On his blog, Bethesda production director Ashley Cheng said confusion around the title’s name and place in the franchise is the only thing that makes people wonder if the game is worth $60.

From Cheng’s blog:

Give me a break. First off, most games – especially first person shooters – are anywhere from 5-10 hours. Tops. What makes Halo different from others? You can’t just ping Halo ODST for it. I bet if Microsoft hadn’t screwed up the marketing messaging, there would less talk about pricing.

I’m inclined to agree, though I’m also inclined to say not enough people care about this to make a difference. The game is going to sell and sell fast. Sure people will bitch, but that’s bound to happen any time you have millions of people rushing to purchase a product. You’ll never have one hundred percent of your consumer population believe the product is worth the price.

“I’m happy to be able to share all new compositions and recordings created for Halo 3: ODST,” O’Donnell said. “The music reflects the new mood, new heroes, and new story of the game. I worked with the Northwest Sinfonia for the orchestral recordings and also added some nice alto sax solos and some new guitar solos. The piano sneaks back in again a few times too, but I can’t seem to help that.”

The soundtrack will release on the 22nd along with the game.

Microsoft was pretty even-keeled about the situation. The company released a statement that said, “We are also investigating Xbox Live accounts that show activity related to Halo 3: ODST and will take action against those we believe have procured copies of the game illegitimately.” There was some understandable confusion since several players actually paid for the game at a licensed Microsoft retailer. Xbox’s Stephen Toulouse was click to clear things up via his Twitter page. “Clarity on the ODST thing. We will not be banning legitimate customers from Xbox LIVE who play early,” wrote Toulouse, the current Head of Policy and Enforcement for Xbox Live.

Since the leak, Microsoft has been making its way around the internet, pulling videos for copyright infringement and attempting to keep the game’s intimate details away from the eyes of the ravenous horde. You can get Halo 3: ODST when it officially launches on September 22nd.

For those of you looking to do the same with Halo 3: ODST, you might want to consider Amazon. They’re putting $10 back into your Amazon account on September 22nd, the day the game ships out. They’re offering the same deal on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition. You know, the package with the night vision goggles?

Consider yourself a true Halo fan? Spend the $10 on books 1-3 of the Halo series, including The Fall of Reach, and get ready for the next franchise installment early.