Some users reporting Xbox 360 version of Warner Bros. new Lego game bundled with demo disc; Warner Bros. confirms "disc labeling error" affects "small number" of copies.
[UPDATE] Following the publication of this story, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment provided a statement on the matter. The company confirmed it is recalling a "small number" Lego Lord of the Rings copies for Xbox 360 from retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys 'R' Us in the United States due to a "disc labeling error."
"The discs in question are incorrectly labeled as demo discs, but those discs do contain the full game content and are fully functional," reads a line from the statement. "This error does not affect any other formats of the game. We are in the process of remanufacturing the discs and will get them to the stores as soon as possible. Consumers who purchased a copy of the Xbox 360 version of the game with the disc labeling error can contact customer support via email at support@wbgames.com or phone at 410-568-3680 for a replacement disc."
The original story follows below.
Some shipments of Lego Lord of the Rings for Xbox 360 are arriving with demo discs instead of full retail copies. A Game Informer editor purchased a copy of the game today only to find a demo disc in the box, with an employee informing him that publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is planning a recall.
A Warner Bros. representative told GameSpot today that a statement on the matter will be issued later today. The mix-up reportedly is only affecting the Xbox 360 version of Lego Lord of the Rings.
Lego Lord of the Rings is not the only game to launch today that left some users scratching their heads. Some gamers who purchased the PC retail version of Call of Duty: Black Ops II were unable to complete installation because the second disc was not Treyarch's new shooter, but rather Mass Effect 2. Neither EA nor Activision has commented on the matter yet.
[CORRECTION] The original version of this story indicated an incorrectly labeled copy of Lego Lord of the Rings was purchased at GameStop. This was not the case. GameSpot regrets the error.
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
I've unfortunately been affected by this error. I pre-ordered the game, which was originally coming out last Tuesday but then this whole "Demo Disc" fiasco happened and to this point I still haven't gotten the game. I've talked to my local EB Games store and they said it should be out by tomorrow or the end of the week. I hope. By the way, as I'm from Canada, the problem has also affected here as well.
5 Like I wouldn't return it. If it's working normally and it's just a bad label, it will become a colectors item.
@TigusVidiks I'd probably just hang on to it too, but it would affect people who might want to trade it in at a later date as most stores, if they noticed, probably wouldn't accept a game labelled that way.
2 Like Sounds like Anonymous infiltrated the disc-packing plant and switched labels around in the system, lol.
At least someone is! My Assassin's Creed III discs aren't labelled disc 1/disc 2, nor does it say single player/multiplayer. In fact, the images on both the discs are the same.
Contacted Ubisoft and they had nothing to say to me. More worried about responding to people on Facebook and Twitter who praise the game as being 'Game of the Year'.
How did two completely different publishers screw this up at the same time? The mind boggles.
@chibi-acer Stuff like this happens all the time with dvds, games etc. We just don't hear about it that often.
1 Like I think this is actually one of the rare instances where we CAN'T blame the big bad publishers. Sometimes, the little guys you don't hear about make mistakes too.
I'm going to assume that between this and the issue with the new COD, heads will roll at whatever packaging company, manufacturer or whatever is behind this. I'd call it a public nuisance if nothing else. Nothing too horrible, but still very annoying.
@Jaxith Yup and the worst time of year when people are buying and squirrelling things away for xmas gifts. Nothing worse than a messed up present on the day.
3 Like This and the BLOPS II fiasco is a conspiracy to force us to buy games digitally online. Damn you, Activision and Warner..
In the past I brought Assassin's Creed , sealed , later that day when I opened , there was no disk ! After contacting store , they told me to contact Ubisoft !
It it did take a week and I got another copy for free direct from Ubisoft , with apologize letter .
Now on when I buy the game I always make sure it have all discs .
Hate digital version , also don't have unlimited and stable connection .
1 Like At least it's the same game and not the other half of the Black Ops 2 installation. It would have been hilarious if it was though.
@Nintyfan95 If something goes wrong there you won't have a box or receipt to prove your purchase.
Everyone makes mistakes. I write news for a living, and one time I made the typo of missing "eating her snack" and instead it was "eating her snat**," I'll leave it up to your imagination.
1 Like IGN has confirmed that despite the disk saying DEMO it still contains the full game.
2 Like And that's why you should not buy games/system on day 1 release. There will always going to be bugs to fix, recalls, defects, etc. What's the hurry? Even now the games come with Season Ripoff Pass with additional costly DLCs. Screw that. I rather get the GOTY version or buy them later on discounts price.
@GameFox74 If you wait too long buying a game system you'll end up with an inferior version stripped of features.
1 Like @GameFox74 Most people buy games because they like to play them, not because they fancy the price tag on the box.
That is pretty funny. Sorry, hate to laugh but how much do you think this cost the company?
1 Like Kind of reminds me of when I first bought MGS4 and there wasn't a disc inside. Took some work trying to convince the store that I was telling the truth and needed a new copy..
Some people have reported that the LEGO game has the DEMO sticker, but that they were able to play the full game...? Supposedly from Target.
1 Like So apparently this whole mess is because, as usual, people are greedy a-holes. They pushed back the release cuz they wanted to release the hand-held versions first cuz that's their lowest selling category, now cuz of their screwing around with releases and whatnot, this has happened, so it will be another two weeks to get your 360 version, just take heart that Karma stepped in and obliterated any extra revenue they would have gained through their underhanded, greedy tactics. Want to complain and cause a fuss? Call their gaming distribution headquarters (took me a long time to find the right place) 818-954-6000 and ask for their gaming department. Happy Hunting! <3
Yeah.... and you found out the exact reason why both companies had issues.... how?
You're just making up a story that fits whatever you want to believe, Invisistil. Why do you even bother reading news stories if you're just going to make up your own facts anyway?
That Black Ops 2/Mass Effect 2 mix up is really bizarre. The games aren't even from the same publisher obviously (Activision/EA), so how did that happen?
2 Like This reminds me of when I bought Tron Legacy on Bluray expecting a modern update to a classic film and one of my personal favourites, and instead actually found a disk with a turd of a movie on inside. I sent it back but they claimed it was all as it should be. These mistakes seem to keep happening recently :(
@mattcake Yeah, like everyone who isn't blind and bought the special Bluray extended LOTR boxed set, that was another FU from WB, who wouldn't even release a statement and acknowledge the fact that majour audio was missing and various visuals were in SD. That one really pissed me off. It's SO hard to watch the first movie in that set :'(
Take the game back to the store, get a different copy...or get a refund and wait for this to be fixed.
This is some strange s***. I also saw some users bought COD9 : BO2 and got ME instead today.
Distribution needs to get their a** in gear.
1 Like I recently purchased what I thought were parts 1 and 2 of Deathly Hollows on Bluray. Upon opening up the disc set, it was both part 1 and 2 'Extras' discs, no friggin MOVIES. Looked up on Amazon and apparently this is a known issue. Glad Frys was so late to the party and had these for sale. What the ef is in the water with distribution these days?
1 Like This is almost as bad as when my sealed copy of Wind Waker had no disc in it. That was a bad day.
Warner Bros. rep says "primary reason" is Traveller's Tales was already working on Lego City Undercover for new system.
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