its been done countless times before.

[Lord Vader]

Please, get over your obvious bias. At the very least, they could sue & make a big deal out of it, even if they wouldn't win. But that's not the point, the point is any way you want to spin it fanboy, they were cool about it & that's nice to see.

[wow4u]

@mighty-douche:

You clearly dont know what you're talking about. It could be easily argued that this is infringing copyright.

I think its stellar that Microsoft is embracing the fan community's love of Master Chief and Halo.

You'll take _any_ obvious positive Xbox and Microsoft news and try and make it negative. Take it to the open zone ->

[Fragking28]

usually agree with you because for the most part you usually stay neutral with a little ps3 fonboyism in you but that statement even though not bad shows me when its all said and done in your heart you love sony. Ohh and good move microsoft.

[devilhunterx]

M$ got no case to fight for since there is no money involved and its free advertising.

But its also kinda embarassing when some "guy" can make a much better model the original game designers... in less then 3 months?

[mcgrawgamer]

ahh, so it's more like a big F u to MSFT? more so than anything else. Now that makes sense.

[Altis1]

That model looks good at the player selection screen but it looks like ass in the actual match. All of the bump mapping is removed from the in-game model durring a match.

[Altis1]

This just shows that PS3 fanboys just want to play as a major gaming icon since there is no iconic figure for the PS3 unless they make a Blu-Ray disc character model.

[ScottEFresh]

You must have forgotten about the God......The God of War. I saw him and Master Chief almost fight once except Master Chief s*it on himself then ran away.

[iAmPS3]

What about Solid Snake????
If you try to recreate Snake on the 360, it would cause a RROD.

[Altis1]

Solid Snake wouldn't fit well since UT3 is about about gameplay and not about 50 min cut scenes between 4 sec of gameplay and male fondling..

[Jo0j]

He's too busy playin' Super Smash Brothers with the Pokemon Trainer and Kirby. GTFO.

[nomad117]

General RAAM is the greatest character so badass looking

[mikeslemonade]

Icon characters don't sell systems. Playstation has always been about the sheer diverse library of games which the 360 seriously lacks. You can huddle in the corner with Master Cheif all day while i'm playing my games on the most superior system the Playstation 3.

[Altis1]

Because we all know the the PS3 is selling ass load of systems to play the mediocre games that have released so far and no one bought a 360 when H3 came out. We all know that a PS3 was made to play "Bru-Ray" movies. Its the only reason its selling.

P.S. - And based on your comment, MGS4 won't move any systems as well.

[rhood022]

@right above

Which is why the PS3 not only outsold the 360 last year, but this year as well so far?

But you knew that right..

[CurlUpAndDie]

it'll never happen.

[bigman7387]

You mean despite the fact that it already happened?

[devilhunterx]

was that a pwn just right there???

[cr33ping_death]

damn just yesterday i was trying the action cam, playing with MARCUS FENIX, MC, THE LOCUST GENERAL RAMM, SPAWN, and some of the UT3 bots, in death match(not online) and i and the other bots got owned by one of the THERON GUARDS. damn bot was using that WAR of the worlds looking vehicle. it was pretty damn cool.

[Altis1]

Its kind of surreal and awesome playing character that are from different franchises in one game. This is kind of like Smash Brothers for adults. :P

[cr33ping_death]

wow i gained back my fifth bubble and now its gone because of what i said? how pathetic are some of you rabid fanboys?

[-EvoAnubis-]

"The developers aren't selling the mod, they're not monetizing Microsoft's IP, they're just creating something to share their love of the Master Chief on a new platform...And no one is taking characters from PlayStation games (do they even have any games?) and putting them on our platform..."

Doesn't that have more to do with the fact that the 360 doesn't support user created mods like this?

[wow4u]

The _method_ that the Xbox 360 will support mods is still being discussed. Clearly its not a technical issue.

Its a matter of issues _just like this_. IP issues, security issues, mostly legal issues.

Sony _is_ going to run into some problems over these issues in the future.

When the modders start to ruin online play with cheating, and the virus writers think it will be fun to look into the PSN, this wont look like such a good decision.

Consoles are not computers.

Secondly, XNA Community is bringing whole new games from the community. So, while the PS3 has mods for its "openness", it doesnt have true Community Generated titles like XNA Community.

This is all early in the "open access" on consoles. You can bet that MSFT will work out how to allow mods. Im sure no one in the industry -- or HONEST observers -- are going to think that MSFT isnt going to continue to lead in bringing user-generated content to consoles.

Halo 3's Forge, forzamotorsport.net, Windows Media Center Extender (Plugins for ANYTHING come to your console (IP radio, Web browsers, apps)), XNA Community.

Mods are coming, dont worry.

[Shankle]

Well don't forget it was PC owners who made the mod ;)

[J@D]

I like to explode them with my Rocket launcher and my Flak Gun ^__^. It's like they attract me and make me explode those guy into piece when I notice it someone it is taking the mod into the game map not cuz I hate the Halo franchise or something it's more like... Let's hunt a deer but instead it's Master Chief on his place on UT3^__^

But, I have to admit that model look pretty good.

[socsca]

Who cares about MC?!?! I want Ryu Hayabusa and Anton Chigurgh, ULTIMATE badasses!

Everytime Chigurgh kills someone he'll say "you didn't flip the coin", or "don't get blod on my boots". Ryu is just silent...

[Covenant]

It's basically free promotion. As long as the character isn't being mocked or misused, why would they mind?

[DJ]

If Bungie made a PS3 version of Halo...

[wow4u]

As stated above, that is not the in-game model. That's a rendered model fromt the selection screen.

[Altis1]

All of the characters in UT3 for the PS3 have no Bump Mapping in game only in the selection screen. Its one of the things that were sacrificed in the development of the game. I don't have a PC that can run it so I can't say that the PC version does this as well.

[TheMART]

Wow DJ makes dumb ass comments

Oh wait, nothing new there...

[devilhunterx]

it would still look the same as xb2 version. Bungie arent as skilled as for example: Naughty Dog, Infinity Ward

[Enigma_2099]

... that one looks like fun.

[triarii85]

Does Microsoft own the rights to the character, or does bungie. because the last i heard, microsoft no longer owns bungie, bungie can make games for whatever system they want.

[Salvadore]

Microsoft owns the rights to the IP, so technically they own everything related to Halo.

[ThaToNeKiiDKaBaW]

It figures... SHINY is a good thing, now that it's on the PS3..

[ravinshield]

it funny how ya talk sh!t about halo 3 and yet you guys just want copy master chief.just play the real thing

[madestar]

shut the f up ravinshield.. you're jealous it looks better on ps3.. i played halo 3.. and it sucks sweaty puss b i a t c h... big hype for nothing.. in other words it's halo 2.1 b i a t c h... halo 2 was better with crappy graphics.. go suck on a bare foot toe that just stepped on $ h i t

[name]

The gears of war locusts look really good if you've seen their UT3 mod. There's no point of using the gears of war protaganist as a mod since it's exactly the same as UT3's protaganist.

[Altis1]

You can only use these character, and mods in general,in multiplayer which sucks.

[Nytr8]

This guy must be gettin hammered in the game, just imagine all the ps3 fanboys playing and then suddenly coming across the chief, haha... he must get his ass handed to him, constantly. HAHAHA

They should relabel it "UT3... the hunt is on"

[Altis1]

Open Zone is that way moron. ------------->

[Nytr8]

What's ur problem...
read my words, its a JOKE!!!
not a jibe at anyone, i genuinley thought that was funny, im laughing at myself in my comment. Not at the game or the prefered choice of machine, just at the situation.
Please lighten up.

This site gets more and more depressing as the months go by.

[devilhunterx]

Now that be pretty funny

[ROCCOZILLA]

thats how UT3 is the best game on the market today and for the next 9 years.i cooked up all of the bunny and rat characters to,also the dudes from never winter nights 2,they even have a guy from FF10 and all the GeOW locast and marcus.the pc guys are making more map and mutations every week.damm just in death matches alone we have 54 new maps,and there all baaaaaaaaaad ass.ill be hosting later tonight on the W A R F A R E maps.ONLINE INSANITY!!

[Cure]

thats a huge advertisement for MS and halo lol

kinda sad tho that Master chief looks better on the PS3 ;P

[ROCCOZILLA]

all these guys are now avalible in the mods! i was using the vampire from NWN 2 last night.its SICK!come join the WARFARE maps tonight,ill be hosting.UT3MOD.com=F T W !

[Pain]

Typical M$ no telling the hole truth .

[texism]

He's that badass. He's that iconic. Only the chief.

[brooklynflyboy]

That would B crazy 2 have halo on the ps3 but now halo sucks and i really dont care 4 it now...Halo 3 sucks n plus the competition on halo 3 sucks...the people on their need to play COD4 thats where the real competion is at.

[slowlearner]

You're matched by rank. Unless you are a level 50 player, then the competition is always competitive. I'm a level 41 on team slayer (definitely just bragging) and most games are intense. In COD4 my first online game i killed over 20 people with crap guns.

[sleepbox]

heh, doesn't make the game suck any less.

[slowlearner]

when people put the two in game images side by side, the 360 version looks superior imo. Note: i'm talking about the images not the consoles, so please don't hate.

[Firewire]

Played a real fun match of 8 Master Chiefs against 8 Marcus Fenix's, the trash talking was superb! The match was a blast.

[hfaze]

I wonder if they would still be cool with it if a Halo mod for UT3 came out for the PS3... ;-)

[ThaToNeKiiDKaBaW]

Typical Pain(intheass) not being able to spell right.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Look Droids want the Chief now "but it's overrated" and "but we want it". Soulds like all the NG2, Gears 2, Halo, Alan Wake and Left 4 Dead rumors that they can't stop making up. LOL They cream their jeans for those everynight in those "we wish we had games" wet dreams.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Why not, hell it's just advertizing for the real Chief on the Xbox. Make some of those PS3 owners want to play Halo,and see what the real Master Chief is like in a blockbuster Halo game.

[devilhunterx]

This only goes to show that Bungie couldnt program to save their own lives. THIS should have been the nex-gen Halo 3 graphics.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

But yet Bungie has yet to make a Halo that scores under a 9.

[Big Jim]

Why would anyone want a gay master chief skin? If you're gonna make a mod skin for UT3, make it something good like Solid Snake. Don't waste your time on Gaylo 3 crap.

[xbox3shitty]

keep this POS off our superior system

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Head on over to gamtrailers.com and watch all the PS3 vs 360 videos, and then watch how the PS3 loses 99% of them. The "superior" is the one that keeps winning the vs battles and it's not the PS3.

Have a nice time waiting on inferior multiplats from those 95% "lazy devs".

[xbox3shitty]

ofcourse it is the ps3,superior consoles doesnt break every 360 days.

nah you wait for your console to get fixed while you drool over those RUMORS about MGS,FF,Tekken to appear on your superior at being inferior
console

[midgard229]

sadly the unreal cheif has better graphics than the real master chief

[Danja]

just goes to show that there's really no need to buy a 360 eeh..?

you'll be able to play Halo 3 on PC's soon...

and you can play as Master Chief on the almighty PS3....best part the game isn't in 640p.....sucks....the 360 couldn't even achieve 720p for it's biggest game...

[akaFullMetal]

i cant seem to get these mods to work on my ps3??? i put it in a ps3 folder PS3/SAVEDATA/blu300whatever it is/saved item

and when i go and try to upload it on the game it says there is nothing to import??? so whats up with that, unless somebody knows a site where i can download it and it will be fine, or have a easy way of putting it on the ps3???

[cr33ping_death]

what are you using to import?

[Iron Man 2]

LOL look at all butt hurt Xzombies,your god Master Chief looks better on THE superior next-gen console aka PS3 you worthless zombies!;)

[angel604]

all they got now is "oh you want it on your system no" if mgs4 came on 360 you know all those people who didnt want it would jump for joy.

and you cant say oh 360 is outselling ps3..you have to say oh ps3 is only outselling 360 by a little itll take xx amount of years to overtake the ps3

but anyway the model looks good hopefully theyll make a kratos one

[kingtigar]

those coky suns of ho's lol "do ps3 even have any games"?

[ajeben809]

he seems more at home on the ps3