Microsoft issuing bans to Halo 4 players using headless Spartan exploit

By: Jason McCarthy

  |   December 27th, 2012   |  

News

Microsoft taking action against players using headless Spartan exploit in Halo 4; reveals hit boxes remain intact and therefore can be defeated as usual.

Halo 4 players have not been very happy lately because of encountering headless Spartans during their online multiplayer sessions.

Cheaters using the exploit are able to remove all armour, including the entire head, from their character, thus making the competing players confused on how to perform a headshot on these warriors as there is nothing to aim at.

According to the report by Kotaku, the headless Spartan exploit can achieved through an unofficial mod for Halo 4 and it can only be applied through the use of a modified Xbox 360.

Microsoft acknowledged the complaints made by the legitimate players and responded through a statement to Kotaku in which it clearly warned players against using the exploit.

The company has said that it is identifying and banning the accounts of modders and cheaters while making absolutely no exception.

It also assured legitimate players that they can still take down these headless Spartans in the usual manner as the hit boxes remain intact despite the invisible head.

“We are aware of the issue and have already taken action to identify and ban the accounts of these modders and cheaters. We want players to know that while the mod makes a player’s head and armor appear to be invisible, the hit boxes are still intact, so competing players can still defeat them as usual. While the problem was very isolated, we will continue to diligently identify and take action against all offenders,” said the Microsoft representative.

While the use of cheats and hacks have been a common practice in online games since as long as one can remember, the developers and publishers have adopted a very attitude towards users who turn to such practices in order to gain unfair advantage and ruin the overall online experience for the legitimate players.

Microsoft has also taken an aggressive stance against cheaters, hackers and modders and this is evident from the warning that it has issued to the players using headless Spartan exploit in Halo 4.

Released for the Xbox 360 on November 6, 2012, the latest title in the renowned first-person shooter franchise is the first instalment in a new Halo trilogy named the Reclaimer Trilogy.

While Bungie was behind the development of the original trilogy of Halo games, Halo 4 was developed by a subsidiary of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, which was established by the company in 2007 following its separation from Bungie.

Even though the development of Halo 4 had been completed by September 26, the release was delayed to ensure that the quality of the game was as close to perfect as possible.