Whether accidental or not, retail store chain K-Mart are getting heavy punishment for leaking copies of Fable 2 early. Not only are Microsoft demanding a $10 000 fine (small change really) the stores are now banned from selling Gears of War 2 for the first two weeks of its release, which will surely hurt them and greatly benefit there competitors.

Apparently they got fined $10,000 for the error in judgment. So what, right? A company that size has probably left bigger tips at Starbucks! But it has also been told by Microsoft Game Studios (Fable 2’s publisher) that they are not allowed to sell Gears of War 2 for the first two weeks of its on-sale. As in, Gears of War 2 will not go on sale at K-Mart stores – and possibly the other stores in the CML group Target and Myer – until some time around the 21st of November.

This, of course, is worth a lot more than $10,000. As one of the biggest store chains in Australia, giving a two week head-start to competition like EB Games and JB Hi-Fi on one of the biggest blockbuster releases of Christmas is costly. Especially for a company that banks heavily on shoppers buying plenty of other things while they are in the store – come in to pick up Gears of War 2, walk out with the game, two DVDs and a six pack of grundys... that type of thing.

Bale Fire via gameplayer.com.au »