Yesterday's Great Banjo Lootathon (now closed, goodbye) exposed the Gears of War 2 Golden Lancer, among other things for a limited time, to download from Xbox Live for free, via the web. Reader RedRex32 says he went to Epic's Forums to spread word talk about it, even after the back door to the lancer was shut, and saw the thread he and others were writing in summarily deleted.

So RedRex32 started a new one, and that got him banzored beyond all recognition. As in a full on IP banning, not just his account. The lock-out screen advised this ban will be lifted "never."

"This all went down about 5:15 PST, hours after the entire issue wasn't even, well, an issue anymore. So the harm is questionable," RedRex32 says. "Smell a cover-up?" No, brah, I smell punishment. Look, not to blame the victim, but that's Epic's turf. It's probably not the wisest thing to hold this screwup under their nose like that. talk about this screwup on their turf, because they'd definitely be looking to retaliate on anyone who got the lancer this way.

[Edits: I made changes because RedRex32 insists he didn't go there to tell evryone how to get it, merely to poist a link to the Kotaku story.]

So did anyone else get swatted or suffer any sanctions from anyone because of yesterday's fun and shenanigans? Let me know in the comments.

Anyway, the early copy of Banjo, is now 99999 Microsoft points. Ditto anything else we mentioned here. I think we can consider the great Banjo Lootathon over. Everyone take a bow, we helped Microsoft work out some kinks in a new feature. Although, don't expect any thank-you notes, I'm sure. You try to do something nice ....

Rest of my original post is on the jump. Anything in strikethru is reprinted only for purposes of the record. Don't consider it operative.

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Alert reader Chris J. just sent this in. Banjo-Kazooie (the original) officially hits Xbox Live Arcade on Wednesday, but it's been available for early download for those who preordered Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Actually, it's available for everyone. Even though this is only up on the U.S. marketplace, right now "I've successfully downloaded it using a European account and it plays fine," writes Chris.

If you want it, just go to this URL, plunk down your 1200 Microsoft points, and hit "download to my Xbox." I assume. I've never bought XBL games off the web before. B-K clocks in at 48 MB. It's 99999 Microsoft points, if you really want it five days early.

Chris also points out you can get the Call of Duty: World at War add-on that was free if you pre-ordered it too. That's over here. So if raiding XBLA via the web is a pro tip that n00bs like me and others don't know, don't shoot the messenger, I'm just telling you what's available. And if you want either, run go get it before this all gets "fixed." Looks like it was. The COD piece is also up to 99999 Microsoft points. Anyone want it that bad?

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Update #1: Reader invisiblewok went through his download history to see if he could run some URLs and figure out how to get to the freebies via XBLA over the web. He did find the URL for the Gears of War 2 flashback maps pack — but at a cost of 99999 Microsoft Points.

HOWEVAH — some of you have pointed out the Left 4 Dead demo has disappeared from XBLA. Oh, really?
What I am now hearing is that the PC Demo of Left 4 Dead expired after a week. And while demos can't expire once you get them from Xbox Live, they did take it off of that service. Sorry.

Update #2 This is big enough to warrant an update I think. Reader Shawn B. found, in the great Xbox Live Loot Bonanza, that you can in fact get your gold plated Gears of War 2 Lancer, for free, off XBL via the web. In fact. I just did it. Here's the URL.

The Gamestop Premium Gears 2 theme also is up and downloadable. Remember, the account holder needs to be 18 years old.
None of this works any longer.