I've had some great multiplayer experiences with Stateside players. In fact, those first few weeks of Halo 2 were a real joy to play. The mixed US and European teams were a laugh, as was were the Brits vs the Stateside teams. Great atmosphere and loads of friendly banter...Then the American school kids came along :(I've not played Halo 2 online since. Abuse, shouting, lag-cheating. Yuck. A real shame, as those early cross-pond gaming sessions were some of the best I've ever had.