If you’re at all into the Halo modding scene, you'll have likely seen RejectedShotgun on YouTube. They're well known for pulling off what I can only describe as feats of incredible ingenuity, creating mods that many, myself included, thought were impossible.

Before I dive into the details, it's important to mention that this is for Halo 3 on Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and the mod is accessible via Steam Workshop and isn't available on console.

From mods featuring more than 20 vehicles and brand new weapons to Ultimate Forge, which completely reimagines Halo 3's Forge mode with massive sandbox maps, Scarabs, AI spawning, and countless new tools, RejectedShotgun has consistently pushed the limits of what Halo 3 is capable of. Today, though, I'm highlighting their latest project, Permafrost.

Permafrost, to me, feels like a nod to Halo 5's best and only real contribution to the franchise: Warzone. It was a massive objective-based mode that blended Big Team Battle with AI enemies, bosses, and a progression system that made matches feel like they evolved over time.

Thankfully, this is Halo 3, so there are no microtransactions to get in the way. Designed for up to 16 players, Permafrost focuses on large-scale objective gameplay, with each team fighting alongside AI soldiers. It also introduces what creator RejectedShotgun calls a resource economy.

Teams capture plasma batteries scattered across the map to increase their power level, unlocking progressively stronger weapons, equipment, and vehicles as the match unfolds. Players can even call in weapon drop pods and vehicles, giving battles a constant sense of escalation rather than the static sandbox Halo is traditionally known for.

Probably the biggest highlight, though, is just how dynamic every match feels. This isn't a case of loading into a map where the objectives stay the same until someone wins. Teams can capture a teleporter to gain faster access to enemy territory, destroy the opposing team's spire with a MAC strike, and permanently change the battlefield in the process.

Once a spire falls, defenses disappear, objectives move, and the battle shifts into an entirely new phase. Throw in massive vehicles like the Mega Mantis and Pelican, AI battling across the map, and enough explosions to make Michael Bay blush, and it's honestly hard to believe this is all running inside Halo 3.

Now, I love Halo 3. It's my favorite game in the franchise, and I just wanted to highlight what I think is a pretty impressive mod. So, if it looks like something you'd enjoy, be sure to check it out, and as always, do let me know your thoughts in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll below!

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In a recent interview with popular Halo content creator Mint Blitz, former Bungie level and mission designer Niles Sankey, who worked at Bungie from 2006 to 2015 and also served as Lead Mission Designer for Halo: Reach, had some rather strong words about the current state of the Halo franchise.

First, though, before we dive into all of that, I do recommend giving the full 50-plus-minute interview a watch.

It goes into some genuinely fascinating details about original plans for Halo: Reach, alongside behind-the-scenes insight into Halo 3’s missions that fans like myself will probably love hearing about. So, with that said, let’s jump right in.

Jumping straight into the nitty gritty here, Sankey was asked what he would do if given free rein to do as he pleases with Halo. In response, Sankey said:

Expanding, he continued:

“Microsoft has this great opportunity where they own the Halo franchise and they have this great opportunity to spin up a separate team to just build Halo titles that look like they were built from that era, from the Halo 3 era of gaming”

Honestly, given the current reported ongoings at Halo Studios, I’m all for this. I’ve personally always thought it was a shame that the Halo IP isn’t, at the very least, leased out to other studios to create new and interesting experiences.

Sankey goes on to lament just how expensive modern game development has become, arguing that as studios expand, they often lose the culture that made them successful in the first place. He also reflected on Halo: Campaign Evolved and some of the challenges that come with modernizing older Halo experiences, stating:

“You end up stepping all over the games that the fans like and then you have these unsolvable problems of should we have sprint or should we not have sprint or we need to make it look awesome but it's going to piss off part of the fans because the Forerunner structures are too clean”

To that end, Sankey believes the solution is fairly straightforward: “The obvious answer here is no, roll back to the 2007 era graphics and do it as a separate team.”

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this because, personally, I’d be more than happy with a new Halo game using graphics in the same style as Halo 3 or even Halo: Reach again.

To me, and I imagine many others, Halo was never really about graphics. It was always about the gameplay, sandbox, social features, story, and everything else that made those games special beyond simply “wow, game pretty.”

But those are just my thoughts. Let me know yours in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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I spent well over a thousand hours in Halo 3 alone, so seeing a group of dedicated fans restore over 1.9 billion Halo 3 match stats, 801 million Halo 2 matches, and more than 30 million Gamertags is kind of surreal.

This is a huge moment for me, and honestly, it’s incredibly impressive work from the Halo Archive. It hits especially close to home for me. If you’ve followed my work, you’ll know I’m a huge Halo fan, especially from the Bungie era.

The site is currently invite-only, but once you’re in, you can browse and search your old Halo stats just like you could on Bungie.net before that feature was removed. I’d definitely urge you to go show them some love over on X (formerly Twitter), and join their Discord.

Before you ask, as far as I can tell, there’s no inclusion of Halo: Reach. That said, what HaloArchive has pulled off here is nothing short of impressive, and it helps to understand the backstory behind it.

HaloArchive actually began back in 2014, when a user named Tactics created a script to download an entire player’s Halo 2 data. In 2018, the project took things further, kicking off an eight-month effort to pull Halo 2 carnage reports and store them as raw text files.

It wasn’t until 2021, though, when Bungie announced that stats were going offline, giving players only a few weeks’ notice to save their data. That moment pushed HaloArchive to adapt the original Halo 2 script for Halo 3, ultimately pulling all 1.9 billion matches.

Since then, HaloArchive, along with other contributors, has worked to restore both Halo 2 and Halo 3 datasets, sorting through more than 30 terabytes of raw text files. Now, the site is live and in testing, with access available if you sign up and get accepted.

As HaloArchive says, this project wouldn’t be possible without Tactics, Cyrix, Bigstack, members of the community, and more. A huge shoutout to everyone involved.

Do you like the idea of digging through your old match data for that hit of nostalgia, or are you not too bothered?

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The Xbox 360, arguably Microsoft’s best attempt at a console, turned twenty years old recently, and it definitely makes me feel old. I remember getting mine in primary school as a reward for good behavior, which turned out to be quite ironic, as I was expelled from school the same day and sent home.

I still managed to talk my way into unboxing it and setting it up. For those first couple of years, the Xbox 360 was mainly an offline experience for me, and it didn’t really come alive until 2007.

Halo 3 changed everything once it launched, and it was my first authentic taste of what Xbox Live could be. I even got the game a little early because my mom was friends with one of the clerks at our local gaming shop, and at the age of 10, wanting everyone to come around my house to play Halo 3 felt pretty magical.

A look through the top selling Xbox 360 games in the US

In remembrance of the Xbox 360, and thanks to Circana Retail Tracking Service, we have a clear look at the top-selling games on the platform in the US. Outside of the heavy presence of Call of Duty, some interesting sales patterns highlight how versatile the console was at the time.

Here is the full list in order of sales:

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
4. Halo 3
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
8. Halo: Reach
9. Call of Duty: Ghosts
10. Halo 4
11. Rock Band
12. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
13. Grand Theft Auto IV
14. Minecraft
15. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
16. Battlefield 3
17. Red Dead Redemption
18. Gears of War
19. Gears of War 3

It warms my heart to see Halo 3 sitting so high on the list, and it is not surprising to see it eclipsed by Call of Duty three times. Back then, Call of Duty was often viewed as more closely associated with Xbox than any other platform. Timed DLC map exclusivity and a far stronger Xbox Live infrastructure compared to PlayStation Network played a big part in that perception.

Interestingly, another detail revealed was that the Xbox 360 headset accessory sold an impressive 11.4 million units in the US. It shows how central voice chat and party communication were to the experience for most players.

A total of 42.7 million Xbox 360 consoles were sold in the US, marking the last time Xbox truly dominated the American market. It was also a strong period in other parts of the world, especially in the UK, where Xbox felt like it was everywhere.

That said, twenty years later, the Xbox 360’s legacy is less about sales figures and more about the memories, friendships, and late-night sessions that shaped how we played. These games helped define an era of gaming and community that still resonates today (see all the latest on Halo, for instance).

Now it’s your turn: which Xbox 360 game left the biggest mark on you? Share your favorite and tell us how it shaped your gaming journey!

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Project Misriah is a Halo-inspired multiplayer mod recreated inside Valve's Counter-Strike 2 using its new scripting tools. These tools finally give modders the freedom to build full custom experiences inside CS2, and the community has wasted no time pushing the limits.

The mod brings Halo weapons, original sound effects, character models, and movement inspired by what many consider the peak of the series (myself included), Halo 3.

Right now, only three maps are available: Ghost Town, High Ground, and Homefront. More maps are planned to roll out over the next few weeks as the team finishes polishing them.

There are also a few engine limitations holding the project back, and the developer, Froddoyo, is openly asking for help from anyone with scripting or Source 2 experience.

Before getting into what the team needs, here is a breakdown of what the modded Counter-Strike 2 experience already includes.

How the project works, who created it, and why they need help

Created by Froddoyo, TheSlammerss, H8yse, Nitro, SirVeyza, ShmeeGrim, and Lydran on Steam, with various levels of contributions. Project Misriah brings Halo-inspired content into Counter-Strike 2 through Steam Workshop. The team has ported weapons, damage tables, announcer audio, armor variants, Halo-style movement, and full map layouts into the Source 2 engine.

There are still technical limitations that the developers are open about. Recoil patterns become locked once the mod is uploaded, animation tools are limited, and there is no way to rename items or create custom crosshairs. The team is actively looking for help from anyone who understands these systems or knows workarounds.

The workshop page includes a roadmap. It outlines plans to add the rocket launcher, plasma rifles, and the needler, along with classic powerups like Overshield and Active Camouflage. More maps have already been teased, and the team aims to make the overall experience even closer to Halo in future updates.

When the project reaches full release, the developers plan to share all source files so others can learn from or build on the work. They also encourage honest feedback from players.

The mod is available through Steam Workshop right now, and there is a public server hosted by Onlyzaps.gg for anyone who wants to try it. The current server address is 135.148.136.190:27015

Community reactions and early impressions

The reactions and community impressions have been very positive. Some posts have gone semi-viral with more than 14,000 likes on X, formerly Twitter, which is impressive for a fan-made project inside CS2.

Of course, there are Bungie purists calling it the most faithful Halo experience since the Bungie era. I do want to remind people that Halo Reach, as much as I love it, is about as faithful as the 343 era games. Sprint and armor lock be damned!

There are still a few Counter-Strike 2 assets inside the mod, and some of the animations or models occasionally stand out. These issues are hopefully ironed out over time, but the community response right now is overwhelmingly positive. The Steam Workshop reviews reflect that, with the mod sitting at a five-star rating.

If you want to help, the developers are easy to reach on X and are open to contributions. I would love to see this project fully realised and bring a complete Halo-style experience to Counter-Strike 2.

FAQ

With Halo: Campaign Evolved being revealed this past week — a full remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved — we figured now’s the perfect time to put your skills to the test and see just how much you remember about where it all began.

Back in 2001, Halo: Combat Evolved redefined what console shooters could be. From the first time we land on our first Halo ring to that unforgettable warthog run, it set the standard for storytelling, sandbox design, and multiplayer fun that countless games still chase today.

But Halo didn’t stop there. Halo 2 raised the bar with Xbox Live multiplayer and a story that left players wanting more, while Halo 3 gave us one of the most satisfying conclusions in gaming history — a true “finish the fight” moment that defined a generation of Xbox fans.

To celebrate the announcement of Halo: Campaign Evolved, this quiz focuses primarily on the original Halo: Combat Evolved while throwing in a few questions from Halo 2 and Halo 3 for good measure. From iconic missions and quotes to the more obscure details only a true fan would remember, let’s see how well you really know the trilogy that started it all.

If you made it to the end, nice work! This quiz was never meant to be easy.

With Halo: Campaign Evolved releasing next year, it felt like the right time to revisit where it all started while mixing in a few questions for Halo 2 and Halo 3 along the way. Those games built on everything Combat Evolved introduced, pushed the series forward in their own way, and helped shape Halo into the franchise many of us still love and enjoy to this day.

I wanted the quiz to start out simple and get progressively tougher, ending with a few questions designed for the real die-hards who know their Blam! from their Blaam!. That last question might have been a bit too tricky, and only for those real lore nerds like me out there who love the books and dive deep into the extended lore.

Whether you aced it or not, hopefully, it reminded you of how much depth Halo has and gave you a reason to look forward to stepping back onto the ring when Campaign Evolved drops.

With all that said, thanks for taking part, Spartan, and let us know just how well you did on X (Formerly Twitter), BlueSky, Facebook, or Threads.

FAQ

Have you ever wanted to see Master Chief fight a Xenomorph? Being the gigantic Halo fan that I am, it's something I've thought about ever since I saw the original Alien film, and I'd wager it's a showdown plenty of other science fiction lovers would enjoy viewing, too. Of course, the chances of that actually happening in any official material are pretty slim, but today, I learned that at one point, it may have been surprisingly close to being made reality.

That's because I've come across concepts and screenshots from Eric Arroyo — a lead 2D/3D character and vehicle artist who worked at Bungie on 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved, 2004's Halo 2, and 2007's Halo 3 — that show a mock-up Alien crossover he created while working on the final game in the series' trilogy. You can view these images on his ArtStation profile here or below; the crossover stills are at the bottom of the post.

"If the Master Chief turned a corner and was swarmed by these? It would have ROCKED!" reads a note from Arroyo on the images of a Xenomorph he made for Halo 3. Notably, the predatory creature was fully modeled and textures, and looks to have been about as large as a Covenant Elite or Brute in-game.

"This is a Warrior/Drone from the movie Aliens," explains Arroyo in additional comments. "I created it for use with the Halo 3 engine in hopes of prototyping a Halo meets Aliens encounter." It's also stated that the model had 3,700 polygons in total — Master Chief's had 5,000, for comparison — and featured a bump map texture that was hand-drawn in Photoshop. In total, it took 10 days for Arroyo to build the prototype.

It's not clear if there was ever an actual crossover planned or if this was just a personal project of Arroyo's, but regardless, an encounter between Master Chief and a Xenomorph never came to fruition. Still, it's very cool to see what one would have looked like in Halo 3, and fun to imagine how the beasts would fare against Halo's United Nations Space Command (UNSC) marines and Spartans, its zealous Covenant Empire, and its frightening parasitic Flood organisms.

I'd expect the Xenomorphs to have a field day with regular UNSC troops, though battles against Spartans, the Covenant's more powerful and skilled aliens, and the Flood would be more evenly matched. There's always the possibility a Xenomorph gets infected by the Flood, too, which would surely lead to the creation of a Flood form far more terrifying than anything encountered in the Halo games thus far.

I strongly recommend giving the rest of Arroyo's ArtStation post a read, as it features plenty of other concepts and designs he created for Halo while working at Bungie. Included are plenty of notations and relevant technical details about the process, giving fans a close look at how several of the franchise's iconic characters and vehicles came to be.

"Long, long ago I was the core artist on Halo 1, 2 and 3. I had the absolute pleasure and privilege of creating the iconic looks for the Master Chief, Cortana, the Warthog and many other key assets that made Halo what it was, and still is today," Arroyo explained in the description of the post. "In addition to the hundreds of things I created for the series, I also built entire levels like the Trench Run from scratch, and influenced design with ideas I implemented like the Gravity Anchor/Elevator. I'm also responsible for creating new vehicle types like the Mongoose and epic Brute Chopper — still one of my favorite vehicles I've designed to date."

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All the Halo games Arroyo worked on are available to play on Xbox One systems, Xbox Series X|S consoles, and on Windows PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store through Halo: The Master Chief Collection. It's $39.99 and includes Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4, along with the remastered versions of the first two titles. Notably, it's also playable through Xbox Game Pass, and stands as one of the best Xbox games and best PC games.

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What you need to know

• A new update is now available for Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• This update introduces the Flood to Firefight, alongside a host of other improvements.
• There's also now campaign co-op cross-play for Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is still getting updates, with some new long-requested features finally being added.

343 Industries shared on Monday that Halo: The Master Chief Collection is getting Floodfight, a version of Halo 3: ODST Firefight that now includes the Flood. In addition to these infectious new foes, Firefight now includes Elites, as well as the ability for ODSTs to use Energy Swords and Sentinel Beams.

Floodfight is more than just introducing new enemies, as dense fog is being added to ramp up the creepiness factor whenever the Flood are present. The Flood have also regained the ability to use vehicles (something last seen in Halo 2) and there are three new types of Flood to fight: Infected Civilians, Infected ODSTs and Infected Elite Majors, the latter of which use red armor and energy shields.

Outside of the Flood-centric updates, 343 Industries is also introducing co-op cross-play between Xbox consoles and PC for Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST. While this feature has been heavily tested, the developer does note that bugs might be encountered, which should then be reported. Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo 2 Anniversary do not support co-op campaign cross-play, and there's no mention of when or if these other games will also get this feature added.

Finally, numerous additional Skulls have also been added, with the ability to unlock strange new features and AI behavior across Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST, though 343 Industries again cautions that there may be unintended side effects introduced if these are enabled.

With the multiplayer servers for Xbox 360 Halo games shutting down permanently on Jan. 13, 2022, many players have flocked back to the original versions of Halo: Reach, Halo 3, and other titles for one last hurrah. Some of these players include members of the Hidden Reach YouTube channel, which is a group that focuses on teaching the Halo community useful hiding spots in multiplayer maps.

As seen in a video the group posted to Twitter, a member of the group encountered a player in matchmaking named Fishy956 (referred to as "Fishy" from here on out) that needed to get one final Halo 3 multiplayer achievement before the servers shut down. The achievement in question is "Two for One," which requires a player to kill two players with a single Spartan Laser shot while playing in the ranked Free-for-All (FFA) playlist. Since the Spartan Laser is more of an anti-vehicle power weapon and multikills with it are difficult to line up in competitive playlists, this is generally considered one of the hardest achievements in the game.

In the pre-game lobby, Fishy asked the Hidden Reach player as well as the other players if they'd be willing to allow him to kill them with the Spartan Laser so that he could get the achievement. Everyone agreed to help, and after everyone loaded into the match, the players proceeded to line up in a straight line so that Fishy could easily kill them all with one shot.

After Fishy got the achievement and the match ended, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude in the post-game lobby. "Yes! Thank you so much man, I appreciate that. I really do," Fishy said, chuckling. "Bro, that is so kind of you guys, thank you. I thought I wasn't gonna get it, I only had two days left."

Overall, it's awesome to see Halo fans working together to help one of their own get the final achievement they need. It's a good reminder that while instances of negativity and toxicity in multiplayer gaming often dominate discussions and headlines, there are also plenty of gamers out there who are willing to lift each other up.

Note that while matchmaking services for the original Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 are permanently going down on Jan. 13, multiplayer for these titles will continue to be playable in Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC). The MCC combines Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 into one comprehensive package that includes brand new cosmetic unlocks and gameplay features. It's easily one of the best Xbox shooters available.

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's Netflix-like subscription for games on Xbox consoles and PC's.
• The service adds more games every single month to keep things feeling fresh.
• This month, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is also adding Xbox Cloud Gaming for Android devices.
• Destiny 2, Halo 3: ODST, and more join the Xbox Game Pass ranks in the second half of September.

We're now heading into the second half of September, and that means the second announcement of games coming soon to Xbox Game Pass. Things are a little different this time around though, as from here on out these monthly lists will also include games coming to Project xCloud, now known as Xbox Cloud Gaming, through your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Incoming games include Destiny 2, including both Forsaken and Shadowkeep expansions, Halo 3: ODST, and more.

Also, there are a handful of games set to leave the service, so make sure and play any you're interested in before they're gone.

Coming soon

You can check out all the titles coming soon to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming below:

Company of Heroes (PC) - September 17

Destiny 2: Shadowkeep & Forsaken (Cloud & Xbox) - September 22

Halo 3: ODST (Cloud & PC) - September 22

Night in the Woods (Cloud, Xbox, & PC) - September 24

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 (Cloud & Xbox) - September 24

Leaving soon

You can check out all the titles leaving soon from Xbox Game Pass below:

September 30

• Bad North (Xbox & PC)
• DiRT Rally 2.0 (Xbox & PC)
• Dishonored 2 (Xbox & PC)
• Panzer Dragoon Orta (Xbox)
• Westerado: Double Barreled (Xbox)
• Yooka-Laylee (Xbox)

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What you need to know

• The August flight for Halo 3: ODST on PC and Xbox One has begun.
• Invites have gone out to members of the Halo Insider Program.
• You'll need to check your Halo Waypoint messages and notifications to see if you've been invited.

As shared on Twitter by Tyler Davis from 343 Industries, the August flight for Halo 3: ODST has begun on PC and Xbox One. Invites have gone out, so you'll want to check your messages on Halo Waypoint to see if you've been invited.

Anyone in the test will be able to check out large chunks of the game's campaign and Firefight mode. Players can also check out the new cosmetics coming to Halo 3 within The Master Chief Collection. While Halo 3: ODST is already available on the Xbox One version of The Master Chief Collection, Firefight mode is finally being tested for addition. If you aren't currently signed up but want to participate in future flight tests, you should sign up for the Halo Insider Program.

After Halo 3: ODST, the final game in the collection is Halo 4, with Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and Halo 3 already added. The next big title, Halo Infinite, was recently delayed to some point in 2021, so hopefully going through Halo 3: ODST on PC for the first time and enjoying the addition of Firefight mode eases the wait a little bit.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries announced that weapon skins and other cosmetics will be coming to Halo 3 on the Master Chief Collection.
• Additionally, some weapons from Halo 3: ODST will be coming to Halo 3, such as the Silenced SMG and the Brute Plasma Rifle.
• The content will come with the Collection's third season, which begins when Halo 3: ODST launches on PC.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a blog post that Halo 3 on the Master Chief Collection will be receiving new cosmetic unlocks when the third season for the Collection begins. These unlocks include weapon skins, visor colors, and more.

In addition to the new cosmetics, players will also be able to use weapons from Halo 3: ODST in Halo 3 that were not in the game originally. These include guns such as the Silenced SMG, SOCOM Magnum, and the Brute Plasma Rifle.

The third season for the Master Chief Collection has also been stated to begin when Halo 3: ODST launches fully on PC. When exactly that will be is unclear, but the first test flight for the game begins in the first half of August.

Overall, we're pretty excited to see Halo 3 get some cool new content. Let us know what you think down below! Also, if you haven't gotten it yet, we highly recommend Halo: The Master Chief Collection. It has all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters in one bundle that has an awesome $40 price, meaning it offers amazing value. It's available on Xbox One and PC (both Steam and the Windows 10 Store). Halo 3: ODST and Halo 4 haven't fully released on PC yet, but Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, and Halo 3 are all available to play on PC.

After 13 long years, PC players can finally experience the final chapter of the original Halo trilogy, Halo 3, by playing it through Steam or the Windows 10 Store. However, while this port of the game is extremely high-quality, there are a handful of bugs and issues that could impact your experience with Halo 3. Here's everything you need to know.

Halo 3 PC Multiplayer issues

There are a handful of issues present in Halo 3's Multiplayer offerings. The primary one is that the game's hit detection/registration can be slightly off compared to the original Halo 3 due to the fact that the Master Chief Collection version of the game has a higher tick rate. This causes some hitscan projectiles, such as Battle Rifle bullets, to travel a little slower than normal. This issue is currently being worked on by 343 Industries. The other issue present in Multiplayer is that on rare occasions, clones of grenades or pieces of equipment can be created when players throw them. This issue is being investigated by 343 and it will share an update on the issue at a further date.

Halo 3 PC Forge issues

Halo 3 on PC launched with its Forge mode, but there are a few bugs affecting it. Firstly, when holding an object in Forge, players can occasionally be clipped through the map, causing death. Additionally, navigating Forge menus with a controller's D-Pad will incorrectly cause players to toggle rotation axis modes. Hosts and Clients may also notice inconsistent movement behavior of objects while they are being moved in multiplayer Forge sessions. Lastly, Auto-Turrets placed down in Forge sessions will incorrectly target allied players, including the turret's owner. All of these issues are being worked on by 343 Industries.

Halo 3 PC Miscellaneous issues

There are a handful of miscellaneous issues with Halo 3 on PC, as well as the systems around it. Firstly, keybindings can break for people who switch from Insider builds of Halo 3 to the full retail version. This can be fixed by resetting keybindings to their default settings. Next, certain weapon viewmodels can appear clipped or culled when editing field-of-view (FOV) and crosshair settings. Also, players are currently unable to equip Security chestpieces in the customization menu. Additionally, Campaign Terminals can only be navigated with Page Up/Down keys. Finally, certain keys can't be properly bound when using keyboards that aren't English. All of these issues are currently being investigated and worked on by 343.

Your thoughts

What do you think of Halo 3 on PC? Are you happy to see that the buglist is pretty small? Personally, I'm hoping that the ports of Halo 3: ODST and Halo 4 are also this stable. We'll have to wait and see, though.

Halo 3 is available as a standalone game for $10 on PC through Steam and the Windows 10 Store. If you want, you can also get the full Master Chief Collection for $40 on either PC or Xbox One as well. It contains all of the pre-Xbox One Halo games, which will offer you plenty of fun to tide you over until Halo Infinite later this year.

Unlike Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, Halo 3 was exclusively a console game. As a result of this, PC gamers were unable to enjoy the conclusion of the original Halo trilogy on their preferred platform. If you wanted to play Halo 3, you would have to grit your teeth and buy a console to do so.

That has finally changed after 13 years. 343 Industries released Halo 3 on PC as part of its effort to bring the entire Master Chief Collection to the platform. After extensively testing it out, I'm pleased to report that it's the best that Halo 3 has ever looked and felt, and it's also the best Master Chief Collection port yet.

Halo 3 PC How does playing the campaign feel?

Overall, the Halo 3 campaign experience on PC is nearly perfect. In terms of graphics, the visuals look as good as a game from 2007 can. Halo 3 hasn't exactly aged very well, but the best aspects of the game, such as the lighting and particle effects, come through very nicely on PC. Though Halo 3's textures leave a lot to be desired, the fact that the game supports up to 4K resolution helps to mitigate this considerably.

It would have been nice to have some more graphics options outside of a toggle between Classic, Enhanced, and Performance modes, but it's hardly a concern. Halo 3 can also run at frame rates higher than 60 without any significant problems. The only issue present is that crouching animations aren't properly interpolated, so they may appear a little jittery at higher framerates.

Audio wise, Halo 3's Campaign is flawless, which is pleasantly surprising. Previous Master Chief Collection releases on PC have had notable audio problems across the board, but this is not the case with Halo 3. Every gunshot, musical cue, and line of dialogue sound just like they did on the original version of the game. This is true in the Multiplayer experience as well.

Lastly, the Halo 3 Campaign runs perfectly. Throughout my playthrough, I didn't experience a single framerate drop or bout of stuttering.

Halo 3 PC How's the multiplayer?

There's a lot riding on Halo 3's multiplayer suite playing well on PC (multiplayer is at the core of the franchise, after all), and thankfully, it does. Matchmaking is stable, and matches themselves are smooth and lag-free. Hit registration is on-par with the original game as well, which was a big concern following the disastrous hit registration that Halo 2 Classic had when it launched on PC.

In terms of what playlists are in the game, players will be happy to learn that every type of game mode from the original Halo 3 is present here. Whether you love to sweat in hardcore playlists or just want to chill out with some Action Sack, there's a place for you in Halo 3 PC.

Halo 3 PC UI and new content

Alongside the original campaign and multiplayer, 343 Industries also introduced some brand new features to Halo 3 on PC. The first of these is the addition of a full armor customization system. Previously on the Xbox One version of the Master Chief Collection, you could only select a full set of armor to wear in Halo 3. Now, you can mix and match armor pieces just like you could in the original Halo 3. This feature has been added to the Xbox One version of the game as well.

Secondly, Halo 3's map editor, Forge, launched with the game and includes new features. This includes unique campaign variants of vehicles, new objects, a removal of map-specific object pools (you can use any object on any map), the addition of coordinate-based object placement, and the addition of the Normal/Phased/Fixed physics system from later Halo Forge modes. This update to Forge is also on Xbox One.

Lastly, the ability to change your field-of-view (FOV) has been included here. The original game was locked to 70 FOV, but on PC, it can be set to a value anywhere between 70 and 120 (the default FOV is 90). Considering that the narrow FOV was one of the worst parts of Halo 3, the fact we can adjust it in the PC port is fantastic.

Should you buy Halo 3 PC?

The port of Halo 3 to PC by 343 Industries is the best that the developer has put out yet, and I'm incredibly happy to see the Master Chief Collection get a strong release on the platform after the rocky experience most players had with Halo 2: Anniversary. The port is near-perfect in every way, delivering an experience that long-time fans and newcomers alike will love.

If you're a PC player and you've been looking for a way to experience Halo 3 while waiting for Halo Infinite, this official port will provide everything you're looking for and then some. There has never been a better way to finish the fight.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has released Halo 3 on PC earlier than expected.
• The game was originally slated to go live at 10 AM PST/1 PM EST.
• The update also brings new seasonal unlocks and includes Forge mode for Halo: Reach, Halo 2: Anniversary, and Halo 3.

Halo developer 343 Industries has officially released Halo 3 on PC over half a day earlier than previously expected. The game was slated to launch at 10 AM PST/1 PM EST on July 14, but the game is out right now and players can both download and install the game's content through Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Alongside Halo 3's Campaign and Multiplayer modes, the new update also brings several new features and pieces of content to the table as part of the start of Halo: The Master Chief Collection's second season. This includes a challenge system that rewards players with completing specific objectives in-game, new weapon and vehicle skins for use in Halo: Combat Evolved, new profile nameplates, the Forge modes for Halo: Reach, Halo 2: Anniversary, and Halo 3, and more. These new items and systems are available on the Xbox One version of the game as well.

Related: Everything we know about Halo Infinite

Overall, it's awesome to see Halo 3 launch earlier than expected, as PC players have been incredibly excited to get their hands on the game. If you're one of them, you can pick Halo 3 up for $10 through either Steam or the Windows 10 Store. Alternatively, if you'd rather buy the full Master Chief Collection and get all of the games on it (both current and upcoming), you can do so for $40.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries is bringing over the various Halo games in The Master Chief Collection to PC.
• Halo 3 has been in test flighting for some time now.
• The release date for Halo 3 on PC has been set for July 14.

343 Industries has been working with Splash Damage to bring the different titles in Halo: The Master Chief Collection over to PC. Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 have all made their way over. Now, after a period of test flighting, 343 has shared the news that Halo 3 is coming to Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC on July 14. You can check out the release date trailer below.

Halo 3: ODST is also coming to The Master Chief Collection and it will include the popular Firefight mode. After Halo 3: ODST, Halo 4 will be the last game in The Master Chief Collection not available on PC. At the current rate of test flights and releases, PC players can look forward to playing the entire collection before Halo Infinite arrives sometime in Holiday 2020.

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What you need to know

• The first public test flight for Halo 3 on PC has begun.
• The flight contains content for Campaign, Matchmaking, Forge, Theater, and customization systems.
• The flight lasts until June 18, 2020.

Halo developer 343 Industries has officially kicked off the first Halo 3 test flight on PC. Halo Insiders should check their messages and notifications on Halo Waypoint, as 343 Industries has stated that players will be notified of whether they got into a flight or not through Halo Waypoint instead of through emails from here on out.

In terms of what content is offered in the flight, players can play the Sierra 117, The Storm, The Ark, The Covenant, and Halo Campaign levels, as well as Matchmaking multiplayer and Forge. Players can also use Theater and interact with the customization system. The flight will be active until June 18, 2020, meaning this flight is a week long.

If you would like to have a chance at participating in future test flights for Halo 3, as well as future releases like Halo 3: ODST and Halo 4, we highly recommend signing up for the Halo Insider Program. All you have to do is provide 343 Industries with your system specs and the information necessary for them to deploy test builds to your Steam and/or Microsoft account, and you may end up getting selected to play in the flight and help find bugs that need fixing. Best of all, becoming a Halo Insider is completely free, so there's no reason not to sign up.

If you want to hop into the action right now, though, look no further than Halo: The Master Chief Collection. It has all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters in one bundle that has an awesome $40 price, making it an excellent buy. It's available on Xbox One and PC (both Steam and the Windows 10 Store). Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4 haven't released on PC yet, but Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and Halo 2: Anniversary are available to play on PC.

What you need to know

• Halo 3 test flights are coming to the Microsoft Store and Steam.
• New features will be added along the way.
• Developer 343 Industries detailed some of the changes coming in June.
• Halo 3 is part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection in Xbox Game Pass.

Halo 3 is coming to Halo: The Master Chief Collection soon, and test flights will occur in June. Today, 343 Industries detailed some of the features coming to the Halo 3 build on the Microsoft Store and Steam.

You can take a look at the major features shared by the developer below.

• Customization: Updated customization will be available for Halo 3.
• Forge: Forge will be available for players during this flight.
• Theater: Theater will be available for use with mouse and keyboard for Halo 3.
• Challenges: The complete challenge system will be available for the first time in this flight.
• Campaign: Flighting will support Sierra 117, The Storm, The Ark, The Covenant, and Halo for all difficulty levels, single-player, and co-op.
• Multiplayer: Halo 3's flight will support various maps and playlists for multiplayer.
• Settings: Field-of-view, vehicle field-of-view, gamma, window mode, aspect ratio, resolution scale, V-sync, HUD Anchoring, unified medal display, frame rate limit, and graphics quality.

You can read about more details here.

Are you going to take part in the test? What do you want to see from the first few builds? Let us know. How can Microsoft improve from the launch of Halo 2 and Halo 2: Anniversary?

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that Halo 3 is set to begin flighting on PC in June.
• Players can have a chance to participate by signing up for the Halo Insider Program.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a blog post that Halo 3 is set to begin flighting on PC in June. Specifically, flighting is slated to begin in the first half of the month. This news follows the release of Halo 2: Anniversary on PC on May 12.

If you would like to have a chance at participating in the test flights for Halo 3, as well as future releases like Halo 3: ODST and Halo 4, we highly recommend signing up for the Halo Insider Program. All you have to do is provide 343 Industries with your system specs and the information necessary for them to deploy test builds to your Steam and/or Microsoft account, and you may end up getting selected to play in the flight and help find bugs that need fixing. Best of all, becoming a Halo Insider is completely free, so there's no reason not to sign up.

Overall, I'm glad to see Halo 3 starting test flights soon, but I'm nervous about how the game will eventually turn out due to the rough state Halo 2 is in on PC. Ultimately, though, only time will tell how polished Halo 3 will be when it eventually launches.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which contains all of the pre-Xbox One era Halo shooters, is available for $40 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store. You'll get access to games that have released already right away, while access to the ones that haven't come out yet will be given immediately when those titles officially launch.

What you need to know

• Over 6.6 million user-generated maps from older versions of Halo have been copied for future access in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• Maps from Halo 3, Halo 4, and Halo: Reach have been copied.
• The maps are planned to be accessible when Halo: Reach releases on PC.

Over 6.6 million user-generated maps have been copied from Halo 3, Halo 4, and Halo: Reach. These maps will be accessible on Halo: The Master Chief Collection, meaning that users won't lose access to their favorite maps when switching to a new platform.

Custom maps are a beloved feature of many Halo players and these maps being brought over is well-received on the Xbox One subreddit. The official Halo Twitter account broke the news about how many maps were copied.

Earlier this month, custom game types received a similar treatment. A Halowaypoint post states that game types and maps will be playable on both the Xbox One and PC versions of the Master Chief Collection.

Halo Reach on PC: Everything you need to know

The maps are not accessible yet, but the plan is that they will be available soon.

What is your favorite custom map from Halo? Will you play on custom maps on the Master Chief Collection? Let us know in the comments below.

In the last article, we went over the events of the latter half of Halo 2, as the UNSC and Sangheili formed a key alliance in order to stop Tartarus from activating Installation 05 and the Prophet of Truth raced to Earth, Master Chief in tow.

Complete Halo timeline series

In this part, we're looking at the events of Halo 3, and how the UNSC and Sangheili, led by Master Chief and the Arbiter respectively, managed to defeat both the Covenant and the Flood in a final conclusive battle for the fate of the universe.

November 17, 2552 CE (Current Era): Master Chief lands on Earth

About two weeks after the conclusion of Halo 2, the Prophet of Truth arrived at Earth with his Forerunner Dreadnought and armada. Knowing that Truth was not aware of his presence on his ship, the Master Chief attempted to infiltrate it and assassinate him. However, he was unable to land a killing blow due to Truth's energy shield and was forced to retreat when more of Truth's guards arrived. Left with no other option, Chief leaped off of the ship and fell to Earth's surface, landing in a forest in Kenya.

His MJOLNIR armor, with its shock-absorbing gel layer and lockdown systems, allowed him to survive the colossal fall. Shortly after landing, he was found by Sergeant Johnson and the Arbiter, who had taken a ship from Installation 05 and arrived on Earth prior to Truth and his forces.

Sergeant Johnson and some of his Marines split off from Chief and Arbiter in order to throw off the Covenant forces searching for them, but were unfortunately captured and held in a nearby Covenant forward operating base. Master Chief and Arbiter fought their way to the base and eliminated all of the Covenant inside, freeing Johnson and the Marines. All of them were then picked up by a Pelican dropship sent by Commander Miranda Keyes and flown to the nearby UNSC base, Crow's Nest.

The Covenant find the portal to The Ark

Shortly after arriving at Crow's Nest, Miranda Keyes explains to Master Chief that Truth is looking for The Ark, which could be used to fire all of the Halo rings after they were set in standby mode when she, along with Johnson and Arbiter, stopped Tartarus. She, along with the UNSC Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood, believe that the thing the Covenant are digging for in Africa is The Ark, and they plan to launch a desperate air strike on the Prophet of Truth's ship in order to kill him and hopefully thwart the Covenant.

However, shortly after discussing this, the Covenant launched a surprise raid on Crow's Nest. Master Chief and the Arbiter both bravely defended the base alongside Marine comrades, but it eventually was overrun and subsequently evacuated. In order to deny the Covenant all of the information stored at Crow's Nest, Master Chief arms a bomb, narrowly escaping its blast by taking an elevator to an underground shelter.

After linking up with other Marines who went to the same location, Master Chief and company mount up with a pair of Warthogs and lead a counter-attack through the Covenant forces that established a perimeter around the outskirts of Crow's Nest. After cutting through the defensive line, the rallying force made their way to the town of Voi, picking up any survivors found.

In order to successfully launch the attack on Truth's Forerunner Dreadnought, the Covenant anti-aircraft emplacements throughout the town needed to be eliminated so that the UNSC warships could fly close enough to hit the ship directly. Chief, alongside his Marines allies and Arbiter, fought their way through Voi and were able to accomplish this. With the airspace clear, Lord Hood was able to send in three UNSC frigates and a contingent of Shortsword bombers to strike at the Forerunner Dreadnought directly.

Unfortunately, the MAC blasts and explosives did little-to-no damage to the ancient warship. Directly after this, Truth used his ship to activate what the Covenant had uncovered, which turned out to be a portal to The Ark, not The Ark itself. As he and the entirety of his fleet entered this new slipspace rift, a Flood-infested Covenant vessel exited slipspace nearby, crash-landing directly into the heart of Voi.

The Flood spread through Voi

The arrival of the Flood on Earth was an extremely worrying development — if left unchecked, the parasite could infect the entire planet within hours. Knowing this, Master Chief, Arbiter, and the UNSC forces at Voi acted fast; their plan was to attempt to fight their way to the ship that the Flood had arrived in and to blow its reactor in order to eliminate the source of the Flood. Halfway to their objective, Sangheili forces arrived, led by Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum. A Sangheili Major explained to Master Chief and the Arbiter that when the Flood ship broke through their blockade around High Charity, they followed the ship with all of their forces to try and prevent the Flood from spreading.

With the assistance of the Sangheili reinforcements, Master Chief was able to reach the ship and get inside. Before blowing the reactor, though, he noticed a recorded message from Cortana on the ship, who was currently being tortured by the Gravemind since she had been left behind on High Charity. Additionally, 343 Guilty Spark, who had come with the Sangheili reinforcements, went inside after Chief and attempted to make peace with him despite everything that had happened on Installation 04.

After setting the reactor to blow, Master Chief, Arbiter, Commander Miranda Keyes, Lord Hood, and 343 Guilty Spark all traveled to Rtas 'Vadum's ship, the Shadow of Intent, to discuss what to do next while the Sangheili fleet glassed the infected parts of Africa in order to quell the infection on Earth completely. Guilty Spark was able to get Cortana's communication module working properly; her message stated that there was a solution to the Flood on The Ark that wouldn't involve firing all of the Halo rings and wiping out the universe.

She also said that the Flood were planning to assault Earth with the full might of the Flood-controlled High Charity, which was now unguarded as the Sangheili forces had abandoned their blockade. Ultimately, it was decided that a small fleet of human ships and the entire Sangheili fleet would travel through the portal to The Ark, defeat the Covenant, and figure out what Cortana's solution was, while what remained of the battered defense fleet would be left at Earth to try and hold off the Flood invasion.

December 11, 2552 CE: The Battle of Installation 00

Upon arriving at The Ark through the portal, the Sangheili and human forces were immediately engaged by the Prophet of Truth's own fleet. Despite being outnumbered three-to-one, the Sangheili were able to gain the upper hand in the naval battle, thanks in part to having better strategists and tacticians than the Jiralhanae. With the space battle going well, the UNSC was able to land their initial forces on the surface of The Ark. Their goal was to find The Ark's Cartographer, which would show them where the Control Room was, just like Halo rings. After fighting through Covenant ground troops, Master Chief and the Arbiter found the Cartographer, and thus where the Control Room was located.

Several dropships filled with both UNSC and Sangheili troops made their way towards the Control Room, which was shielded by a barrier controlled by three towers. Master Chief and a squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs) were assigned to deactivate the first tower, the Arbiter and the Sangheili attacked the second, and Sergeant Johnson and a team of Marines traveled to the third. Both Master Chief and Arbiter, alongside their troops, were able to deactivate their respective towers. However, Sergeant Johnson's Marines were killed, and he was taken prisoner. Chief, Arbiter, and their combined surviving forces successfully assaulted the third tower, finally taking the barrier down.

Once this was done, however, High Charity arrived, taking everyone by surprise as it rained down Flood forms. It turns out that the Flood weren't invading Earth, but were instead going there to use the portal in order to go to The Ark. Despite the setback, the UNSC and Sangheili pressed on, understanding that they needed to finish Truth off now while his forces were on the back foot and while his fleet was being defeated. After a bombastic encounter with two Scarab vehicles, Master Chief and Arbiter finally entered the Citadel structure that Truth was in, which housed the Control Room.

The Prophet of Truth is killed

Truth, mad with power and cornered by his enemies, planned to activate the Halo rings. While it's true that the Jiralhanae would be confused (and potentially enraged) by the fact that the rings didn't elevate them all on the Great Journey to godhood, Truth was willing to risk their loyalty if it meant being able to use the rings to wipe out everything in the universe that opposed his rule. To do this, he needed human, or"Reclaimer," DNA; this is why Sergeant Johnson was captured instead of killed. Commander Miranda Keyes crash-landed a Pelican into the Control Room's window and attempted to stop Truth, but was surrounded by his Jiralhanae guards and shot by Truth himself. As Keyes died, Johnson was physically forced to begin the activation process.

Meanwhile, Master Chief and Arbiter had just managed to get inside the Citadel when Flood forms suddenly dropped in front of them. They were about to kill them, but the Gravemind began to speak through one of them. It pointed out that both the Flood and the UNSC and Sangheili wanted Truth dead, and that they would have a better chance of achieving that goal if they temporarily worked together. Reluctantly, Chief and Arbiter agreed, and the two of them fought alongside Flood forms in order to finish off the last of Truth's forces that were defending him.

Upon reaching Truth, Arbiter stabbed him through the chest for betraying the Sangheili, and Master Chief used his human DNA to halt the activation of the rings as Johnson escaped with the Pelican. It is at this moment that the Gravemind turns on Chief and Arbiter, and the two of them are forced to fight their way back to the lift they took and jump down an escape shaft.

Cortana's plan is revealed

After escaping from the Flood, Chief and Arbiter open a nearby viewport in the side of the Citadel and are met with a partially-built Halo ring. This was Installation 08; its purpose was to replace Installation 04, which Master Chief had destroyed. One of The Ark's functions was to automatically rebuild a Halo should it ever be destroyed. 343 Guilty Spark caught up with the duo, and after a short discussion, it was decided that the ring would be activated. This was Cortana's plan; since the new ring wasn't in standby mode like all the other Halos, it could be fired independently of the others. Also, since all of the Flood were inside of The Ark's protective measures, the blast would wipe them out, while The Ark's shielding would contain it, thus ensuring that only the Flood would be destroyed.

However, they would need an Index in order to activate it. Luckily, Cortana still had the one from the original Installation 04, and so when Master Chief and Arbiter rescued her from the Flood's clutches within High Charity, she revealed this. After setting up High Charity's engines to blow, the trio made their way to the surface of the new Halo ring. Sergeant Johnson also followed suit. The remaining UNSC and Sangheili forces fled The Ark by taking a return portal back to Earth.

After reaching the new Halo, Chief, Arbiter, and Johnson fought their way to the ring's Control Room past the last of the Flood's combat forces. When Johnson attempted to initiate the activation sequence, 343 Guilty Spark stopped him, explaining that they couldn't fire the ring yet because it would destroy it since it wasn't fully completed. Johnson ignored him because they couldn't afford to let the Gravemind gather more strength by waiting, and since it was 343 Guilty Spark's new directive to protect the ring that was replacing the original, this angered him. In a rage, Guilty Spark mortally wounded Johnson with a laser blast to the chest. Master Chief managed to kill him with repeated Spartan Laser shots, but by that point, it was too late for Johnson. As he died, Chief and Arbiter began the activation sequence for the ring and began to flee.

As Installation 08 began to fire and shake itself to pieces, Master Chief and Arbiter reached a Warthog and drove at breakneck speed to the nearby landed Forward Unto Dawn UNSC frigate, which they were going to use to escape. They managed to reach the ship just in time, and as the Arbiter reached the controls to take off, Chief watched as the ring completed its activation, completely destroying itself and every living creature still within The Ark's protective field. However, as the ship entered the return portal to Earth, the unstable event caused it to suddenly close, splitting the ship in two; the Arbiter made it through, but Chief and Cortana were left behind in the other half of the Forward Unto Dawn, left to drift into space.

March 3, 2553 CE: The fight is finished

Roughly three months after the end of the conflict on The Ark, the UNSC held a memorial service for all of the heroes who were killed or deemed missing-in-action during the Human-Covenant War and the conflict with the Flood. Though they no longer had a common enemy, the UNSC and Sangheili remained close, keeping their shaky alliance intact. Lord Hood lamented that he could never forgive the Sangheili for what they did to humanity during the war, but he thanked Arbiter nonetheless for his help in the final hour, and for sticking with Master Chief until the end.

With the wars against both humanity and the Covenant over, the Sangheili decided that their best course of action would be to return to their homeworld of Sanghelios and begin to forge their own destiny, free from the lies and manipulation of people like The Prophet of Truth. However, it would not be an easy road ahead for anyone. Decades of war had left humanity broken and on the brink, and due to serving strictly as soldiers for countless generations, the Sangheili would have to learn how to live independently from the Covenant Empire once more. For years to come, both humanity and the Sangheili would face many a hardship.

Your thoughts

What did you think of the plot of Halo 3? Let me know what you think. Personally, it's one of my least-favorite Halo stories, as it has more holes in its plot than swiss cheese. Still, though, it's a fun story, and there's plenty to love about Halo 3.

Great Halo games

All the greatest Halo games are available now on Xbox and are heading to PC too throughout 2019 and beyond.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection ($30 at Microsoft)

The Master Chief Collection is a fantastic game that lets you experience the entirety of Master Chief's saga in one convenient package.

Halo Wars 2 ($40 at Microsoft)

Halo Wars 2 is arguably the best real-time strategy title on Xbox One, offering players a wealth of incredibly satisfying, Halo-themed content.

Halo 5: Guardians ($20 at Microsoft)

Halo 5: Guardians is the latest Halo first-person shooter title, and it's got plenty of good content within that most players will have a good time with.

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

Microsoft recently announced that four Xbox 360 games will be seeing an upgrade next month, with the release of the Xbox One X. While updates for several existing Xbox One games have previously been announced, this latest unveiling has shown how select backward compatible titles can also leverage the additional resources.

So far, Microsoft has announced four "Xbox One X Enhanced" Xbox 360 titles – Halo 3, Assassin's Creed, Fallout 3, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Among the improvements expected for these titles are increased resolutions and additional color depth via HDR, alongside other changes on a per-game basis. While the Xbox One has previously delivered enhancements to Xbox 360 titles, these four games are receiving tailored updates specifically with Xbox One X in mind.

Taking to the Xbox YouTube channel, Microsoft has begun to showcase the graphical upgrades to expect from Xbox 360 games running on Xbox One X, with footage from Halo 3's multiplayer mode.

These graphical comparisons show the extent of the upgrades, with a noticeable bump in resolution and improved textures. While at first glance these might not be drastic visual overhauls, small details will be felt over time – removing the rough edges seen on the ten-year-old title. Looking up-close at the user interface, close objects, and distant landscapes, clarity is a clear focus across the board.

What do you think of these graphical improvements? Will you be revisiting these games on Xbox One X? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft has today announced via the folks at IGN that four of its backward compatible Xbox 360 games will be enhanced for Xbox One X.

No, you didn't read that wrong.

The four lucky titles are Halo 3, Assassin's Creed, Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. All are currently available on backward compatibility and the Xbox One X enhancements will be available as a free update on November 7.

The backward compatibility program is one of Microsoft's finest recent achievements, bringing a huge range of older titles back to life on the current generation console. It's about to be joined, too, by games from the original Xbox, making three generations of Xbox games playable on the same console. You'll never have an excuse again for not having something to play.

Enhancing older games for the Xbox One X isn't something we knew was coming, but now we're left wondering how far Microsoft and its partners could go. November 7 continues to get more exciting the closer we get.

If you haven't yet pre-ordered an Xbox One X, hit the link below to get your name in for one.

See at Microsoft

Halo is making its mark in force on the backward compatibility scene today. Microsoft has added four Xbox 360-era Halo games to the Xbox One backward compatible list today, including Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST Campaign Edition, Halo 4, and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

Prior to these additions, Halo's backward compatible presence had been pretty bare, with only Halo: Reach, Halo: Spartan Assault, and Halo Ward on deck. Now, if you own the 360 titles, you can play through nearly every mainline Halo game via backward compatibility on your Xbox One. Of course, you've been able to mostly do this on Xbox One already if you picked up The Master Chief Collection. But if you opted to skip that release, now's your chance to jump back in.

Do note that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is only playable if you own the disc. All of the others are available and playable digitally, however.

• See Halo 3 at Microsoft
• See Halo 3: ODST at Microsoft
• See Halo 4 at Microsoft

Earlier this week Microsoft confirmed that Halo 5: Guardians, the latest entry to the main line of Halo games, would be receiving an update to run at 4K on the upcoming Xbox One X console. Alongside this announcement, it was also unveiled that Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo CE: Anniversary and Halo 4 would soon be playable on Xbox One, via the backward compatibility program. All Xbox 360 DLC packs related to the Halo franchise would also be made available for free, to celebrate the arrival on Xbox One.

While the backward compatible versions of the aforementioned games are still a while off, it already appears that the Halo expansion packs are free to download via the Xbox Store. Content for Halo 3, Halo 4, Halo: Reach and Halo Wars is now accessible, including map packs and cosmetic bundles. Here's a breakdown of the content for these Xbox 360 titles.

Updated July 7, 2017: It appears that one of the Halo: Reach map packs, the Noble Map Pack, still appears to be paid. Assuming this is a temporary error, we'll update this post once the pack is free.

• Halo 3 – Cold Storage Map
• Halo 3 – Heroic Map Pack
• Halo 3 – Legendary Map Pack
• Halo 3 – Mythic Map Pack
• Halo 3 – Mythic II Map Pack
• Halo Wars – Historical Battle Map Pack
• Halo Wars – Strategic Options Pack
• Halo: Reach – Defiant Map Pack
• Halo: Reach – Anniversary Map Pack
• Halo 4 – Forge Island
• Halo 4 – Champions Bundle
• Halo 4 – War Games Map Pass (Contains all 3 map packs)

It should also be noted that both Halo: Reach and Halo Wars are already backward compatible, allowing Xbox One owners to jump into the action today. Other Halo titles are set to join the program "later this year," assumedly closer to the 4K patch for Xbox One X owners.

Will you be playing the older Halo titles on Xbox One? Let us know which games you're looking forward to in the comments.

Today marks the availability of October’s second Games with Gold offering for Xbox 360 owners. From now through October 31, Xbox Live Gold members can download one of the console’s earliest hits: Halo 3 from Bungie and Microsoft Studios.

If you’ve never tried the series, this is a great chance to see what all the fuss is about. And even existing Halo fans might enjoy the wealth of new players that will be jumping online into this classic first-person shooter.

Halo 3 – Free from October 16-31

Xbox 360 – 5.7 GB – Xbox.com Store Link

Halo 3 was the first entry in the popular series of science fiction-themed first-person shooters for the Xbox 360, released all the way back in 2007. The game’s plot involves the alien Covenant race’s attack on earth, the end of the Human-Covenant War, and the final confrontation with the vicious Flood parasites. An exciting setup, though the plot itself jumps around too much to tell an effective story.

The third Halo introduced several series mainstays - most notably 4-player online co-op (2-player split-screen is still supported). Cooperative play goes a long way towards alleviating the problems with level design which still persisted at this point in the series. The Forge mode first appeared here as well, allowing players to customize maps and share them online. And of course, the mainstay 16-player online competitive multiplayer is on hand.

Halo 3 has since been succeeded by two proper sequels, Halo: Reach and Halo 4.

Downloadable Content

Like any popular online shooter, Halo 3 received its share of downloadable map packs over time. They’re not needed for cooperative multiplayer, and you can play the game’s competitive multiplayer without them too. But for the best online experience, it’s important to have the same maps as the people you like to play with. Hey, some of them are free!

The Halo 3 Map Packs include:

• Cold Storage Map – 1 map – 116 MB – Free
• Heroic Map Pack – 3 maps: Standoff, Rat’s Nest, and Foundry – 487 MB – Free
• Legendary Map Pack – 3 maps: Ghost Town, Sidewinder, and Blackout – 411 MB – $1.99
• Mythic Map Pack – 3 maps: Orbital, Assembly, and Sandbox – 328 MB – $4.99
• Mythic II Map Pack – 3 maps: Heretic, Citadel, and Longshore – 314 MB – $9.99 ($4.99 this week!)

Alternately, all of the downloadable maps are included on the second disc of Halo 3: ODST. The game itself is a standalone expansion starring a squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, who are regular humans rather than genetically enhanced Spartan soldiers.

ODST’s campaign features one of the best stories in the series (way better than Halo 3 itself) and supports 4-player online co-op. ODST also features a 4-player co-op mode called Firefight that is not found in Halo 3. Finally, the second disc contains every single Halo 3 multiplayer map and can be played without Halo 3 itself. However, the map disc can’t be installed to the hard drive.

If you prefer the Halo 3: ODST option to buying the individual map packs, it currently retails for $14.99 and goes for even less at Amazon.

Microsoft’s popular Games with Gold program for the Xbox 360 has been a popular if slightly controversial program. Each month, Xbox Live Gold subscribers receive two free downloadable Xbox 360 games to keep forever. On the other hand, the games have largely been several years old, prompting negative comparisons with Sony’s Playstation Plus program and its much larger and newer assortment of free Playstation 3 games (which players can’t keep if their subscriptions lapse).

This month’s Games with Gold include a new…ish Xbox Live Arcade game and a fairly old retail release that still holds some appeal. First up, Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes from Ubisoft is free for the first half of the month, starting today. From October 16-31, Microsoft’s own Halo 3 (one of the first Games with Gold announced back in June) will finally be free.

Details and download links after the break!

Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes – Free from October 1-15

Xbox 360 – 1.4 GB – Xbox.com Store Link

Before they made the popular Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery EP for iOS and PC or the upcoming Below for Xbox One, Capybara Games developed Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes for Xbox 360 (and later iOS). Not to be confused with the popular strategy game Clash of Clans, this one is a puzzle RPG set in the Might and Magic world.

As you move across the map and experience the fantasy story, you’ll encounter enemies and begin fast-paced puzzle battles. Attacking enemies does involve matching three of the same units, but Might and Magic: CoH’s battles are much more strategic than Puzzle Quest’s.  Both sides build little armies and construct formations to attack or defend during their turns.

Clash of Heroes also features 1-on-1 and 2-on-2 local and online multiplayer battles. Here’s a guide to the multiplayer Achievements.

Halo 3 – Free from October 16-31

Xbox 360 – 5.7 GB – Xbox.com Store Link

Halo 3 was the first entry in the popular series of science fiction-themed first-person shooters for the Xbox 360, released all the way back in 2007. The game’s plot involves the alien Covenant race’s attack on earth, the end of the Human-Covenant War, and the final confrontation with the vicious Flood parasites. An exciting setup, though the plot itself jumps around too much to tell an effective story.

The third Halo introduced several series mainstays - most notably 4-player online co-op (2-player split-screen is still supported). Cooperative play goes a long way towards alleviating the problems with level design which still persisted at this point in the series. The Forge mode first appeared here as well, allowing players to customize maps and share them online. And of course, the mainstay 16-player online competitive multiplayer is on hand.

Halo 3 has since been superseded by two proper sequels, Halo: Reach and Halo 4. But players who haven’t tried the series yet will finally have the proper excuse thanks to the Games with Gold program. I expect the multiplayer community should be reinvigorated, so make sure you hop online and give it a try!