An online retailer based in Norway, Elkjop.no, recently shipped copies of Gears of War 3, one of the most-anticipated Xbox 360 exclusives of 2011, to those who pre-ordered the game. The online store did so before the actual release date of Gears of War 3, which is on September 20th, 2011.
“Gears of War 3 shall not, under any circumstances be sold before the launch date on September 20 and violations of this is something we take very seriously,” Microsoft Norway said in a statement.
The online retailer has admitted to their mistake, although the company is unsure of how it happened. They have contacted Microsoft and are looking into what may have happened.
[SOURCE]