JB
I think that might be a bit exaggerated Juice! People (myself included) have many times in the past through different circumstances, obtained a game prior to release date, and played while connected with no consequences. Generally even with online multiplayer the servers are usually up a day or two prior to official release. At the worst, stats like your "online ranking" will reset on release day.
I know when a major retailer in the US accidently sold MW3 a week early, Activision initially threatened to ban users who played early, but that was purely a knee-jerk reaction and scare tactic based on one major accidental early release. They absolutely did not follow through, nor could they. As release day approached their final comment was that they would not ban early users with legitimate copies, but kindly "asked" that users wait until release day.
I could always be proven wrong, but I'm pretty sure that in spite of whatever intermittent warnings publishers have made to protect the integrity of release dates, no one has ever actually been banned for popping in a new release a day or two early... unless it was a pirated mod or .iso!
