Electronic Arts has suffered a serious blow to its release schedule, as it watches the eagerly-anticipated Xbox FPS BLACK leak out across peer-to-peer networks and downloaded by an untold number of home and professional pirates.

The source of the leak is unknown, though it should be noted that the code in circulation right now is the PAL release. It is widely assumed that one of EA's recently-dismissed 350 staff members stuck in the proverbial knife as a leaving gift to his or her former employer.

Should the story unfold any further than this, we'll keep you updated. As to how major publishers will tackle such aggressive attacks from their inner circles remains to be seen.