CNN/Money games columnist Chris Morris has uncovered a most embarrassing--and amusing--oversight in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3. Apparently, a level in the popular tactical shooter features a URL plastered in large letters across a wall. However, the game's developers at Ubisoft never got around to purchasing the address, and apparently had completely forgotten when the game was released on October 30, 2003.
Three weeks later, unemployed tech worker Tony Ashcraft noticed the URL as he was killing time (and terrorists) on his Xbox. After discovering it was not owned by anyone, he immediately purchased it. In an effort to boost the site's traffic--and thereby its asking price--he loaded it up with links to the ever-popular hardcore pornography.
Though Ubisoft is understandably irked by the incident, Ashcraft doesn't feel he's done anything wrong. "I don't really have a problem with it," Ashcraft told CNN, "The game is made for people who are 18 and higher. And if you're 18, you can rent or purchase pornographic materials in most states." Since Microsoft gave its usual "no comment" on the matter, there has been no word yet on whether a patch will be available on Xbox Live. It's safe to say, though, that the offending URL will be excised from the upcoming PlayStation 2 version of the game.