Damaged Halo 3s to be replaced

SEATTLE - Within hours after fans got their hands on Halo 3, blogs brimmed with reports that special limited-edition packaging is scratching the video game discs.

Microsoft Corp. responded quickly on its Xbox website: Customers can fill out a form and send in their scratched limited-edition discs for a free exchange through Dec. 31.

Microsoft is selling the limited-edition version, which comes in a tin decorated with the Halo 3 logo, for $70. A regular copy costs $60; a "legendary" version, with a replica of the helmet worn by game protagonist Master Chief, costs $130.

Richard Mitchell, the lead writer of the Xbox 360 Fanboy blog, said one of the discs that came in his limited-edition set is scratched but the damage didn't seem to interfere with its playing.

Microsoft has been plagued by Xbox 360 problems. In July, the company said it would spend more than $1 billion to repair broken Xbox 360 consoles, and in August it disclosed that some Wireless Racing Wheel game controllers were overheating.