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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I actually expected Halo Infinite to hold its ground much better. Instead, it has now dropped to number 49 on Xbox's Most Played Games list, in the U.S., while Halo: The Master Chief Collection sits comfortably at number 30. Truthfully, neither position is particularly impressive compared to the games occupying the very top spots, but Halo Infinite is free-to-play, whereas Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a paid game.

Forgive me for the rather personal tangent as I ignite the age-old debate between classic Halo versus modern Halo. As a fan, I think it's interesting to take a step back and look at how the games are performing on both Xbox and Steam, as they're really the only public metrics we have to go by, and the results genuinely surprised me.

With that in mind, it's hard not to be impressed by the sheer staying power of MCC. It’s also a similar story over on Steam, which isn’t broken down by region, but rather includes everyone playing the game. And well looking at either games 24-hour peak, we notice that Halo: MCC comfortably doubles Halo Infinite’s peak, with MCC peaking at around 5700, whilst Infinite peaks at around 2600 players.

Now, you might be wondering why I decided to dredge up this data, and it's because I think it raises an interesting question about what Halo players actually want from the franchise.

It's easy to look at these numbers and immediately jump to conclusions, but I don't think they're necessarily proof that Halo Infinite is a bad game, nor do I think they prove that classic Halo is inherently better. What they do show is that, years after launch, a collection of older Halo titles continues to attract a larger audience than the franchise's newest entry.

There are plenty of reasons why that could be the case. Halo: The Master Chief Collection offers six mainline Halo games, decades of maps, countless playlists, and multiple generations of Halo design philosophies all under one roof. Infinite, by comparison, is a single experience competing not only with MCC but with the legacy of the entire franchise.

Still, I can't help but find it fascinating that whenever Halo fans are given the choice, so many of them continue to spend their time with the older games. Whether that's nostalgia, preference for classic gameplay, the sheer volume of content, or something else entirely is up for debate, but I don't think it's a trend that's easy to dismiss.

I always like to use opportunities like this to once again beg for Halo: The Master Chief Collection to get mod support on consoles, so if anyone out there is listening, please make it happen.

Other than that, that's really all I have to say on the matter. Which Halo game do you still routinely play? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

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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

What you need to know

• The demo for Halo 2 shown during E3 2003 was one of the biggest and most iconic pieces of marketing for Bungie's beloved Xbox shooter, but since its engine was scrapped, it never got a public release.
• Over 20 years later, though, developers from Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) have collaborated with community modders to recreate the demo from the ground up using updated versions of its original assets.
• A playable version of the demo is being released as a free mod for Halo: The Master Chief Collection on the Steam Workshop on November 9 — Halo 2's 20th anniversary.
• Additionally, on November 5, Halo Infinite is getting a new Operation: Great Journey update with Halo 2-themed cosmetics, maps, a new playlist, and a weapon called the MA5K Avenger that's inspired by Halo 2's SMG.

There's only a few days left until the 20th anniversary of 2004's Halo 2 — Bungie's beloved sequel to the original sci-fi FPS that kickstarted Microsoft's flagship Xbox franchise, and one of Xbox Live's biggest early multiplayer titles. Without a doubt, it's one of the best Xbox games as well as one of the most popular and influential games of all time, and this weekend, you'll be able to play a demo of it I thought was completely lost to time.

I'm referring to Halo 2's famous E3 2003 demo that was shown to the trade event's audience a year before the game's release, and is widely considered to be one of its most memorable pieces of marketing. The demo build was created using a version of the Halo 2 engine that was scrapped during development, and as a result, it never made its way into player hands officially. However, thanks to extensive collaboration between Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) developers and dedicated community modders, it's been recreated from the ground up using updated versions of its original assets.

"Even the original executable is difficult to work with, as you need an Xbox developer kit to get it to boot, which is in increasingly short supply even within the studio. But now, in 2024, we have the Digsite-developed tools to analyze and automate up-porting old assets, and the unearthed knowledge to know why Bungie built things the way they did in the demo," said Halo senior franchise writer Kenneth Peters in a new Xbox Wire blog post. "Digsite" is the name given to the team of developers and modders that work together to restore content from older Halo games.

“Steven Garcia (known to the community as General_101) was vital ... He was a one-man army and did a significant chunk of the work in developing tools, updating scripts, and even arting the levels," Peters continued. "Digsite team members Ludus, Neo Te Aika, Sean T, xScruffyDaSasquatchx, and Killzone then provided finishing touches ... Without them, we would probably have only had a rather unceremonious drop of raw assets and that was it."

A playable version of the demo is scheduled to come to Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) — a bundle of all the pre-Xbox One Halo FPS games updated with modern features and improvements — on November 9, which is Halo 2's 20th birthday. It's being added as a free Steam Workshop mod, which unfortunately means you won't be able to check it out if you play on an Xbox console or through the Microsoft Store on Windows (and by extension, that means no Xbox Game Pass access, either). The good news, though, is that the Halo 2 portion of the MCC can be purchased separate from the rest of the game for $10 on Steam, which should be all you need for the mod to work. Notably, the MCC also goes on sale frequently, so it's not too hard to get all of it for less than its $40 MSRP.

The demo itself features a short campaign level that never made it to Halo 2's full release, though its similarities to the missions Outskirts and Metropolis will be strikingly apparent to fans of the game. In it, Master Chief and a squad of ODSTs arrive in the city of New Mombasa on Earth to help UNSC Marines repel Covenant invaders, holding out until air support arrives and then leading a Warthog charge through the streets. From a gameplay perspective, it looks almost identical to regular Halo 2, though it does have a few noteworthy quirks; namely, the Battle Rifle is single-shot instead of burst fire, Ghost vehicles don't seem to be able to boost, and the Gauss Warthog can shoot terrifyingly fast.

Admittedly, this isn't really a huge release or anything, but even so, I'm looking forward to experiencing this relic from Halo's history after seeing it dozens of times over the years. I've always thought it looked fun to play, and love some of its cool moments like bombers blowing up Covenant artillery cannons and Brutes jumping from their dropships to hijack vehicles.

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Halo Studios' celebration of Halo 2's legacy doesn't stop with the release of this demo, by the way. On Tuesday, November 5, the live-service Xbox and Windows PC shooter Halo Infinite is getting an Operation: Great Journey update that features content inspired by the beloved classic. This includes several themed cosmetics and a new weapon inspired by Halo 2's SMG called the MA5K Avenger that operates as a close-range alternative to the regular Assault Rifle, along with a special new 4v4 multiplayer playlist called Delta Arena.

Delta Arena features seven remakes of fan-favorite Halo 2 maps (Ascension, Turf, Lockout, Warlock, Midship, Sanctuary, Beaver Creek) made by talented community Forgers, along with custom settings to make Halo Infinite's gameplay feel as close to Halo 2 as possible. Notable tweaks include disabled sprint, enabled collision with allied players, 120% jump height, and the inclusion of the new Avenger as the weapon you spawn with (try and track down a Battle Rifle ASAP).

I got a chance to play some Delta Arena early (along with PvE Firefight in third-person, which is also coming with Operation: Great Journey) last week, and greatly enjoyed my time in the playlist. If you were a big fan of Halo 2 multiplayer back in the day, definitely make sure you check it out once it's live in Halo Infinite tomorrow. Note that Halo Infinite multiplayer itself is free-to-play, and that its campaign is playable through Game Pass.

What you need to know

• Intel released new graphics drivers for its Arc GPUs recently.
• The driver updates fix several issues with Starfield, Alan Wake 2, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and World Ward Z.
• Intel generally releases about two Arc driver updates per month, which helps keep its cards compatible with the latest games.

The latest Intel Arc drivers fix issues with several of the most popular PC games. Starfield, Alan Wake 2, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and World War Z all perform better following the update. The drivers started rolling out on November 13, 2023, so you should see them on your PC now.

Intel ships driver updates about once every two weeks, which helps ensure game compatibility. Intel Arc graphics are still relatively new, so it's important for the company to ship updates frequently to keep up with NVIDIA and AMD.

If you want to play Alan Wake 2 but haven't purchased it yet, you should check out Razer's holiday deals that get you a free copy of the game with select accessories.

Here is everything that's fixed with the latest driver updates, as well as the known issues, shared by Tom's Hardware:

Intel Arc Drivers: Fixed Issues

• Starfield* (DX12) may exhibit flickering color corruption in the sky during night scenes.
• Alan Wake 2* (DX12) may exhibit corruptions on water and reflective surfaces.
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection* (DX11) may experience lower than expected performance with the Xbox* Game Pass version.
• World War Z* (DX11) may experience lower than expected performance with the Epic Games* Store version.

Intel Arc Drivers: Known Issues

• Ghostrunner 2* (DX11) may experience sporadic application crash during gameplay.
• Total War: PHARAOH* (DX11) may exhibit corruption after changing resolution in game on certain displays.
• Starfield* (DX12) may exhibit corruption when using Dynamic Resolution Scaling. A workaround is to change the Render Resolution Scale slider value.
• Dead by Daylight* (DX11) may experience an application crash during gameplay.
• Topaz Video AI* may experience errors when using some models for video enhancement.

Intel Xe Drivers: Known Issues

• Driver installation may not complete successfully on certain notebook systems with both Intel® Iris™ Xe + Iris™ Xe MAX devices. A system reboot and re-installation of the graphics driver may be required for successful installation.

Intel Core Processors: Known Issues

• Dragon Quest X Online* (DX9) may experience sporadic application crash during gameplay.

What you need to know

• Cursed Halo is a mod for Halo: The Master Chief Collection that turns Halo: Combat Evolved into a nonsensical nightmare with overpowered, unpredictable, and chaotic changes to the game's weapons and vehicles.
• Its creator, InfernoPlus, has released a new version of the mod called Cursed Halo Again that adds several new bizarre enemy types, cutscenes, random effects, and even a "Halo Kart Grand Prix" racing mode in the middle of the campaign.
• The mod can only be installed on the PC version of the game, but it's compatible with both the Steam and Microsoft Store variants.

Ever since its release back in 2019, the Cursed Halo mod by YouTuber InfernoPlus has stood out as one of the wildest mod projects available for the Windows PC version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Compared to other game overhauls that try to curate a balanced gameplay experience with sensible tweaks, Cursed Halo throws everything you know about Halo: Combat Evolved out of the window. It hilariously turns every weapon and vehicle in the game into something that's absurdly overpowered, completely useless, or wildly unpredictable.

I didn't think it was possible for InfernoPlus to make something wackier and more chaotic than Cursed Halo, but he's surprised me with the arrival of Cursed Halo Again. This new version of the mod adds several new nonsensical weapon and grenade effects, and also includes new bizarre cutscenes, animations, and other features.

To give you an idea of what to expect from the update, you can now unlock several "suit upgrades" for Master Chief, such as a karate kick move that sends enemies flying and four Magnum pistols duct-taped to his feet that give you a double jump. Additionally, there are a variety of new enemy types, including "Covenantcraft" troops that wield Minecraft weapons and shields, a new Covenant "RGB Special Forces Unit" with rainbow-colored armor, hordes of Grunts that ride miniature Warthogs, and even some baddies that utilize a version of the Toolgun from Garry's Mod. Also, the famous "D20 Frag Grenades" that had 40 possible random outcomes in the original version of the mod now have over 90, with effects ranging from a flood of Minecraft splash potions to nuclear explosions that instantly vaporize everyone and everything in the level.

The craziest addition to Cursed Halo with the new release, though, is what InfernoPlus calls the "Halo Kart Grand Prix." In the middle of the campaign, you'll be tasked with competing in a Mario Kart-style five-race tournament, complete with item pickups, custom-made driving AI, and two special cutscenes. InfernoPlus goes over the Halo Kart Grand Prix and every other aspect of the mod in the above video.

If you're interested in playing Cursed Halo Again, you can do so by following the download and installation instructions on InfernoPlus' Patreon (make sure you read the known issues and bugs section, too). Note that using mods for Halo: The Master Chief Collection is easier than it has ever been on Steam, as the recent addition of Steam Workshop support allows players to install them with just one click. Unfortunately, a manual installation is needed if you use the Microsoft Store version of the game or play through Game Pass, but it's not difficult to perform.

Whether you want to experience this insane mod or not, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is worth picking up. For $40, you get full access to every mode from Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4, as well as the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo 2: Anniversary remasters. Undoubtedly, it's one of the best PC games for fans of story-driven campaigns and arena shooter gameplay.

What you need to know

• While Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been partially playable on Steam Deck since the device launched, an issue with the game's anti-cheat has prevented Steam Deck users from accessing multiplayer and the Custom Games Browser.
• A new update for the game has resolved this issue, allowing players on Valve's handheld to access The Master Chief Collection's full suite of multiplayer content.
• In the update's official support post, the game's developers have also committed to releasing updates that "improve Steam Deck compatibility" in the future.

While Halo: The Master Chief Collection has always been partially playable on Steam Deck, users of Valve's handheld gaming PC have been locked out of multiplayer matchmaking and the Custom Games Browser due to issues with the game's Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) solution. Now, though, a new update has made the MCC's anti-cheat fully compatible with Steam Deck, finally allowing users of the system to jump in and experience classic Halo multiplayer.

Additionally, in an official support post for the update, the developers have also stated that "future updates for MCC will continue to improve Steam Deck compatibility as well." With any luck, these patches will improve the game's performance and stability on Valve's handheld.

Notably, the update has shipped with some known issues that might affect your in-game experience. We've listed them below:

• When launching Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam Deck, selecting one of the available Anti-Cheat launch options will result in the game launching with the opposite launch option. For example, selecting “Anti-Cheat Disabled” will result in MCC launching with Anti-Cheat enabled.
  • Until this issue is resolved in a future update, players on Steam Deck must select the “Anti-Cheat Disabled” launch option to access multiplayer matchmaking and the Custom Game Browser.
• Shortly after being removed from or leaving a party with other players via the Roster menu, players on Steam Deck may experience Halo: The Master Chief Collection freezing or crashing.
• Players on Steam Deck are unable to play Campaign Co-op or Spartan Ops with players on PC or Xbox consoles. Attempting to do so may result in players accessing gameplay, however, all sessions will eventually experience a “Connection Interrupted” error or a similar disconnection.
  • Campaign Co-op and Spartan Ops will function as expected if all players in the group are playing on Steam Deck.

It's also important to note that when you sign into the game on Steam Deck and are prompted to sign into a Microsoft account, the game won't automatically pull up the handheld's on-screen keyboard. You'll need to manually do it by pressing the Steam button + X.

If you don't already have Halo: The Master Chief Collection, we highly recommend picking it up. For just $40, it gives you full access to every mode from Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4, as well as the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo 2: Anniversary remasters. On top of that, you can also unlock brand new cosmetics that weren't in the original games by completing gameplay challenges and earning "Spartan Points," spicing up the look of the games you know and love. Undoubtedly, it's one of the best Xbox games of all time, and it's phenomenal on PC too.

What you need to know

• Halo: The Master Chief Collection is set to receive its next content update on August 31, as announced via a new blog post from 343 Industries.
• The update includes expanded customization via new armor sets for Halo 2: Anniversary, while post-match screens now include poses, with customizable options available for players to acquire.
• Bandana and Acrophobia skulls have also been added to Halo: Reach.
• The update also introduces a variety of smaller refinements to the six-title project, including expanded mod support on PC.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection will soon receive a slew of new content, the first since April's Flood to Firefight update, with sprawling additions to the shooter compilation.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection saw seasonal support for the game end with Halo Infinite's release in 2021, shifting the focus to unscheduled updates. The developer has now outlined its latest assortment of changes headed to the title, set for release on Aug. 31 on Xbox and PC.

Highlights include new armor retroactively added to Halo 2: Anniversary. Named Breach, Megaframe, Trooper, Panzerdoll, and Bioroid, 343 Industries has provided a closer look and the new unlocks in-game.

The coming update will bring two new skulls to Halo: Reach; Bandana and Acrophobia. The two modifiers will be available for selection in the campaign lobby for both single-player and co-op.

The Bandana skull, first seen in Halo: Combat Evolved, will grant players unlimited ammo when reloading or throwing grenades. Although, do note that the unlimited ammo reloads only applies to Kinetic weaponry. The name and ability of this skull are a throwback to the famous bandana worn by Snake in the Metal Gear Solid Franchise (which in turn is an homage to Rambo and his seemingly unending ammo supply).

In contrast to its name, Acrophobia allows players to fly at any time, without needing a vehicle. Players can hold down the jump button and then can float off through the map and instill a fear of heights in any unlucky grunts they encounter. This skull was first introduced in Halo: The Master Chief Collection and was unlockable within the Halo 3 campaign. As with most skulls, achievements progression will be disabled whilst active.

The update also plans to roll out various quality-of-life updates to the wider Master Chief Collection experience. The Options and Career screen hasn't been updated since 2014 but now sees a full rebuild in this update. Each sub-menu now includes a preview panel with further information and access to your roster. There is also now no need to leave your squad to access the Exchange and you can do so from the updated screen.

The update also introduces the ability to bulk unlock tier rewards. This lets you choose between unlocking all of the selected tier and its preceding tier rewards or even bulk unlocking the entire Series with a nifty "Unlock All" button. In addition, the process of unlocking an item has been made at least 30% faster by some background fixes, according to the studio.

With new unlocks now being added to the Exchange rather than a new series, the main menu's preview widget has been updated to display information from the Exchange by default. If players wish to see their progress towards a series of rewards, they can simply "pin" it to the menu.

Following this update, fixes will also now be implemented automatically to all players without requiring them to relaunch the game. If parameters for matchmaking are changed, the player receives a notification and is simply required to exit matchmaking without a full restart. This should improve matchmaking as a whole, especially when features like "Quick Resume" are in play.

To read more on Halo: Master Chief Collection's next update, including more on fixes from April's patch, you can see the full blog post here ahead of its scheduled August 31 release.

What you need to know

• Many games have content cut from the final product before release, never to be seen by the public or gaming community.
• On Wednesday, 343 Industries announced that it's working to recover some of the content cut from the original Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2.
• With the help of community modders and the "Digsite" team, 343i is going to bring this content to Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC.
• This cut content includes restored vehicles, weapons, player models, NPCs and enemies, maps, and more.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection combines the best of six different Halo titles into one ultimate experience, all available on modern Xbox and PC platforms. However, there's plenty of content that was cut from each of these games before they ever released, which is a common tale for practically every video game ever made. Most of the time, this content never sees the light of the day. For Halo: MCC players, this may not be the case.

On Wednesday, 343 Industries revealed that it's working to restore content cut from Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. This "Cutting Room Floor" would bring this newly restored content to Halo: MCC on PC, and allow modders to further change and update the content to their heart's content. 343i isn't doing this alone, either, as its Digsite Team is working with noted community modders to bring all of it to life.

The opening introduction to the Cutting Room Floor reveals a ton of the cut content that is being restored to The Master Chief Collection in the near future, and the list is extensive. 343i is working with the original source files of Halo: CE and Halo 2, brought over from the days of Bungie, to breathe life into forgotten vehicles, weapons, character models, NPCs and enemies, campaign maps and locations, effects and sounds, and more.

Players will be able to experience lost vehicles like the Kestrel, original Spectre, the infamous Piglet, and many more. There's also a veritable arsenal of forgotten weapons like the needler minigun, alternative plasma pistol, plasma rifle, and SMG variants, the shovel sniper rifle, and beyond. Not everything 343i is working on will find its way into Halo: MCC, but the goal is to restore as much cut content as possible using Halo's official editing kits, and to let the wider modding community get their hands on it as well as general players.

The content that 343i showed off doesn't have a defined release date, yet, but the studio promises it's coming sooner rather than later. In its next update, it'll bring on some of the community modders that are helping to make it happen. It's awesome to see Halo: The Master Chief Collection continue to evolve as one of the best PC games, even after the release of Halo Infinite.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that it may add purchasable "Spartan Points" to Halo: Master Chief Collection in the future.
• These "Spartan Points" are renamed Season Points that exist in the game currently, and they allow players to unlock cosmetics in Halo: MCC.
• If implemented, 343 Industries says that these microtransactions would be additive and that they would not affect how players can currently earn points by leveling up and completing in-game challenges.
• The developer confirmed that it would have more information to share in a future update.

In the latest Halo Community Update, developer 343 Industries has announced that in the future, it may introduce a purchasable currency to Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Halo: MCC) in the form of "Spartan Point" microtransactions. With the studio moving away from seasonal updates for the game, it has plans to rename Halo: MCC's Season Points — the currency that players can earn and use to unlock cosmetics — to Spartan Points. When this happens, a way to directly purchase Spartan Points may also be added.

In the blog post, it was stressed that if these microtransactions are implemented, they would strictly be an additive feature, and that the studio is "happy with the current system of how players earn Spartan Points, by completing challenges and levelling up through play." The purchasable Spartan Points would simply give fans a quick and direct way to unlock more customization items they don't have yet, allowing them to skip the leveling process. 

It's good to hear that these microtransactions wouldn't affect how effectively players can unlock Season/Spartan Points in Halo: MCC currently, and that they'll have zero impact on the actual gameplay experience itself. However, some players have argued that instead of adding microtransactions, the studio should make the process of leveling easier and less grindy if they want fans to be able to get unlocks faster. 343 Industries communicated that it would have more to share about purchasable Spartan Points in the future, so hopefully we'll learn more about the developer's reasoning soon.

Halo: MCC is available now on Xbox and PC, and since it combines all of the main pre-Xbox One era Halo games (as well as Halo 2: Anniversary) into one package, it's one of the best Xbox games you can get today in terms of value. The developers have also added additional content to the collection post-launch, including new maps, new armor sets, weapon skins, and more.

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.

What you need to know

• Modders have added a 2001 Chevy Tahoe SUV to Halo 3.
• This mod was created after the vehicle was spotted in the official trailer for the Halo TV series and became a meme.
• The mod replaces the Warthog in Halo 3's last level by default, but it also allows players to add the vehicle to other levels as well.

Recently, the official trailer for the highly-anticipated Halo TV series debuted on CBS ahead of the show's expected Mar. 24, 2022 release on the Paramount+ streaming service. The trailer prominently featured Spartans, the Covenant, and more — including an inconspicuous beige 2001 Chevy Tahoe SUV that was spotted in the background of a fight between Master Chief and a squad of Covenant Elites.

The Chevy's presence was quickly noticed by amused Halo fans on social media, with many of them wondering what a vehicle from the early 2000's era was doing in a setting 500 years in the future. Since then, the SUV has become something of a meme in the Halo community, and many have created comical images that show the vehicle placed within in-game cutscenes. But what if we, in the shoes of the Master Chief, could drive the vehicle in-game ourselves?

That's where the "Chevrolet Tahoe - Tags and Warthog Run" mod from creator AWEIRDOGRUNT comes in. This mod adds a fully custom vehicle with working suspension, lights, and animations to Halo 3 on PC (through the Master Chief Collection). By default, the mod replaces the Warthog that players normally use to complete Halo 3's famous Warthog run ending, but players can also add the Chevy Tahoe into other levels by dragging and dropping the rest of the mod's contents into their game's installation folder. The mod creator provides full instructions on the mod page, so make sure you read up.

Hilariously, the SUV doesn't just seat Master Chief and Arbiter. It also has room for up to four Covenant Grunts to hop in the back as well, which is perfect for times when you have a burning desire to go on a joyride with the little guys. Just make sure you drive carefully; aliens probably won't wear their seatbelts.

Halo: 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 complete package that includes brand new cosmetic unlocks and gameplay features. It's easily one of the best PC games available, and we can't recommend it enough.

What you need to know

• Microsoft and 343 Industries have shut down the Xbox 360 matchmaking servers for Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4.
• These games are still playable, but are now missing some features, including File Share, Challenges, and Player Customization.
• Multiplayer for all affected games remains playable through Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC).

Microsoft and 343 Industries have shut down the matchmaking multiplayer servers for the mainline Xbox 360-era Halo games, including Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 (as well as Firefight matchmaking for Halo 3: ODST). Additionally, a number of other services have been sunset as well, including File Share in all of the aforementioned games as well as Service Records, Player Customization, and Challenges in Halo: Reach and Halo 4.

In the days and hours leading up to the closure of the servers, many Halo fans flocked back to these titles and entered matchmaking for one last time. Some helped fellow fans get their final missing achievements, while others simply made truces with the enemy and posed for large group screenshots. Many also filled Custom Games lobbies and played classic custom Halo modes like Duck Hunt (thankfully, Custom Games and non-matchmade Firefight lobbies are still available since they use a peer-to-peer connection).

Halo 3 and Halo: Reach in particular were some of the most popular online shooter games during their heyday, and many players consider the period between 2007-2011 — the years in which Halo 3 and Halo: Reach were at the height of their popularity — to be a golden age for multiplayer gaming. Halo 3: ODST's Firefight mode was also praised for being one of the best PvE horde modes ever made, and Halo 4 was arguably, graphics-wise, the most impressive shooter on the Xbox 360.

It's truly sad to see support for these legendary games go, but at least matchmaking for these titles lives on 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 complete package that includes brand new cosmetic unlocks and gameplay features (you can turn these off if you'd like, allowing you to experience a more authentic version of these games). It's easily one of the best Xbox shooters available, and we can't recommend it enough.

What you need to know

• Halo: MCC is getting a special 20th Anniversary update that adds several cosmetics inspired by the franchise's history.
• Some of the new items that will be available include the armor Master Chief wore during Halo's 1999 reveal, Xbox-themed armor accessories, a Grunt Plush backpack, and more.
• The new items will be released over the course of November, December, and the beginning of January. All of them will be available with Season Points that can be earned by completing matches and finishing challenges.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced that special 20th Anniversary update is coming soon to Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Halo: MCC) as part of the studio's celebration of 20 years of Halo. Unlike previous updates to the game that have added large quantities of content at once, the developers are adding several new cosmetics inspired by Halo's franchise history throughout the months of November, December, and the start of January in 2022. These items will be available in the in-game Exchange store for Season Points that can be earned by completing matches and finishing daily and weekly challenges.

Some of the cosmetics you'll be able to earn include an armor backpack called "The Beast" that looks like an original Xbox console, shoulder plates that look like Duke controllers, a special Orion armor set that looks identical to the armor seen in the original 1999 Halo reveal, a Grunt Plush backpack, several Xbox-themed weapon skins, and more. Check out the images below for a peek at the upcoming content:

343 Industries has also detailed exactly when each piece of new content will be available in the MCC. You can view the release schedule for everything below. Note that while these cosmetics will eventually leave the Exchange store, the developers have confirmed that they'll eventually rotate back in at later dates.

• November 3, 2021: "Orion" Armor Set (Helmet, Chest, Shoulders, Arms, Legs) for Halo 2: Anniversary
• November 10, 2021: The Beast Back Accessory and Duke Shoulders for Halo 3
• November 17, 2021: OG Xbox Assault Rifle Skin for Halo 3
• November 24, 2021: Semi-Powered Infiltration "Mirage" Armor (Helmet, Chest, Shoulders, Arms, Legs) for Halo 3
• December 1, 2021: OG Xbox Battle Rifle Skin and Rucksack Back Accessory for Halo 3
• December 8, 2021: Hydration Container Utility Item for Halo: Reach
• December 15, 2021: Fronkbox Back Accessory, Duke Shoulders, and OG Xbox Sniper Rifle skin for Halo 3
• December 22, 2021: Grunt Plush and X-Pack Back Accessories and the OG Xbox Magnum Skin for Halo 3
• December 29, 2021: OG Xbox Shotgun and SPNKr Skin for Halo 3
• January 5, 2022: The first return of the "Orion" armor set for Halo 2: Anniversary

Halo: MCC is definitely one of the best Xbox shooters available right now, so it's great to see the game get some additional content that celebrates Halo's incredible legacy. The game is available for $40 on both Xbox and PC, and if you're looking for something to play until Halo Infinite arrives, Halo: MCC won't disappoint.

What you need to know

• Halo: MCC Season 8 has gone live for all players on Xbox and PC.
• The season brings new history and mythology-inspired armor sets for Halo 3, a new Halo 3 map, and several improvements and additions to Halo 3: ODST Firefight.
• This is the final season for Halo: MCC, but the game will continue to get content and maintenance updates in the future.

Halo: MCC Season 8 (dubbed Mythic), the final season that Halo developer 343 Industries is releasing for the game, is now live on Xbox and PC. The new season features several new armor sets for Halo 3 (the helmets are also usable in Halo: Reach) inspired by ancient warriors from history and mythology, and there are also several new skins for weapons and vehicles as well. Additionally, a new urban-style map for Halo 3 called Icebox is also available to play on, and Halo 3: ODST's Firefight mode has been expanded with customization options that give it parity with Halo: Reach Firefight.

The developers were originally planning to add Elites and the Flood to Halo 3: ODST Firefight, but these additions aren't quite ready yet and will be introduced into the MCC at a later date. Notably, though, you can now choose to fight waves of Forerunner Sentinels.

While Halo: MCC Season 8 is the last season that the developers are making, it has been confirmed that Halo: MCC will continue to get updates in the future that add in new pieces of content, introduce new features, and fix bugs, glitches, and other issues encountered by players. These updates will come on a "ready when it's ready" basis.

Ultimately, everything in Halo: MCC Season 8 sounds awesome; I'm particularly excited to try out the new and improved Halo 3: ODST Firefight. Also, even though seasonal updates are over, it's still a good idea to sign up for the Halo Insider Program. You may be able to help the developers test new MCC content in the future, but you'll also have a chance to play the Halo Infinite beta as well. Halo Infinite could end up being one of the best Xbox shooters, so we recommend signing up for a chance to play it before it launches on Dec. 8, 2021.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that Halo: MCC Season 8 is launching on Oct. 13, 2021.
• The season will bring new history and mythology-inspired armor sets for Halo 3, a new Halo 3 map, and improvements to Halo 3: ODST Firefight.
• This will be the final season for Halo: MCC, but the game will continue to get content and maintenance updates in the future.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced that Halo: MCC Season 8, dubbed "Mythic," is slated to launch on Oct. 13, 2021. The new season will offer players a chance to earn several armor sets, weapon skins, and vehicle skins for Halo 3 that are inspired by history, mythology, and fantasy, and a new Halo 3 map called Icebox is also being added as well. Lastly, Halo 3: ODST Firefight is getting some improvements and additional options for fighting Elites and the Flood.

According to a previous statement from the developers, Season 8 will be the final content season for Halo: MCC since Halo Infinite is launching on Dec. 8. 343 Industries has confirmed that the game will get content and maintenance updates in the future, but that they will come on a "ready when it's ready" basis.

Overall, the final MCC season also seems like it's going to be one of its best. And while Halo: MCC won't have seasonal updates anymore moving forward, it's still a good idea to sign up for the Halo Insider Program. Not only will you be able to potentially help 343 Industries test new additions to the MCC in the future, but you'll also have a chance to play the Halo Infinite beta as well. Halo Infinite could end up being one of the best Xbox shooters, so we recommend signing up so you can give it a shot.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that it plans to halt seasonal updates to Halo: MCC once Halo Infinite launches.
• Explaining this decision, the developers said that trying to keep two games updated with content on a seasonal basis is not ideal for the studio.
• Halo: MCC will still receive content, feature, and stability updates in the future, but on a "ready when it's ready" basis.
• Additionally, it was announced that the Halo: MCC Season 8 coming in Fall 2021 is the game's final update for the year.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a new blog post that once Halo Infinite launches on Dec. 8, 2021, seasonal updates for Halo: MCC will stop as the studio shifts its focus to the new title. In the post, the developers explain that keeping both games updated with seasonal updates and content offerings is not ideal for the studio. Therefore, 343 Industries is adopting a new approach.

Under this new plan, Halo Infinite will receive seasonal updates while content, feature, and stability updates for Halo: MCC will "land when they're ready based on development status and studio roadmap alignment." The developers have confirmed that future updates will continue to be free for all players.

The post also confirms that the release of Halo MCC: Season 8 later this Fall will mark the final official update for the game that's coming this year. This new update is expected to include a brand new Halo 3 map as well as several new "out there" armor sets for Halo 3 inspired by mythology and fantasy. You can basically make Spartans look like Skyrim characters with the new gear, which is something we definitely haven't been able to say about Halo customization before. The Season 8 update is also expected to include fixes for several MCC bugs and exploits.

Overall, it's a bummer to hear that seasonal updates for the MCC are ending, although the game has had an incredible Great Journey in 2020 and 2021. It's one of the best Xbox shooters available, and you should definitely check it out if you haven't already.

In a new blog post, the developers at 343 Industries showed off some of the new armor sets coming to Halo: The Master Chief Collection in Season 8 (officially dubbed "Mythic"), and they're quite, uh...interesting.

The developers wanted to draw inspiration from ancient civilizations and mythology for Season 8: Mythic, and as such, almost every single armor set being added in Season 8 looks like it has no place being in a Halo game. Some of the armors include Norse mythology sets that look straight out of a Skyrim playthrough, Greek hoplite helmets complete with ornate red crests, and face-shaped helmets reminiscent of protection worn by Roman legionaries. There are also some very edgy skull helmets, including one particularly comical set that basically lets you cosplay as Taskmaster from Black Widow. Have a look at some of the armors below:

According to the developers, the armor sets will be available for Halo 3 customization only, although it was noted that each armor set's helmet will also be usable in Halo: Reach. In terms of how to obtain these cosmetics, It's likely that these armors will be unlocked by completing the Halo: MCC Season 8 Battle Pass (free to all players), as this is how players have had to unlock new items in the past. Players can progress through the Battle Pass by playing matches and completing challenges.

Many of these armor sets break away from the traditional styling of Halo titles, a decision likely polarizing among players. There's a toggle that you can use in the MCC to visibly replace cosmetics like these with default Spartans if preferred. Overall, what do you think of the upcoming armor sets? Are you looking forward to trying them out when the Halo: MCC Season 8 flight begins next week?

If you don't have the MCC, it combines all of the pre-Xbox One Halo games into one and upgrades them with modern features like UHD 4K support, 120 FPS support, adjustable FOV, and more for just $40. This makes it one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and a game that you shouldn't overlook. On PC, the game has been played by over 10 million people, making it one of the most popular sci-fi games on the platform right now.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that Halo: MCC Season 8's first test flight will begin next week, barring any complications.
• The flight will include a new Halo 3 map, new Firefight options for Halo 3: ODST, new cosmetics for Halo 3 and Halo: Reach, accessibility options, and more.
• To have a chance at being invited to the flight, you need to be a Halo Insider.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a new blog post that the first test flight for Halo: MCC Season 8 is slated to begin at some point next week, although complications could push this date back.

In this flight, the developers are looking to test a large variety of what will be officially available when Season 8 launches. This includes the new Halo 3 map Icebox (which itself was originally a Halo Online remake of the Halo 2 map Turf), a Custom Games Browser for Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 3 and additional CGB options, the return of the classic Halo: Combat Evolved HUD, new armor pieces and skins for weapons and vehicles in Halo 3 and Halo: Reach, accessibility features such as additional subtitle options and color blind modes, Steam linking on your player profile so you can see Steam friends in-game, and more.

A large addition in Season 8 that's also being tested in this flight is the introduction of several per-wave customization options for Halo 3: ODST Firefight. These options will allow players to curate specific types of Firefight missions much like what's possible in Halo: Reach, which will no doubt make the horde mode significantly more replayable and interesting. The developers also teased the arrival of the Flood in Halo 3: ODST Firefight in the blog post in a screenshot, though the Flood won't be in the flight itself.

Overall, it looks like Halo: MCC Season 8 is going to be an excellent season, and we're looking forward to testing many of its additions next week when the flight (hopefully) goes live. Are you signed up for the Halo Insider Program so that you have a chance to be invited to the flight? Let us know. If you haven't signed up yet, make sure you do, as being a Halo Insider is required for a chance to play the Halo Infinite beta as well. Keep an eye on our coverage of the Halo Infinite beta schedule as well so that you know when each test of the game is expected to occur.

If you don't have the MCC, I highly recommend getting it as it combines all of the pre-Xbox One Halo games into one and upgrades them with modern features like UHD 4K support, 120 FPS support, adjustable FOV, and more for just $40. This makes it one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and a game that you definitely shouldn't overlook. On PC, the game has been played by over 10 million people, making it one of the most popular sci-fi games on the platform right now.

With the official launch of Season 7 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC), there are now dozens of brand new items available to earn in the (free) Season 7: Elite season pass. To earn the new unlocks, you'll need to play campaign levels or multiplayer matches and complete challenges. This will net you experience, which is then used to rank up your season pass and make each item in it unlockable. At that point, all you need to do is spend a season point (earned from challenges and season pass rankups) to unlock each new item.

Here's a look at everything on offer for Season 7: Elite, including all of the season pass rewards as well as the unique timed and challenge-specific items available outside of the pass.

Halo: MCC Season 7 rewards: Tiers 1-25

• Tier 1: Bloodblade Energy Sword Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 2: Mark V Helmet (Halo 4)
• Tier 3: General Elite Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 4: Keepward Elite Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 5: Ossoona Elite Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 6: Red Shift Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 7: Scion Elite Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 8: Mausoleum Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 9: GEN2 UMBER Tech Suit (Halo 3)
• Tier 10: Seneschal Elite Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 11: Mr. Leet Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 12: Keepward Elite Chestplate (Halo 3)
• Tier 13: EDGEWORK Magnum Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 14: Artisan Elite Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 15: Blue Shift Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 16: Mark V Chestplate (Halo 4)
• Tier 17: Supercombine Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 18: Ricochet Helmet, Ricochet Helmet HOME TEAM Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 19: RIPTIDE Assault Rifle Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 20: Speaking Truth Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 21: Ossoona Elite Chestplate (Halo 3)
• Tier 22: GEN2 ARMY GREEN Tech Suit (Halo 3)
• Tier 23: General Elite Chestplate (Halo 3)
• Tier 24: BLOOD Magnum Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 25: PESTILENCE Armor Effect (Halo 4)

Halo: MCC Season 7 rewards: Tiers 26-50

• Tier 26: Assault Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 27: Seneschal Elite Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 28: Pixel Flair Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 29: BONES DMR Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 30: Ricochet Chestplate (Halo 4)
• Tier 31: Accord Elite Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 32: Strike Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 33: Mark V Arms (Halo 4)
• Tier 34: Artisan Elite Chestplate (Halo 3)
• Tier 35: CHILL Storm Rifle Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 36: Prefect Helmet (Halo 4)
• Tier 37: Scion Elite Chestplate (Halo 3)
• Tier 38: Swords of Sanghelios Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 39: Accord Elite Chestplate (Halo 3)
• Tier 40: Heat of Battle Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 41: General Elite Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 42: Ossoona Elite Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 43: Inclement Weather Armor Effect (Halo 4)
• Tier 44: Seneschal Elite Chestplate (Halo 3)
• Tier 45: Mark V Legs (Halo 4)
• Tier 46: Necroplasma Energy Sword Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 47: Prefect Chestplate (Halo 4)
• Tier 48: Accord Elite Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 49: Green Shift Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 50: Ricochet Arms (Halo 4)

Halo: MCC Season 7 rewards: Tiers 51-75

• Tier 51: Artisan Elite Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 52: Keepward Elite Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 53: Wrequiem Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 54: Seneschal Elite Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 55: Mark V Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 4)
• Tier 56: Prefect Arms (Halo 4)
• Tier 57: Ricochet Legs (Halo 4)
• Tier 58: Ossoona Elite Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 59: Gradient & Palmer Nameplates (Player profile)
• Tier 60: Scion Elite Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 61: Ricochet Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 4)
• Tier 62: Heart Attack Armor Effect (Halo 4)
• Tier 63: Keepward Elite Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 64: Prefect Legs (Halo 4)
• Tier 65: Ossoona Elite Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 3)
• Tier 66: Artisan Elite Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 67: EDGEWORK Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 68: ODST Helmet (Halo 4)
• Tier 69: Unlikely Allies Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 70: Seneschal Elite Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 3)
• Tier 71: Birthday Party Armor Effect (Halo 4)
• Tier 72: Mandible Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 73: Artisan Elite Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 3)
• Tier 74: MAW Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 75: Keepward Elite Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 3)

Halo: MCC Season 7 rewards: Tiers 76-100

• Tier 76: Accord Elite Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 77: Prefect Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 4)
• Tier 78: CONCRETE DMR Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 79: PIXEL Magnum Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 80: ODST Chestplate (Halo 4)
• Tier 81: MAW Magnum Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 82: Scion Elite Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 83: REFRACTIVE Suppressor Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 84: Legendary Armor Effect (Halo 4)
• Tier 85: ENGAGE Covenant Carbine Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 86: General Elite Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 87: PIXEL Assault Rifle Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 88: ODST Arms (Halo 4)
• Tier 89: Icons Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 90: Scion Elite Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 3)
• Tier 91: General Elite Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 3)
• Tier 92: EDGEWORK DMR Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 93: Revolution Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 95: Accord Elite Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 3)
• Tier 96: PIXEL DMR Skin (Halo 4)
• Tier 97: ODST Left & Right Shoulder (Halo 4)
• Tier 98: GEN2 SLATE GREY Tech Suit (Halo 3)
• Tier 99: Mark of Legends Animated Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 100: Eternal Armor Effect (Halo 4)

Halo: MCC Season 7 rewards: Challenge rewards

In addition to the standard season pass rewards, there are also some special rewards that players can only obtain by completing specific gameplay challenges while playing. Note that these unlocks must be earned during Season 7. Here's a look at each of the challenges you'll need to complete to get all of these items, as well as the unlocks themselves:

• Elite Swordplay: Complete the "Nice Slice" and "Keep Killer" challenges. "Nice Slice" requires you to earn 343 points with an energy sword during Season 7, while "Keep Killer" requires you to kill 500 high-ranking Elites in Campaign or Spartan Ops on Normal difficulty or higher. Completing this challenge unlocks the Evocoti's Edge Energy Sword skin for Halo 3 (pictured above).
• Nightcrawler: Complete the "Bedtime Stories" and "Caesar Dressing" challenges. "Bedtime Stories" requires you to complete seven night Campaign missions on Heroic difficulty or harder, and "Caesar Dressing" requires you to get 343 assassination kills. As a reward, you'll get the Tinted Smoke Tech Suit for your Halo 3 Spartan.

• Nightcrawler: Complete the "Brain Burst" and "Quattro King" challenges. "Brain Burst" requires you to get 500 headshots in matchmade games, while "Quattro King" requires you to win 15 ranked matchmade games in Halo 4. Completing this challenge grants you the PIXEL Battle Rifle skin in Halo 4 (pictured above).

Halo: MCC Season 7 rewards: Timed rewards

Lastly, there's a special reward available in Season 7 that all players can obtain easily by logging onto the MCC during Season 7. Here's what it is:

• Mk. VII Keystone Helmet: This Halo Infinite-inspired helmet for Halo 4 is available for free from The Exchange menu for the duration of Season 7: Elite.

Your thoughts

What do you think of everything available in Season 7 of Halo: MCC? Let me know.

For more on the MCC, don't miss my look at Halo: The Master Chief Collection's great journey in 2020 or my colleague Matt Brown's editorial on how 343 Industries turned the MCC into a greatest hit. If you haven't played the game yourself yet, I highly recommend you do — it offers all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooter games in one bundle for just $40, making it great value for the money. There's no doubt in our minds that it's one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and it's an excellent game to play while you're waiting for Halo Infinite, which is slated to release in Holiday 2021.

What you need to know

• Season 7 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) is now live for all players on both the Xbox and PC versions of the game.
• Season 7 focuses on Elites, with several new Elite armor sets, energy sword skins, and more now available for players to unlock.
• The season's content is available for free; like previous seasons, players unlock new items by playing and getting experience so they can level up and use seasonal points.

343 Industries has announced that season 7 of Halo: MCC is now live for all players on both the Xbox and PC platforms. Dubbed "Season 7: Elite," this season is primarily focused on the Elites that players have worked with, fought against, and played as in multiplayer across the Halo games.

In terms of what's new in Season 7: Elite, players can obtain several new armor sets for Elites in Halo 3 as well as a plethora of new skins for the energy sword. Other types of skins and player profile nameplates are available, too, and there's even a new Halo Infinite-inspired Mk. VII helmet that you can get for Halo 4 right away by going to The Exchange tab in-game.

As with all of the previous Halo: MCC seasons, the new content on offer is completely free to unlock. To get it, you simply need to play the MCC and accrue both experience and seasonal points by finishing matches and completing challenges. This experience will level up the (free) season pass, which will then allow you to use any seasonal points you've earned in gameplay on the new cosmetics.

Overall, are you excited to jump into Season 7: Elite? Let me know. As a huge fan of the Elites, I'm hyped to start unlocking these new armor sets while I wait for the Halo Infinite beta. If you don't have the MCC, I highly recommend getting it as it combines all of the pre-Xbox One Halo games into one and upgrades them with modern features like UHD 4K support, 120 FPS support, adjustable FOV, and more for just $40. This makes it one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and a game that you definitely shouldn't overlook. On PC, the game has been played by over 10 million people, making it one of the most popular sci-fi games on the platform right now.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that Season 7 of Halo: MCC is arriving on June 23 for all players.
• The new season focuses on humanity's Elite allies, and several new Elite armor sets, energy sword skins, and more will be available from its season pass.
• The season's content will be available for free; like previous seasons, players will unlock new items by playing the game and accruing experience.

Following the reveal of Halo Infinite's multiplayer gameplay at the Xbox E3 2021 show, 343 Industries has also announced that Season 7 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC), dubbed "Elite," will go live for all players on June 23, 2021. The new season is primarily focused on humanity's shaky alliance with the Arbiter and the Elites, who helped humanity in Halo 3 and Fireteam Osiris in Halo 5.

In terms of what's on offer in Season 7: Elite, players can expect several new armor sets for Elites in multiplayer as well as multiple new skins for the energy sword. Previous seasons have also included player nameplate customizations and other types of weapon and vehicle skins, so we wouldn't be surprised to see Elite-themed nameplates or lots of skins for Covenant weapons and vehicles, either.

As with previous Halo: MCC seasons, the new content on offer will be completely free to unlock; all players have to do to obtain it is play the MCC and accrue experience by finishing matches and completing challenges. This will level up the (free) season pass and allow you to unlock the new items.

Overall, are you excited for Season 7 of the MCC? Let me know. I think it looks like a fantastic way to kill time while waiting for Halo Infinite and the Halo Infinite beta. The game also combines all of the pre-Xbox One Halo games into one and upgrades them with modern features like UHD 4K support, 120 FPS support, adjustable FOV, and more for just $40. This makes it one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and a game that you definitely shouldn't overlook. On PC, the game has been played by over 10 million people, making it one of the most popular sci-fi games on the platform right now.

What you need to know

• New Elite armor sets and new energy sword skins are coming to Halo: MCC soon.
• Specifically, these cosmetics are coming in Season 7 of the MCC, which is the next season after the current one, Raven.
• The entire season sounds like it will be Elite-themed, especially since it's even titled "Elite."

343 Industries has announced in a new blog post that the next season of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC), Season 7: Elite, will feature several new armor sets for Elites as well as skins available for the energy swords in Halo 3. This is great news for players who prefer to play as an Elite (like me!), as it marks the first time cosmetics for Elites are being brought to the MCC.

Players will be able to earn these armor sets by working towards completing the (free) season pass for Season 7 when it releases, which can be done by completing challenges and playing the game to earn experience and Season Points. You can check out some of the cosmetics in the gallery below:

To view all of the new cosmetics, make sure to check out the original blog post. Overall, do you like what's coming in Season 7: Elite, or do you think 343 Industries should be focusing on more Spartan-themed skins and armors instead? Let me know.

We highly recommend playing the MCC while you wait for Halo Infinite's release later this year, as it bundles all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters together for an amazing price. This makes it one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and a game that you definitely shouldn't overlook. On PC, the game has been played by over 10 million people, making it one of the most popular sci-fi games on the platform right now.

What you need to know

• Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty has announced that over 10 million players have played Halo: MCC through Steam and the Microsoft Store on PC.
• This indicates that Halo is doing well on the platform, which is a good sign.
• Halo Infinite is also releasing on PC, and it's expected to launch in Fall 2021.

In a new blog post, Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty has announced that Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) has been played by over 10 million players on PC since it launched in late 2019. This includes people who have played through Steam as well as the Microsoft Store on PC. These numbers indicate that the title has done well for Microsoft and 343 Industries, which is a good sign considering Halo hasn't been a part of the PC gaming ecosystem since 2007's Halo 2 Vista.

Halo Infinite, the next official entry in the franchise, is also releasing on PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. With any luck (and also several great PC features like crossplay) the game will perform even better than the MCC has. Only time will tell, but regardless, we're excited to see how much success Xbox's flagship franchise will achieve on PC.

What do you think of Halo's success on PC so far? Let me know. We highly recommend playing the MCC while you wait for Halo Infinite, as it bundles all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters together for an amazing price. This makes it one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and a game that you definitely shouldn't overlook.

While the Halo series has had wave-based horde modes such as Firefight and Warzone Firefight before, the franchise hasn't had a gametype that's similar to Call of Duty's horror-themed Zombies mode yet. Considering how unnerving and downright scary the franchise's Flood enemies are, that's a bit of a shame. Thanks to modding, though, something very close has been made available for Halo 3 on the PC version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC): Halo 3 Zombies, a mod by CrispyMods that redesigns a section of a campaign level and adds in custom mechanics to essentially recreate Call of Duty's Zombies mode in Halo 3.

The scope of the mod is impressive, as it implements nearly all of the same systems and features found in actual CoD: Zombies. These include the ability to earn points for each Flood form you kill, wall-mounted weapons that you can purchase with those points, a mystery box that has a chance to give you power weapons, perks that you can buy with points, and perks that can drop from enemies. The mod fully supports cooperative play as well, and a downed state and revive system allows you and your friends to keep each other in the fight when you're playing together (this mechanic is disabled during solo play).

The mod also feels very well balanced, and CrispyMods did a great job using the Flood creatively when designing the waves. The first few rounds only consist of some basic combat and infection forms, but as you progress, you'll start running into tougher combat form variants and interesting combinations of Halo 3's Flood pure forms. Since normal Halo tends to be more offense-focused and this is a defensive gamemode, CrispyMods also performed some fitting and clever tweaks to the behavior of the AI to make them more aggressive.

Finally, the experience is enhanced further thanks to the changes that CrispyMods made to the atmosphere of the campaign level that the mod replaces. The Sierra 117 mission is brightly lit by golden sunlight in regular Halo 3, but in this mod, your only source of light (besides your trusty flashlight) is the glow of the moon in the night sky. Added fog effects give the entire map an uneasy and eerie feeling, and the various props strewn about the environment make it clear that this compound was once a holdout against the Flood that was ultimately overrun. It's simply excellent.

Overall, Halo 3 Zombies is fantastic, and I can't recommend trying it out enough. Installing it is very easy, too, as all you need to do is extract the "halo3" folder from the mod file into your MCC game directory (this is where your mcclauncher.exe is located). If you're using the Microsoft Store version of the MCC, this guide will help you access your game files. I recommend making a backup of your "010_jungle" map file before installing, as you'll have to re-download the Sierra 117 level from Steam or the Microsoft Store if you don't. Make sure to check out the mod's description page for full installation instructions.

What do you think of Halo 3 Zombies? Will you be playing it? Let me know. Also, make sure to check out Halo: The Master Chief Collection in full if you haven't done so yet. It's available now for $40 on Xbox and PC, and is easily one of the best Xbox One shooters on the platform, so you should absolutely pick it up if you haven't already. Also, it's an excellent game to play while waiting for Halo Infinite to arrive in Fall 2021, and it will only get better over time as modders create more experiences like this one.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that testing for the custom game browser in the MCC is expected to begin Thursday April 29, 2021.
• The test will then conclude on Monday May 3, 2021. Notably, the test will be limited to Halo: Reach only.
• The developers will then determine what work still needs to be done before the feature is added permanently.
• Features that 343 plan to add to the custom game browser include enhanced game creation options, filtering, quick matching, and ways to make it easier to play with friends.

The developers of Halo, 343 Industries, have announced in a new blog post that testing for the custom game browser in Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) will begin on Thursday April 29, 2021 (assuming everything goes to plan). This feature, which allows players to search for other people playing a specific type of gamemode in custom games to join, will be active until Monday May 3, 2021. At this point, it will be turned off. Notably, the scope of the test will be limited to Halo: Reach, which 343 Industries says is because "it is a good test case for new features."

Once the test concludes, the developers will use collected data to figure out what work still needs to be done before the custom game browser is permanently added to the MCC. 343 Industries has also confirmed that there are other features the studio is working on adding to the custom game browser over time. These include enhanced game creation options, options for filtering, quick matching functionality, and a system that makes playing with your friends easier.

What do you think of the custom game browser concept? Are you going to use it during the upcoming test? Let me know. Also, make sure to check out Halo: The Master Chief Collection if you haven't already. It's available now for $40 on Xbox and PC, and is easily one of the best Xbox One shooters on the platform, so you should absolutely pick it up if you haven't already. Also, it's a great game to play while waiting for Halo Infinite to arrive in Fall 2021.

Following the completion of all of the Master Chief Collection's (MCC) PC ports in 2020, Halo developer 343 Industries has opted to take a live service approach with the MCC moving into the future. The game has flourished under this new direction. It has become one of Microsoft's greatest hits, but some players, such as PC Gamer's Natalie Clayton, feel that 343 Industries' decision to add live service elements to the game detracts from what makes it special in the first place. They argue that if the MCC is meant to stand tall as a time capsule for the Halo shooters of yesteryear, adding in colorful skins, armor suits from Halo Online, and new maps that were never in the original games intrudes on this vision.

I understand where these fans are coming from, but I don't agree with their arguments. Here's why I think the MCC's status as a time capsule is still being preserved, and also how the live service model 343 Industries has chosen is benefitting not just the game itself, but also the entire Halo community.

Everything new is optional

While it's one thing to say that many of the new skins and armor sets don't mesh well with the overall aesthetic of the older Halo games — in fact, I agree with this view — claiming that the MCC's status as a time capsule is being infringed upon by these cosmetics is disingenuous. This is because shortly after introducing these unlocks, 343 Industries added a setting that allows players to toggle the cosmetics on or off. Switching the new armors, skins, and more off makes it so that players using them in multiplayer appear as default Spartans or Elites, and it also makes all of the weapons and vehicles on the battlefield sport their normal look. With this, you can make it so that you never have to see the new cosmetics at all.

The new Halo 3 map from Halo Online, Waterfall, is also only available in Custom Games. This means that players don't have to worry about it popping up in matchmaking if they're not fans of the map. It's possible that this is going to change according to 343 Industries, but considering the fact that the studio implemented a toggle for the cosmetics, I imagine they'll probably make one for Waterfall and any other maps that get added to the game in the future, too.

Don't overlook the benefits

Secondly, I think that many people focus too much on things like the vibrant skins and outlandish armor sets without considering some of the clear benefits of 343 Industries' live service approach. Over the course of 2020 and 2021, the developer has added (and then improved upon) tons of new quality-of-life features that few of the games in the MCC had originally. Some examples of these include FOV sliders, 3D customization menus, in-game viewmodel adjustments, crossplay between Xbox and PC, and more. A Challenges system was even added that encourages players to play through the Halo games using specific weapons, vehicles, or strategies. These challenges make the games feel more replayable overall since as you work to complete them, you'll likely have to try out new, fresh playstyles.

A lot of these features wouldn't exist if the developers at 343 didn't continue to support the game beyond just porting all of the games to PC. Many of them (and those coming soon, such as the custom games browser) are only there because 343 Industries has chosen to commit to the MCC long term.

It makes the wait for Halo Infinite less painful

Finally, it's important to look beyond the MCC and think about the franchise as a whole. Halo Infinite was originally supposed to already be in players' hands. With its delay into 2021, many Halo fans were left disappointed and frustrated that they would have to wait another year before being able to play the series' next big entry. The live service elements of the MCC help alleviate some of that frustration by offering players new things to enjoy in the games they know and love.

It's true that nothing will be able to completely make the sting of Halo Infinite's delay go away, but 343 Industries devoting some resources to give Halo fans something to get excited about is nevertheless pretty cool. It's something that the developers didn't have to do, but the fact that they did shows that the studio is trying to make the wait for Halo Infinite as enjoyable as it can be. I believe that benefits the Halo community greatly.

Your thoughts

What do you think? Do you agree that the live service elements of the MCC enhance and improve the quality of the game? Let me know.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available now for $40 on Xbox and PC. It's easily one of the best Xbox One shooters available, so you should absolutely pick it up if you haven't already.

If you're looking for a way to play tons of classic Halo games and have had your eye on Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC), there has never been a better time than right now to pick the game up. You can get Halo: MCC on sale for half off at $20, which is an absolute steal. In fact, it's the lowest price drop that the game has ever had, so if you don't have it already you should definitely pick it up now. The deal is available on both Xbox and PC.

The best thing about the MCC is that it bundles all of the pre-Xbox One era Halo shooter games together for a killer price, which means that you get a massive amount of bang for your buck. Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 are all available to play through the collection, complete with all of their campaigns, multiplayer playlists, and gamemodes.

The fun doesn't stop there, though. 343 Industries has given all of these games various enhancements and improvements that take advantage of more powerful pieces of hardware such as modern PCs and Xbox Series X. These include patches for 4K resolution, up to 120 FPS, field-of-view (FOV) sliders, viewmodel adjustments, and more.

Also, the developers are even adding in brand new pieces of content to these games that wasn't present in the original. These include new armor sets, weapon and vehicle skins, visor colors, animated visors, and more. This content is all free for players to obtain, and can be earned by leveling up each in-game season's Season Pass. The latest season is Season 6, which just launched and features tons of new Halo 3 cosmetics.

Overall, the MCC is fantastic, and it's definitely one of the best Xbox One shooters available. It's also an awesome game to play while waiting for Halo Infinite, which releases in Fall 2021.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has launched Season 6 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which is dubbed "Raven" as many of the new items in the season are inspired by the ODST Fireteam Raven.
• There are dozens of new armors, weapon skins, vehicle skins, animated visors, backpacks, and more to unlock for Halo 3.
• Additionally, a map from Halo Online, Waterfall, is now available for Halo 3 Custom Games. There's also a new gamemode called Escalation Slayer available in Halo: Reach, Halo 2: Anniversary, and Halo 4.
• Finally, the Exchange system has been introduced with Season 6. This rotating in-game storefront allows players to unlock exclusive items from previous MCC seasons that are normally no longer obtainable.

343 Industries has launched Season 6 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC), which is named "Raven" after the ODST Fireteam Raven arcade game released in 2018. Dozens of new Halo 3 cosmetic items have been added to the MCC with the arrival of the new season, including new armor sets, weapon and vehicle skins, animated visors, and even backpacks for your Spartan. There are also a few rewards tied to exclusive gameplay challenges, which will give hardcore players something new to chase after. Many of these cosmetics are themed after the characters from Fireteam Raven. Notably, the new seasonal content is free to all players and can be earned by accruing XP and unlocking levels on the newest Season Pass. Make sure to watch the video below for a full in-depth breakdown of all of the new unlocks.

In addition to all of the cool new cosmetic content, a map from Halo Online, Waterfall, has also been added to the MCC. This map can be used in Halo 3 Custom games. There's also a new gamemode available in Halo: Reach, Halo 2: Anniversary, and Halo 4 called Escalation Slayer. In this gamemode, you get a new weapon with each kill you get, which will no doubt create some interesting gameplay scenarios.

Finally, 343 Industries' Exchange system has been introduced with the arrival of Season 6. This rotating in-game storefront allows players to unlock exclusive items from previous MCC seasons that would otherwise be unobtainable. This helps to fight off the dreaded "fear of missing out," or FOMO.

Are you looking forward to jumping into Season 6? Let me know. You should check out the MCC if you haven't already, as it offers all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters in a single bundle. It's easily one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and it's also an excellent game to play while waiting for Halo Infinite to arrive.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced Season 6 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC), which is called Raven.
• The season begins April 7, 2021 and is free for players.
• Players will be able to earn Fireteam Raven-themed cosmetics, skins, and more.
• The season is coming to both Xbox and PC.

343 Industries has announced Season 6 of Halo: MCC, which is dubbed Raven. The season launches on April 7, 2021, and it will be completely free to enjoy. Additionally, the season will also be available on both the Xbox and PC versions of the game.

In terms of what the season offers in terms of content, players will be able to unlock 100 new Season Pass tiers that give them new armors, skins, and cosmetic accessories. Many of these cosmetics will be themed around the ODST Fireteam Raven, as they are what the season itself is themed around. Additionally, there will also be three new and unique rewards available to people who complete new Seasonal Challenges, though there currently aren't details about what these challenges or rewards are.

Overall, it sounds like Season 6 is going to be a great season for the MCC. Are you looking forward to what's coming? Let me know. You should also check out the MCC if you haven't already, as it offers all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters in a single bundle. It's easily one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and it's also an excellent game to play while waiting for Halo Infinite to arrive.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that the next Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) flight has launched.
• The flight includes two new Halo 3 maps from Halo Online, content from the upcoming Season 6, and several additional options for keybindings, audio, FOV, and viewmodels.
• In a week or two, the custom games browser is also expected to be tested.
• You'll need to be a Halo Insider to participate in test flights like this one.

343 Industries has officially launched the next Halo: Master Chief Collection (MCC) flight that was planned for the end of February 2021. It was originally supposed to come out earlier in the month, but an unexpected bug led the studio to delay the flight.

The main contents of the flight includes two new maps for Halo 3 from Halo Online called Edge and Waterfall. Other additions in the flight include content from the upcoming Season 6 (most notably, Halo 3 versions of the armor seen in Halo: Fireteam Raven), FOV adjustment support for Xbox One consoles, an unlocked FOV slider for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles that are set in 120Hz mode, double keybindings, support for mouse and keyboard on Xbox, and new options for both audio and weapon viewmodel settings.

A week or two into the flight, 343 also plans to introduce and test the long-awaited custom games browser. This browser will allow players to join public custom games lobbies, which will no doubt help the MCC's non-matchmaking multiplayer community thrive.

To participate in flights like these, players will need to sign up for the Halo Insider Program. Doing so is free and simple and it will also be part of how to play the Halo Infinite beta when it comes out. Therefore, you should definitely sign up. If you're lucky, 343 Industries might even send out a second wave of invites for this flight and you might get to participate in it after you register. You should also check out the MCC if you haven't already, as it offers all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters in a single bundle. It's easily one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and it's also an excellent game to play while waiting for Halo Infinite to arrive.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that the next Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) flight is has been delayed until February 25, 2021 due to some unexpected issues. It was originally planned to launch on February 18, 2021.
• The flight will include two new Halo 3 maps from Halo Online, content from the upcoming Season 6, and many additional options for keybindings, audio, FOV, and viewmodels.
• A week or two into the flight, the custom games browser will also be tested.
• You'll need to be a Halo Insider in order to potentially participate in the test flight.

343 Industries has announced in a new blog post that the next Halo: Master Chief Collection (MCC) flight that was planned for February 18, 2021 has been pushed back to February 25, 2021 due to some unexpected bugs.

In terms of what content will be offered in the test flight, 343 Industries has confirmed that unless something changes, the flight will contain two new maps for Halo 3 from Halo Online called Edge and Waterfall. Other additions in the flight include content from the upcoming Season 6, FOV slider support for Xbox One consoles, an unlocked FOV slider for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles set to 120Hz, double keybindings, mouse and keyboard support on console, and new options for both audio and weapon viewmodel settings. Additionally, 343 Industries noted that a week or two into the flight, the long-awaited custom games browser will also be added to the flight for testing.

To participate in the flight, players will need to sign up for the Halo Insider Program. Doing so is free and easy, and it will also be part of how to play the Halo Infinite beta when it comes out. Therefore, you should definitely sign up to be a Halo Insider. You should also check out the MCC if you haven't already, as it offers all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters in a single bundle. It's easily one of the best Xbox One shooters out there right now, and it's also an excellent game to play while waiting for Halo Infinite to arrive.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that the next Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) flight is slated to launch on February 18, 2021 and will include a new map for Halo 3.
• Additionally, the flight will likely also include a custom games browser, content from the upcoming Season 6, and many additional options for keybindings, audio, FOV, and viewmodels.
• You'll need to be a Halo Insider in order to potentially participate in the test flight.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a blog post that if things go according to plan, the next test flight for Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) will go live on February 18, 2021. The biggest highlight of the flight is that it will include a new map for Halo 3 that was originally in Halo Online (pictured below). It looks like the map will be set on some sort of UNSC outpost high up in the air amidst several icy glaciers.

Aside from the new map, the flight will also include testing for the long-awaited custom games browser, Season 6 content for the MCC, FOV slider support for Xbox One consoles, an unlocked FOV slider for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles set to 120Hz, double keybindings, mouse and keyboard support on console, and new options for both audio and weapon viewmodel settings.

To participate in the flight, players will need to sign up for the Halo Insider Program. Doing so is free and easy, and it will also be part of how to play the Halo Infinite beta when it comes out. Therefore, you should definitely sign up to be a Halo Insider. You should also check out the MCC if you haven't already, as it offers all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters in a single bundle. It's easily one of the best Xbox One shooters out there right now, and it's also an excellent game to play while waiting for Halo Infinite to arrive. It also happens to be on sale right now, too, so there has never been a better time to jump in.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) is on sale for 40% off until February 15, 2021.
• The sale is active on all platforms, including Xbox consoles, Steam, and the Windows 10 Store.
• Halo: MCC includes all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooter games, including the remasters for Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2.
• Additionally, the MCC also has new content for these games that players can earn by ranking up a free season pass.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced that Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) is on sale for 40% off from now until February 15, 2021. Though the studio itself only mentioned the sale being active on Steam, the sale is active on all platforms. This includes Xbox consoles, Steam, and the Windows 10 Store.

If you've never heard of Halo: MCC before, it's essentially all of the pre-Xbox One era Halo shooters bundled up into one cohesive package. This means that for one purchase, you get Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4. Additionally, it also includes the "Anniversary" remasters that were made for Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. Though the MCC had a very rocky start in 2014 due to serious issues with bugs and stability, the game was patched up excellently in recent years and was even brought to PC fully in 2020. As a result of this, the game has become one of Microsoft's greatest hits, and in our minds, it's a must-own title if you love shooter games.

Something else that's cool about the MCC is that 343 Industries, by way of free season passes, has recently begun to add brand new content to the game that wasn't present in the original versions of the titles in the collection. This includes new armor sets, weapon and vehicle skins, visor colors, and more. Right now, Season 5 of the MCC is active, and it includes tons of cool armor sets and skins for Halo 3 and Halo: Reach. Make sure to check out our list of Halo: MCC Season 5 Season Pass rewards and tiers for more details.

Will you be picking up Halo: MCC while it's discounted? Let us know. We love the game, and think that for the slashed price of $24, it's one of the best deals in gaming available right now. The game itself is also one of the best Xbox One shooters and one of the best games to play while waiting for Halo Infinite, so you should absolutely snag it if you haven't already. It's available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows 10 PCs through Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that an upcoming test flight for Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) may include tests for a "new place and way to play."
• Many speculate that this means the game will soon receive the long-awaited custom games browser feature. Some also think this hint indicates a potential Epic Games Store launch of the MCC, or even a launch on another platform.
• The flight will also include testing for FOV sliders on Xbox One, viewmodel adjustments, mouse and keyboard support on console, and more.
• The flight is expected to begin later in February 2021 or early in March 2021.

Halo developers 343 Industries have announced in a new development update that a new test flight for Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) is coming either later in February 2021 or early in March 2021. Additionally, the studio also announced that as part of the flight, a "new place and way to play" may be tested.

It's unclear what this means exactly, although many Halo fans speculate that this hint is referring to the long-awaited custom games browser feature that allows players to join public custom games multiplayer lobbies. Some also believe this indicates that the MCC may be coming to the Epic Games Store soon. There's also the possibility that the MCC will release on new platforms as well, although I think this is unlikely. Ultimately, we'll have to wait until 343 Industries provides some clarification before we can draw any concrete conclusions.

Other major features and changes that will be tested in the upcoming flight include support for FOV sliders on Xbox One, additional key bindings and other controls options, viewmodel adjustments, the ability to use mouse and keyboard on console, and more. Make sure to check out the full blog post for more information.

What do you think of this "new place and way to play" hint? What do you think it's referring to? Let us know, and make sure you sign up for the Halo Insider Program so that you have a chance to participate in the upcoming flight. It's also the program that will be used for test flighting Halo Infinite, so you should sign up for the program even if you don't care about what's next for the MCC.

If you've never tried out the MCC, I highly recommend you do, as it has become one of Microsoft's greatest hits and is easily one of the best Xbox One shooters available. For just $40, you get all of the pre-Xbox One era Halo shooters, complete with support for modern resolutions and framerates. 343 Industries has even added new content to the games as well (check out our List of all Halo: MCC Season 5 Season Pass rewards for more details), which is fantastic.

Recently, Halo developer 343 Industries launched Season 5 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC). There are over 100 new items to earn in the new season pass (which is free!), including armors, weapon skins, and player profile nameplates. These are obtained by unlocking tiers in the season pass with season points, which you can earn by playing matches and completing challenges to rank up. Additionally, there are also a handful of unique items that can only be earned by completing special gameplay challenges or by logging in at a specific time.

Here's a look at everything on offer for Season 5 of Halo: MCC, including all of the season pass rewards as well as the unique ones outside of the season pass.

Halo: MCC Season 5 rewards: Tiers 1-25

• Tier 1: AKIS Helmet, Base (Halo: Reach), Reach Metal Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 2: Bullet Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 3: Air Assault Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 4: Scorpio SMG Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 5: Suture Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 6: Tanker Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 7: Air Assault Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 8: Tanker Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 9: Aviator Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 10: Mariner Helmet, Base (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 11: Aviator Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 12: Air Assault Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 13: No Entry Nameplate (Player profile), Bullet Stack Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 14: Warrior Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 15: Air Assault Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 16: Pioneer Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 17: Aviator Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 18: Desert Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 19: Soldier Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 20: EXO/TSCS Chest (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 21: Scarlet Thorn Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 22: Hazard Pay Rocket Launcher Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 23: Tanker Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 24: Bandage Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 25: DEFAULT (R) Chest (Halo: Reach)

Halo: MCC Season 5 rewards: Tiers 26-50

• Tier 26: DEMO Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 27: Air Assault Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 28: Schism Needler Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 29: Pioneer Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 30: AKIS Helmet, CBRN (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 31: Schism Plasma Pistol Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 32: DEMO Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 33: Hunter's Blood Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 34: Pioneer Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 35: Cowboy Shells Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 36: Zealot Covenant Carbine Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 37: DEMO Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 38: Deadeye Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 39: DEMO Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 40: Tech Camo Bravo Magnum Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 41: HIVEMIND Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 42: Magnum Blast Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 43: Hazard Pay Assault Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 44: Soldier Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 45: Mariner Helmet, DEFIANT (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 46: Warrior Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 47: Warrior Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 48: Hazard Pay Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 49: Pioneer Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 50: Bullet Line Nameplate (Player profile)

Halo: MCC Season 5 rewards: Tiers 51-75

• Tier 51: Pioneer Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 52: Suture Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 53: Golden Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 54: Deadeye Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 55: COLLAR/GRENADIER (UA) (R) Chest (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 56: Warrior Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 57: Hazard Pay Magnum Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 58: Splendor Covenant Carbine Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 59: HIVEMIND Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 60: AKIS Helmet, GRD (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 61: Red Alert Sniper Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 62: COMPASS Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 63: Suture Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 64: HIVEMIND Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 65: Grey Scales Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 66: DEMO Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 67: HIVEMIND Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 68: Hazard Pay Sniper Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 69: Suture Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 70: TACTICAL/RECON (R) Chest (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 71: Suture Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 72: Navigator Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 73: Soldier Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 74: COMPASS Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 75: Navigator Legs (Halo 3)

Halo: MCC Season 5 rewards: Tiers 76-100

• Tier 76: TACTICAL/PATROL (R) Chest (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 77: Art of War SMG Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 78: Deadeye Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 79: Schism Covenant Carbine Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 80: Mariner Helmet, OPTREX (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 81: Navigator Shoulders (Halo 3)
• Tier 82: COMPASS Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 83: Great Journey Battle Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 84: Tanker Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 85: Bullet Pile Nameplate (Player profile)
• Tier 86: Desert Assault Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 87: Tanker Helmet (Halo 3)
• Tier 88: Warrior Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 89: COMPASS Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 90: UA/COUNTERASSAULT (R) Chest (Halo: Reach)
• Tier 91: Keeper Plasma Rifle Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 92: Navigator Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 93: Golden SMG Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 94: Aviator Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 95: Schism Fuel Rod Gun Skin (Halo 3)
• Tier 96: COMPASS Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 97: Deadeye Legs (Halo 3)
• Tier 98: Soldier Chest (Halo 3)
• Tier 99: Soldier Arms (Halo 3)
• Tier 100: AKIS Helmet, GRD/CBRN

Halo: MCC Season 5 rewards: Challenge rewards

In addition to the standard season pass rewards, there are also a handful of unique items that players can unlock by completing unique gameplay challenges. Unlike the normal season pass rewards that can be unlocked at a later date, these items must be earned during Season 5 itself. Here's what those challenges are, as well as what each one unlocks.

• Because You Begged: Perform an Assassination against an Elite to survive a fall that would've been fatal in the Halo: Reach campaign. Completing this challenge unlocks the Mister Chief Mariner Helmet for Halo: Reach (visible above) and 77,000 experience towards your season pass progression.
• Combo Maker: Complete the "Guilty Shot" and "Who, What, Win" challenges. "Guilty Shot" requires you to get 343 headshot medals with the Battle Rifle in matchmade games, and "Who, What, Win" requires you to win 25 ranked matchmade games. Beating both of these these challenges will complete the "Combo Maker" challenge and unlock the Lucky Shot Battle Rifle Skin in Halo 3 (visible above) as well as 77,000 experience.

• Release the Geese: Complete the Halo 3 mission "Halo" on Legendary with all players in Mongeese at the end of the mission. Finishing this challenge unlocks the Hazard Pay Mongoose Skin (visible at the top of this article) and 77,000 experience.
• Strong in the Week: Complete 30 weekly challenges. Upon completion of this challenge, you'll get the Quickdraw Nameplate for your profile (shown above) and 200,000 experience.

Halo: MCC Season 5 rewards: Timed rewards

Lastly, there are two rewards that all players can obtain easily by logging onto the MCC during specific time periods. Here's what they are:

• Black History Month Nameplate: This nameplate (see above) is given to all players that log onto the MCC during Black History Month, which is February 2021.

• Wiomen's History Month Nameplate: This nameplate (shown above) is given to all players that log onto the MCC during Women's History Month, which is March 2021.

Your thoughts

What do you think of everything available in Season 5 of Halo: MCC? Let me know.

For more on the MCC, don't miss my look at Halo: The Master Chief Collection's great journey in 2020 or my colleague Matt Brown's editorial on how 343 Industries turned the MCC into a greatest hit. If you haven't played the game yourself yet, I highly recommend you do — it offers all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooter games in one bundle for just $40, making it great value for the money. There's no doubt in our minds that it's one of the best Xbox One shooters available, and it's an excellent game to play while you're waiting for Halo Infinite, which is slated to release in Fall 2021.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has launched Season 5 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC), titled "Anvil."
• The season includes over 100 new armors, weapon skins, and nameplates to unlock.
• Players can unlock the new items by ranking up the free season pass. This is done by gaining experience through normal gameplay and completing challenges.
• Additionally, there are also some unique rewards that can only be unlocked by completing special challenges.

Halo developer 343 Industries has officially launched Season 5 of the MCC, which has been titled "Anvil." There are over 100 new armors and weapon skins across Halo 3 and Halo: Reach for players to earn, and there are also plenty of new nameplates that players can unlock for use on their profiles as well. All of the new items are unlocked by progressing the free Season 5 pass, which is done by gaining experience. You can gain experience by playing the game normally, but you can also get it (and Season Points for extra unlocks) much faster by completing PvE and PvP challenges.

Speaking of challenges, there are also a few specific rewards that can only be earned by completing gameplay challenges. These include the Mister Chief Mariner helmet, the Hazard Pay Mongoose skin, the Lucky Shot Battle Rifle skin (which you can see above), and the Quickdraw nameplate. Don't miss 343's full blog post on Season 5 if you want to know what kinds of challenges you need to complete to get these special rewards.

It's great to see the MCC still getting plenty of new content after 343 Industries finished porting all of the MCC's games to PC, and I think some of the new armor pieces look pretty sweet. Are you going to boot up MCC to chase after these new items? Let me know. I'm personally excited to try and get my hands on the new Mariner helmet, as I think it's badass.

Halo: MCC is available now for $40 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows 10 PCs. It's one of the best Xbox One shooters available, so if you don't have it yet, I highly recommend picking it up. It's a great game to pass the time with as we all wait for Halo Infinite, after all!

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

Microsoft first unveiled its Xbox console two decades ago, and through four generations of hardware, one constant remains unchanged — Halo. The tentpole sci-fi shooter remains synonymous with Redmond's household gaming systems, pioneering touchstones of the first-person shooter (FPS) and still a top-seller today. Few titles find themselves deeply intertwined with a system's identity, having paved the foundations for Microsoft's future in gaming.

Halo's prestige has shifted Xbox consoles over the years, and with the Xbox One launch, Microsoft's 343 Industries embarked on an ambitious four-piece project like no other. It herded its mainline saga into a compilation of greatest hits, remastering their respective campaign and multiplayer modes around the added horsepower. But the title was far from the grand celebration once imagined, facing game-breaking issues that saw it grouped with the worst game launches to date. Yet Halo: The Master Chief Collection has still proven a stand-out achievement, with its recent comeback making history for Microsoft's creative arm.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection was delivered at a crucial time for Microsoft, as its first window to bring a "core" Halo experience to its newest console. The compilation would combine Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, and Halo 4 into one remastered package. It wasn't always the plan — Halo 4 was first pitched as an Xbox One launch title — but with its launch in the final year of the Xbox 360, the project ushered the series onto next-gen hardware. And this all predated today's backward compatibility craze, back at a time where you'd have two consoles fighting for space in the living room.

First devised as a standalone "Halo 2 Anniversary" remake, the project soon scaled into The Master Chief Collection's ambitious premise. It would still celebrate Halo 2's decade on shelves, but also repackage the three accompanying titles. That came alongside various upgrades, including 1080p resolution at 60 frames-per-second (FPS) performance boost, and dedicated servers, all running on their engines. It would also tie each to a unified interface, shaping up as an ultimate nostalgia trip for fans.

With four best-sellers upgraded for its new Xbox console, Halo: The Master Chief Collection looked like an easy win. The Halo series shifted over 65 million units by 2015, according to Microsoft. And while today's Halo might not have the "grandeur" as the early days, it remains at the forefront of the Xbox image. Just look at the new Xbox Series X, where Halo Infinite occupies an entire side of the retail packaging, despite a launch currently scheduled for late 2021.

But Halo: The Master Chief Collection's biggest issues only emerged at launch, with prevalent bugs and networking snags plaguing its early months on the market. 343 Industries admits these problems slipped through pre-release testing, costing the series its big Xbox One debut. Sizeable portions of the package were nigh inaccessible as a result, with the multiplayer infrastructure leading to poor connectivity and lengthy matchmaking times.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection proved a challenge that far exceeded studio expectations, with many foundational issues taking weeks to patch up. "[F]undamentally it was because we were testing it in an environment that we had set up incorrectly and with some (as we discovered later) faulty assumptions," 343 Industries Franchise Development Director Frank O'Connor stated in 2017.

"And unlike some of our other normal testing cycles, we weren't testing for gameplay balance and stuff that the original releases already contained so our test process was radically different, and we made mistakes in some of the scenarios we asked for." Factor in shipping on an entirely new console with a drastic architectural shift — in retrospect, it's easy to see where things went wrong.

Microsoft scrambled to salvage its launch over the following months, with a stint of rapid updates stabilizing the title. These "delicate" fixes masked many of the underlying issues but also left the studio reluctant to progress further, over fear of worsening its state.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection was eventually set aside, which, while functional, remained handicapped with broader issues. 343 Industries' in-house development team would continue work on Halo: 5 Guardians and its ancillary publishing team shifted efforts toward its real-time strategy (RTS) spin-off, Halo Wars 2. That same team would also work on "Halo Online" with Saber Interactive, a now-canceled free-to-play shooter for PC, built upon the foundations of the Halo 3 engine.

But at the time, Halo: The Master Chief Collection merely represented a missed opportunity. It was a closed chapter that hurt the studio's reputation, and while informing future projects, was assumed abandoned as its next mainline sequel neared.

From Xbox to PC: The road to redemption for Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Skip to 2017 and Halo: The Master Chief Collection received an unexpected revival, with 343 Industries outlining a return to the project after its lengthy hiatus. It was a surprise to fans, but the upshot of a three-year internal conversation, and the first step of a multi-year journey to come. It helped bring the compilation back into the spotlight, with an extensive roadmap to accompany its return.

That revitalized effort around Halo: The Master Chief Collection solely came down to "timing and opportunity," Max Szlagor, design director at 343 Industries, tells Windows Central. It came as 343 Industries' internal publishing team, both in-house talent and external partners, concluded Halo Wars 2's "Awakening the Nightmare" DLC. While the studio toiled on Halo Infinite, interest in the collection also remained high, and Microsoft rallied a team for Xbox One X upgrades, coupled with fixes on the existing consoles.

"As a team we saw many players engaging in MCC on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis with continued feedback from the community to fix the longstanding launch issues," 343 Industries senior producer, Michael Fahrny, tells Windows Central. "We had the desire to do right by our fanbase, so we began to work through plans. On top of that, we took a step back and started looking at what we could do to not only fix the outstanding issues, but also what we could do to improve MCC all-up."

Halo: The Master Chief Collection's revival hinged on getting the Xbox One version right, with the studio blocking out fixes for the prominent issues. The studio patched up the core components, aided by the now-mature Xbox One platform, better-accommodating its multiplayer setup. It also trialed a community flighting program, integral to extensively testing changes at scale before release. That major update finally dropped in August 2018, improving stability, the multiplayer backend, and Xbox One X performance.

But that Xbox revamp also informed a more ambitious, unannounced initiative, establishing the groundwork in bringing the titles to PC. It was a considerable undertaking given the series' console roots, which meant over one year of testing until the collection migrated in full.

The expansion to PC meant fresh opportunities, opening Halo to an untapped audience and all types of new hardware. The titles would be pushed far beyond their original limitations, with PC hallmarks like ultra-high framerates, new resolutions and aspect ratios, and customizable field of vision (FOV) support. The experiences would also need to feel right with a mouse and keyboard, once designed exclusively for the controller.

"[B]ringing these older games into the modern era is a challenge," said Fahrny. The move to PC meant constant trials, stretching engine limitations, accounting for all hardware configurations, and simply more variables than ever before. PC development required a fundamentally new approach to development, with an endless cycle of navigating each game's quirks. "There is no way anyone could have had the forethought to future-proof these games in a way that would have suited our MCC needs, so we constantly come across hurdles and difficult challenges. MCC is a deeply-technical project but we are extremely lucky to have a talented team with a deep knowledge of these games in every aspect."

"[W]ith each new thing we add new and unforeseen hurdles will emerge. Each game has its own quirks that we do have a good understanding of but there's no way to truly understand how some of these things will work when adding something new. You have to get in there, dig around, implement, test, fix bugs, iterate, flight, fix bugs, iterate, etc. The development circle tends to go around a few more times than it would if we were developing something from scratch."

"Working within all these different engines (game, front end, etc.) is a challenge and it can be difficult to estimate proper timelines for any given feature, especially the ones that touch all games."

The team's biggest challenges all stemmed from upgrades to modern PC standards, with even the smallest tweaks potentially wreaking havoc on core systems. "Some things date back to the original games, but only start to show when you try to modernize parts of the game, either in resolution or game update frequency," said Fahrny.

One significant hurdle came from tweaks to how game systems update in real-time, doubling frequency over the original games in Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The makeup of the Xbox 360's PowerPC processor vastly differed from Intel-based 64-bit systems, impacting even the most basic calculations. "Moving from 30Hz to 60Hz game updates indirectly affects every game system. Problems arise when code in those systems was written/tested using formulas/logic-based in 30Hz that don't hold together at a different tick rate (be it lower or higher)." Minor adjustments had huge knock-on effects, uprooting entire gameplay systems.

"This was most recently the case of some code related to projectile collision, most noticeably in Halo 3, which by design has slower moving projectiles vs other releases," said Fahrny. "It's like a game of Jenga, where changing the placement of a block 10 steps ago ends up impacting your current move, but not always in an obvious way." 343 Industries would address the root of these problems in multiple development updates, even posting a 19-minute technical breakdown, with a slideshow highlighting where those issues arose.

Communication and transparency — and what it means as Halo Infinite nears

Overcoming each obstacle seriatim ensured Halo: The Master Chief Collection transitioned to PC snag-free, especially crucial in light of past events. The studio once again leaned on a crucial process in its development pipeline, trialing the port with real-world users, known as "flighting."

"We would not have had the success and relatively smooth and stable launches this year without our flighting program," said Fahrny. The Halo Insider program enabled 343 Industries to test its Xbox One and PC versions through the process, adopting a staged rollout on a per-game basis, inviting more to tests in time. "Engaging the community, asking for their help, gathering their feedback, and using it to improve and iterate on our development goals has been absolutely vital in our overall process."

The benefits include "near real-time" player feedback as development continues, while allowing the team to gauge interest in its content. There's also a sense of community investment throughout the process, as the studio attempted to increase transparency with its most devoted players. For PC that also allowed for at-home compatibility testing on an otherwise impossible scale, with considerations across a spectrum of hardware, even throughout COVID-19 restrictions.

"Communication is key. When I came onto this project in late 2018, one of the things I wanted to do was be much more open about our struggles and successes as we developed and released them on PC. This has led to the community having a better understanding of the effort it takes to bring these older games into the modern era. We still have a ways to go on this, with many quality of life improvements planned, but we have made really good strides these past two years."

"Our team is now actively engaged in flighting, ongoing community dialogue, live service processes, and understanding the possibilities present in a multi-game, multi-engine product," said Szlagor. "As a team, we have grown and evolved alongside MCC and we feel good about the processes we have put in place to continue updating 343i titles."

These learnings all translate to Halo Infinite, with 343 Industries now actively drafting plans for multiple flights for later this year. The studio plans to leverage the same opt-in process, steadily expanding throughout 2021, and informing its final decisions headed into launch. For a chance to participate, Halo Insider program sign-ups remain live.

The Master Chief Collection now incorporates six titles, Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach added post-launch, and with more features and content to come. It includes quality of life improvements, chiefly a new universal custom games browser, allowing players to search, filter, and join custom lobbies throughout the multiplayer suite. Season 5 also plans new cosmetics for Halo 3 and Halo: Reach over one decade following their respective Xbox 360 debuts.

But with its Xbox One version fixed up, coupled with availability on Xbox Series X|S and PC, ongoing updates put Halo back on the radar. Halo Infinite represents the next chapter for 343 Industries, but work on Halo: The Master Chief Collection has proven crucial in preparations across three platforms this fall. And now, it's a platform for the future — doubling as a timeless archive for Halo's legacy to date.

The Halo series has an expanded universe chock-full of exciting stories, intriguing lore, and memorable characters. While the games cover a portion of it, the majority of Halo's expanded universe has been explored through novels. Ever since the first book was published back in 2001, Halo's book portfolio has swollen to over 30 complete novels and anthologies.

With so many different books out there, it can be tough for a curious Halo fan to know where to start with this side of the franchise. Don't worry, though, because we're here with an overview of every single Halo lore novel out there, listed in the optimal order that you should read them in.

Halo: The Fall of Reach

Halo: The Fall of Reach is the first ever Halo novel published, and it contains a wealth of information about the series' main characters and serves as an excellent entry point for people that want to get into the series' expanded universe. It's also one of the first stories in terms of chronological order as well.

Halo: Contact Harvest

Halo: Contact Harvest follows Avery Johnson (as seen in the Halo games) as he leads several UNSC Marines and other rag-tag resistance fighters against the Covenant on the planet Harvest, marking the very first battle of the Human-Covenant War.

Halo: The Cole Protocol

Halo: The Cole Protocol is an interesting novel that follows Jacob Keyes and Thel 'Vadam prior to their appearances in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, respectively. It also features the SPARTAN-II team Gray Team and the events of the story chronologically line up with Halo: The Fall of Reach.

Halo: Silent Storm

Halo: Silent Storm follows the Master Chief and Blue Team as they attempt to gather vital intelligence about the Covenant during the first year of the Human-Covenant War. Meanwhile, the human Insurrectionist faction attempts to intercept the Spartans.

Halo: Oblivion

Halo: Oblivion is the sequel to Halo: Silent Storm. In it, Master Chief and Blue Team attempt to steal a frigate from the Covenant while a ruthless Elite Fleetmaster tries to stop and kill them.

Halo: Battle Born

Halo: Battle Born follows four teenagers and a Spartan as they work with the rest of the UNSC forces on the planet Meridian to combat the Covenant's grueling invasion of the planet early on in the war.

Halo: Meridian Divide

Halo: Meridian Divide is the direct sequel to Halo: Battle Born, taking place a few months after the Covenant's invasion is over. The characters from the first story return to Meridian to monitor the Covenant's efforts to retrieve a piece of Forerunner technology on the planet.

Halo: The Flood

Halo: The Flood is, for all intents and purposes, a novelization of the first Halo game, Halo: Combat Evolved. Some interesting subplots are introduced alongside the Master Chief's perspective, fleshing out the events that take place in the game as a result.

Halo: First Strike

Halo: First Strike is set between the events of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, and tells the story of how the Master Chief managed to make his way back to Earth, encountering new friends and dangerous foes along the way.

Halo: Ghosts of Onyx

Halo: Ghosts of Onyx is a novel that focuses primarily on the secretive Office of Naval Intelligence and how the SPARTAN-III program began, while also following the story of a skilled and cunning Covenant Elite. Some of the plot also lines up with the events of Halo 2.

Halo: Broken Circle

Halo: Broken Circle is a deep and thought-provoking novel that focuses on when the Covenant was founded and provides amazing context for the series' infamous alien menace. Certain parts of it also line up with the events of Halo 2 like Ghosts of Onyx does. Overall, if you love the Covenant, this book is for you.

Halo: Hunters in the Dark

Set directly after the events of Halo 3 in the Post-War era, Hunters in the Dark follows a coalition of humans and Elites as they travel to the Ark to stop a mysterious activation of the Halo rings.

Halo: Glasslands

Halo: Glasslands follows up on story threads from Ghosts of Onyx while also featuring the secret ONI team Kilo-Five as they go undercover in Elite territory following the end of the Human-Covenant War.

Halo: The Thursday War

This sequel to Halo: Glasslands follows Kilo-Five as they get caught in the middle of an emerging Civil War being fought by the Elites on their homeworld, Sanghelios.

Halo: Mortal Dictata

The final Kilo-Five novel focuses on a rebel force on the planet Venezia that plans to threaten Earth. Additionally, one of the planet's most prominent arms dealers has an unusual connection to Kilo-Five's SPARTAN-II Naomi-010 that is explored in the novel.

Halo: New Blood

Halo: New Blood is the spiritual successor to Halo 3: ODST, focusing on the actions of the ODST squad Alpha-Nine during and after the war with the Covenant.

Halo: Last Light

This story is a detective-themed tale set on the planet Gao. The Spartans of Blue Team work together with investigator Veta Lopis to try and uncover the culprits behind several murders on the colony world.

Halo: Retribution

In this sequel to Halo: Last Light, Veta Lopis works with covert SPARTAN-IIIs and Blue Team to try and identify the assassin of a UNSC Admiral.

Halo: Envoy

Halo: Envoy is a dramatic action thriller set several years after the Human-Covenant War, in which humans and Elites attempt to negotiate peace on a colony world that both groups live on.

Halo: Legacy of Onyx

Halo: Legacy of Onyx follows teenager Molly Patel and her peers as they adapt to living on the Forerunner Shield-World of Onyx, all while a Covenant splinter faction threatens the safety of the planet.

Halo: Smoke and Shadow

Halo: Smoke and Shadow focuses on the daughter of Halo Wars' John Forge, Rion Forge, as she sets out to discover what happened to her father and the UNSC Sprit of Fire.

Halo: Renegades

This sequel to Halo: Smoke and Shadow follows Rion Forge as she and the crew of her ship, the Ace of Spades, continue to look for the Spirit of Fire. However, both ONI and Covenant remnant forces are on their tail.

Halo: Bad Blood

Halo: Bad Blood is the sequel to Halo: New Blood, taking place after the events of Halo 5: Guardians. The story sees Edward Buck, now a SPARTAN-IV, reform the ODST squad Alpha-Nine and go on a mission to discover how an Insurrectionist-controlled colony world has avoided detection by Cortana and the Created.

Halo: Shadows of Reach

Halo: Shadows of Reach follows Master Chief and Blue Team as they return to the glassed planet of Reach following Cortana's takeover of the galaxy. The Spartans' mission is to retrieve an important asset on the planet while being careful to avoid detection by the Created.

Halo: Evolutions

Halo: Evolutions is a massive anthology containing countless short-stories that focus on all kinds of eras, settings, and characters within the Halo universe. This is a book that every Halo fan should read, especially since some of the stories tie into the other books in this list.

Halo: Fractures

Halo: Fractures is the spiritual successor to Halo: Evolutions, as it's also a large anthology filled with plenty of interesting short stories. Like Evolutions, many of the tales are related to other Halo novels.

Halo: Cryptum

Halo: Cryptum is the first book in the Forerunner Trilogy of novels and follows both an adolescent Forerunner and the Didact during the Forerunner-Flood War, countless eras prior to the events of the Halo games and other Halo books.

Halo: Primordium

The second Forerunner Trilogy novel is focused on an ancient human known as Chakas. The story explores his journey across the massive Installation 07 Halo ring, also known as Zeta Halo. This is significant, as Zeta Halo is confirmed to be the primary setting for Halo Infinite.

Halo: Silentium

The final Forerunner Trilogy novel is centered around the closing years of the Forerunner-Flood War and how the Forerunners were ultimately forced to fire the Halo rings in order to stop the Flood.

Your thoughts

What do you think of the Halo novels? Have you read any? If not, are you planning on reading some? Let me know. They're a great way to pass the time while waiting for Halo Infinite! If you're looking for more on Halo's full story, don't miss my Halo Story Timeline series of articles that cover the major events in the universe at great length.

If you'd prefer to pass the time with a Halo game instead, look no further than Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC). It includes all of the pre-Xbox One Halo shooters as well as Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo 2: Anniversary, all for an amazing price. Also, the game greatly improved over the course of 2020.

The MCC is available for $40 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows 10 PCs. You should absolutely try it out if you haven't already, as it has become one of the best Xbox One shooters over the years.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that most Halo Xbox 360 services are being sunset permanently in December of 2021.
• This primarily includes matchmaking and muiltiplayer servers, but also includes some features like File Share and player customization. The specifics of what will be sunset varies by game.
• You can play modernized versions of these games with Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo Wars: Definitive Edition.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a blog post that the vast majority of online services for the Xbox 360 Halo games are being sunset permanently in December 2021, approximately one year from now. This primarily includes multiplayer services like matchmaking and online servers (Custom Games will still work), but some other features, such as File Share and player customization, may be disabled as well. It's important to note that this will affect every Xbox 360 copy of these games, including the ones being played through Xbox One backwards compatibility.

The specific features that are being sunset vary by game, but thankfully 343 Industries has created a handy chart that makes it perfectly clear what each game will and won't have after the services are turned off. You can have a look below:

Overall, it's a bummer to see that the legacy Halo experiences are losing support, but it's completely understandable considering that the majority of these games are over a decade old. Thankfully, fans of these games will still be able to play them with their full suite of content in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which is available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows 10 PCs for $40. Additionally, fans of the original Halo Wars can also play the game's multiplayer with Halo Wars: Definitive Edition. It's a good thing we have these games to play while we wait for Halo Infinite!

What you need to know

• Ex-Halo artist Lee Wilson has shared numerous storyboards that he worked on for both Halo 2 and Halo 3.
• The storyboards detail how much thought went into things like camera position and lighting for cutscenes.
• The Halo 2 storyboards are presented in more of a comic book style, while the Halo 3 ones are drawn in a wide variety of different styles.

On the website ArtStation where game developers frequently post the work they've done on games, Lee Wilson, an ex-Halo developer, has recently posted never-before seen screenshots of storyboards that he worked on from both Halo 2 and Halo 3. Interestingly, the Halo 2 boards are drawn in a style that resembles comic books; Wilson stated that this style was chosen because the script for Halo 2 was going through many revisions and that as a result, a storyboard style that could be done quickly was necessary. Meanwhile, the Halo 3 boards are presented in a variety of styles, ranging from quick sketches to fully-detailed and colored scenes with lighting. According to Wilson, his approach to Halo 3's storyboards varied based on how they were going to be used. Here's a look at some of the storyboards in no particular order:

I think it's fascinating to get a looks such as these at the creative process behind game stories — particularly the cutscenes. These storyboards are filled to the brim with little notes about how the camera is supposed to move or numerous different angles of the same scene, showing that every second of footage had countless hours of thought put into it. It's amazing to think that the games fans have come to know and love started out as nothing more than rough drafts and quick sketches, slowly developing into award-winning titles as the creative minds at Bungie built upon the foundations they created.

Also, it's interesting to see how certain elements of Halo 2's story changed. Based on these storyboards, Arbiter was once referred to as "The Dervish," Arbiter killed the Prophet of Truth by snapping his neck instead of stabbing him with his Energy Sword, and the ending of Halo 2 was a cut down version of the plot of Halo 3. Also, it looks like at one point in the story's development, Master Chief and the Arbiter were going to encounter one another on the battlefield. Weird, huh?

If you'd like to follow the incredibly talented Lee Wilson, you can do so by checking out his ArtStation and his Twitter. Also, if you're interested in playing the games that these storyboards are from, don't miss the Master Chief Collection, which is available for $40 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows 10 PCs. It's the perfect thing to play while you wait for Halo Infinite.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has outlined the development plans it has for Halo: The Master Chief Collection in 2021.
• Numerous quality-of-life features, such as PC File Share and Additional Video Settings, are on the way.
• Other features, such as PC splitscreen and additional mod support, are currently either in the design phase or are in the studio's backlog.
• Additionally, new armor sets that players can earn in Season 5 were also teased.

In its final MCC Development Update blog post of 2020, Halo developer 343 Industries gave players a comprehensive look at what's coming to Halo: The Master Chief Collection in 2021. Numerous quality-of-life improvements and features are actively in development, while some are currently either being designed or are in the studio's backlog. Here's a list of everything in active development by 343 Industries, as well as when each feature is expected to make it to the live game:

• View Model Adjustment for all games: On track for early 2021
• Steam Account Linking: On track for early 2021
• In-Game FPS Cap/Adjustments: More options coming in 2021
• PC File Share: On track for early 2021
• Additional Video Settings/Options: More options coming in 2021
• Custom Game Browser: On track for early 2021
• Double Key Binds for all games: On track for early 2021
• Per Game Audio Options: This should be in flights in early 2021
• Bringing PC Features to Console (Like FOV Sliders): More information to come

In addition, 343 Industries is also working on designing additional mod support, additional accessibility support, and HDR support on PC. Idle system improvements and support for PC splitscreen is coming as well, but for now 343 Industries has these features in the backlog.

Finally, 343 Industries also teased some new armor sets coming to the game in the upcoming Season 5. I'm not really a fan of them myself, but I'm sure someone out there will like them.

Overall, it's exciting to see the MCC get even more improvements after all of the excellent work 343 Industries has done with the game in 2020 already. Considering the wait for Halo Infinite is going to be a long one (its new release date is Fall 2021) it's awesome that Halo fans will at least have the MCC to tide them over. Make sure to sign up for the Halo Insider Program to help the developers test some of these quality-of-life changes out!

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available now for $40 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows 10 PCs. We highly recommend picking the game up, as it offers all of the pre-Xbox One Halo games for an incredible price while also including remastered versions of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. This solidifies it as one of the best Xbox One shooters out there.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has launched its latest Halo: The Master Chief Collection update, which includes new visual upgrades for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles.
• The title supports up to 120 FPS on next-gen systems, with custom FOV support, improvements to split-screen multiplayer, and more.

Microsoft has released its latest update to Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox consoles, kickstarting its fourth season of content and enabling visual enhancements for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. The next-generation refresh bolsters the six-part compilation with 120 frames-per-second (FPS) and custom field of view (FOV) support on its new consoles, coupled with further refinements throughout the package.

The new 120 FPS option doubles the former maximum framerate on Xbox One, with increased fluidity on the best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and Series S, if 120Hz options are available. The Xbox Series X pushes out 4K resolution at 120 FPS, while the more affordable Xbox Series S sees similar performance at 1080p. Custom FOV support also arrives on both systems, variable from 70 to 120 degrees, although with the option only available when locked to a 60Hz refresh rate.

Its arrival means further tweaks enabled by that added horsepower, including new "enhanced" graphics settings taken from its PC version. Local split-screen multiplayer receives some love with four-player supporting 60 FPS while also tidying up past performance limitations in some titles. The menu also integrates a new high dynamic range (HDR) menu in-game, allowing players to fine-tune its implementation based on your display and preferences.

Microsoft also warned of a handful of known issues impacting Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, although relatively minor for most.

• When playing Halo: Combat Evolved's campaign with Anniversary graphics enabled on an Xbox Series X console and at 4K 120Hz, the framerate may drop noticeably in some areas and/or create noticeable screen tearing
  • If the display supports variable refresh rate (VRR), enabling this feature may reduce the impact of this issue
  • If the display does not support VRR, playing at 60Hz will provide a smoother gameplay experience
• On both Xbox Series X|S consoles, increasing the Gamma option above 5 may result in oversaturation of darker areas in the menus and gameplay

The update is now live on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, with a 42GB download and 120GB final installation size on both next-gen consoles. New Season 4 content joins the update, available on Xbox One and PC, too, with expanded customization and gameplay improvements. Cross-platform multiplayer has been enabled as of November 17, with input-based matchmaking across systems.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection supports Smart Delivery, meaning a free upgrade now awaits for existing Xbox One owners with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The game is available for $30 via Amazon in the meantime or included with Xbox Game Pass.

What you need to know

• Halo 4 is the final game in Halo: The Master Chief Collection not currently available on PC.
• 343 Industries announced today that Halo 4 releases on PC on November 17.
• The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S optimization patch also releases on November 17.

Halo 4 is the final entry of Halo: The Master Chief Collection that hasn't yet come to PC but players won't be waiting too much longer. 343 Industries revealed today that Halo 4 releases on PC on November 17.

This isn't the end of new things coming to The Master Chief Collection however, as 343 Industries is testing features like crossplay, new armor permutations, cosmetics and more.

November 17 is the same day that Halo: The Master Chief Collection becomes optimized for Xbox Series X and S, adding 120 FPS support and an FOV slider to the next-generation platform versions. The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are set to release on November 10, so players will only be waiting a week for this upgrade.

This will be the final Halo title currently planned to arrive on PC until Halo Infinite comes sometime in 2021, unless 343 Industries decides to bring over Halo 5: Guardians to PC. There's a lot of questions around the next major entry in the Halo franchise, which is introducing new features like armor coatings.

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What you need to know

• Halo Community Manager John Junyszek confirmed on Twitter that Halo 4's test flight on PC is being extended until November 6.
• Additionally, the crossplay testing that's live in the flight now includes Halo: Reach Firefight and Multiplayer.
• To have a chance to play in future flights, you'll need to sign up for the Halo Insider Program.

Halo Community Manager John Junyszek has confirmed on Twitter that the Halo 4 test flight on PC is being extended until November 6, 2020 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. If you were bummed that you were going to have to stop playtesting the game on PC soon, this news is sure to brighten your sprits.

Additionally, Halo: Reach's Firefight and Multiplayer modes have also been added to the flight's Crossplay content. This means that you, as a PC player, can now play Halo: Reach with people who are using the Xbox version of the Master Chief Collection (MCC) and vice versa. If 343 Industries is able to perfect it, Crossplay will be huge for the future of the MCC, so make sure you help them test it out if you're a Halo Insider in the flight.

If you haven't signed up for the Halo Insider Program yet, we highly recommend that you do. You'll most likely be able to participate in testing out future Halo 4 flights, and the process of signing up is both easy and free. Therefore, there's really no reason not to sign up. After all, why not help test out the MCC on PC while waiting for Halo Infinite?

Halo 4 is expected to cost $10 when it releases on Steam and the Windows 10 Store. If you don't have any of the games on the MCC and want to get them all, you can do so for the excellent price of $40. The full MCC is available on Xbox as well if you prefer console.

What you need to know

• The first official test flight for Halo 4 on PC has gone live. Halo Insiders should check their Halo Waypoint inboxes for invites.
• The flight contains several campaign missions, Spartan Ops missions, and multiplayer maps.
• Everyone who signed up for the Halo Insider Program prior to the flight going live should have received an invite.

After being delayed for a few days, the first official test flight for Halo 4 on PC has gone live, with players reporting that they have received invites to the flight and are accessing the new test build. Based on a cheeky Tweet from 343 Industries' Community Manager, John Junyshek, it looks like the developer is officially confirming the arrival of the flight.

We previously reported on details about this flight given out by 343 Industries, which included the type of content that would be included in it as well as how many people would be invited to the flight. Specifically, players can enjoy five campaign missions, twelve Spartan Ops missions, and eleven multiplayer maps, and everyone who signed up for the Halo Insider Program will be invited to participate in the flight. Make sure to check out your inbox on Halo Waypoint if that's you — if you haven't gotten an invite yet, you probably will soon since 343 Industries has traditionally sent out invites in waves.

If you haven't signed up for the Halo Insider Program yet, we highly recommend that you do. You'll most likely be able to participate in testing out future Halo 4 flights, and the process is completely free. Therefore, there's really no reason not to sign up. After all, why not help test out Halo on PC while waiting for Halo Infinite?

Halo 4 is expected to cost $10 when it comes out on Steam and the Windows 10 Store. If you don't have any of the games on the Master Chief Collection and want to get them all, you can do so for the killer price of $40.

What you need to know

• Halo: The Master Chief Collection receives a free upgrade for the next-generation Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles on November 17, 2020.
• The update adds 120 FPS support across campaign and multiplayer, adjustable field of view (FOV) support, and improvements to local split-screen sessions.
• Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S launch on November 10, 2020.

Microsoft has outlined its plans to upgrade Halo: The Master Chief Collection for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, bringing its now six-strong compilation to the next generation of Xbox consoles. Its upgraded version launches as a free upgrade to existing Xbox One owners, including Xbox Game Pass subscribers, on November 17, one week following the console's worldwide debut on November 10.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection's Xbox Series X and Series S upgrade brings support for up to 120 frames-per-second (FPS), doubling the framerate over the existing Xbox One version. The game will also include adjustable field of view (FOV) support, a luxury currently exclusive to the PC version.

The changes impact both campaign and multiplayer modes, with enhancements also planned for local split-screen multiplayer. Microsoft boasts "up to 4K" resolution on Xbox Series X, suggestive of a dynamic solution to ensure a stable framerate. While Xbox Series S details remain unclear at this time, expect resolution to fall in line or below its 1440p target when running at 120 FPS.

The announcement adds six Halo classics to the growing lineup of titles upgraded to Xbox Series X and Series S, providing Microsoft's hit shooter with an early presence on the new consoles. The update should help fill the void left by the delay of Halo Infinite, which pushed the next series entry from a release this holiday, now targeting sometime in 2021.

The upgrade comes amid a recent resurgence for Halo: The Master Chief Collection, with developer 343 Industries recently scaling up work on free content updates following its PC release. The bundle now includes all mainline Halo entries, accompanied by Halo Reach and Halo 3: ODST, with recent content releases adding new cosmetics to over decade-old experiences.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is now available on Xbox One and PC, both for standalone purchase at $40, or through its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that the first test flight for Halo 4 on PC is expected to begin towards the end of next week.
• The flight will include several campaign missions, Spartan Ops missions, and multiplayer maps for players to enjoy.
• Some new features for the Master Chief Collection as a whole, such as input-based matchmaking, are also being tested in the flight.
• Everyone who signs up for the Halo Insider Program will be invited to participate in this flight.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a blog post that the first test flight for Halo 4, the final game that needs to be ported to the Master Chief Collection (MCC) on PC, is expected to begin towards the end of next week. The developer commented that final confirmation will come at some point. In terms of what you'll be able to play in the flight, 343 Industries is including five campaign missions, twelve Spartan Ops missions, and eleven multiplayer maps to enjoy.

In addition to the Halo 4 content, the developers are also testing some new features in the flight that will impact the MCC as a whole. These include input-based matchmaking, crossplay, server region selection, and more text chat options. Input-based matchmaking and crossplay will be particularly exciting to most fans, as these two features have been highly requested ever since 343 Industries began bringing MCC titles to PC.

The developer went on to state in the post that it needs as many people as possible to put Halo 4's systems "through the ringer" in this flight, so everyone who is signed up for the Halo Insider Program will be able to participate. It's free to sign up, and you get to help 343 Industries make Halo 4 as good as it can be on PC by playtesting it, so it's ultimately a win-win — especially since the wait for Halo Infinite got a bit longer due to its delay to 2021.

Halo 4 is expected to cost $10 once it comes out on PC based on the pricing of previous titles, but if you want to make sure you get all of the Halo MCC games for a better price than buying them all individually, we recommend picking up the full Master Chief Collection. It's $40 and gives you access to all six games in the MCC, saving you money in the long run.

Following the stellar launch of Halo 3 on PC, many were nervous about how polished Halo 3: ODST would be upon its own release. While it's true that Halo 3's PC launch was great, past releases on the platform such as Halo 2: Anniversary were plagued with some serious issues right out of the gate. Therefore, fans were concerned that ODST might not follow in the footsteps of Halo 3 and launch in a rough state.

Now the game is officially out on PC, and after completing a run of the campaign and playing a few hours of Firefight, I have good news. Halo 3: ODST on PC doesn't just match the quality of Halo 3's port —it exceeds it. Without a doubt, ODST's arrival on PC is the best any Master Chief Collection (MCC) game has had thus far.

Halo 3: ODST PC Campaign

The Halo 3: ODST campaign experience on PC is basically perfection. Visually, everything in the port looks just like it did in the original game, and thanks to the MCC's "Enhanced" graphics option, textures, and lighting look even better than they did in the vanilla experience (you can enhance this further by turning on 16x Anisotropic Filtering). Like Halo 3 before it, Halo 3: ODST hasn't exactly aged well when it comes to visuals. That being said, it looks the best it ever has on PC, making this the definitive way to experience Bungie's moody spinoff. Some more detailed graphics options for things like shadows and textures would have been nice, but it's hardly something to complain about.

The audio in Halo 3: ODST's campaign is flawless as well, which was really important for 343 Industries to handle correctly since the game's soundtrack, sound effects, and dialogue are all huge contributors to the game's atmosphere. Unlike previous MCC ports that had lots of problems with gun sounds and scripted music, ODST's audio is perfect.

Finally, the campaign also runs without any issues at all. Throughout my playthrough, I never dipped under my capped 60 FPS framerate, and I never encountered any instances of screen tearing, stutters, or texture pop-in.

Halo 3: ODST PC Firefight

Like the campaign, Halo 3: ODST's co-op horde mode, Firefight, looks, sounds, and plays phenomenally on PC. That alone is awesome, but 343 Industries took things a step further by adding matchmaking for ODST's Firefight, which previously was only a luxury that Halo: Reach's Firefight had (even the original ODST lacked this feature). You can play with up to three other players in traditional Heroic Firefight or Arcade Firefight, where players are given an abundance of power weapons. If you want, you and your friends can also play Custom Firefight as well, which allows you to tweak gameplay settings to your liking. In Custom Firefight, players can wield the Battle Rifle and Hornet vehicle, which were previously not featured in ODST. These features have also been brought to the Xbox One version of the MCC, so Xbox fans aren't missing out.

Nobody was expecting 343 Industries to add matchmaking to ODST's Firefight, so the fact that they did is stellar. It's not always easy to round up friends to play with, so having the ability to matchmake with other players for Firefight is amazing.

Halo 3: ODST PC Customization

Lastly, the developers have done a great job bringing Halo 3: ODST's customization system into the MCC on both PC and Xbox One. This system allows players to change which of the ODSTs from the campaign they play as during Firefight, and they can also change their armor appearance. In the vanilla game, you had to get certain achievements to unlock all the options. In the MCC version of ODST, you have to level up your Season 3 season pass (access is free). This can be achieved by playing matches and completing challenges in any of the Halo games on the MCC.

Something else worth noting is that two new skins were added to the game that weren't in the original ODST: "Injured Romeo" and "Bug-Splattered Buck," both of which are models that are seen during the campaign but were not originally usable by the player for Firefight. More options are always welcome, so these are great to see.

Should you buy Halo 3: ODST PC?

The port of Halo 3: ODST is simply amazing, and it can't be overstated how much value is in this package. For a measly $5, you get the ODST campaign, a very replayable Firefight mode that can be enjoyed with friends or with random players through matchmaking, and an updated customization system that comes with some brand new unlocks. You should absolutely pick Halo 3: ODST up on PC.

Alternatively, if you don't own any of the MCC titles on PC yet and want to see what Halo is all about, I highly recommend getting the full MCC bundle. This gives you all of the games on the MCC for $40, which costs less than if you were to buy each game individually. Considering you get the entirety of the original Halo trilogy as well as Halo: Reach, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4 (which is beginning test flighting soon), there's no doubt that the MCC is one of the best PC games available.

What you need to know

• A new Halo Master Chief Collection (MCC) development update showcased some new things coming to the game on Xbox One and PC.
• These include new Halo: Reach armor pieces, crossplay, input-based matchmaking, regional server selection, and a custom games browser.
• Additionally, the update also revealed details about the upcoming Halo 4 test flight on PC.
• The flight will include pieces of content from every part of Halo 4, though the specifics aren't clear yet.

In a new blog post, Halo developer 343 Industries has detailed some new items and features that players of the MCC on Xbox One and PC can look forward to in the near future.

Firstly, armor pieces that were originally cut from Halo: Reach — a helmet referred to as "GRD" by the community and a chestpiece — are being added to the game in Season 4, which begins when Halo 4 is brought to PC. Next up, both crossplay and input-based matchmaking are coming. Crossplay allows Xbox One and PC players to play together, while input-based matchmaking enables players to choose whether they go up against controller users or mouse and keyboard users. Also, 343 Industries is working to get regional server selection up and running, which allows players to make sure the matchmaker puts them in a server in their region. This will likely increase wait times a bit, but will ultimately ensure good connections. Finally, the developers are looking to try and get a custom games browser into the MCC, which will give players the ability to find and join other people playing a specific type of custom gametype.

Additionally, the blog post also included some details about the upcoming Halo 4 PC test flight. According to the post, players can expect to be able to participate in all of Halo 4's content in some capacity. This includes campaign, multiplayer, Forge mode, Theater mode, Spartan Ops missions, and customization. However, specifics about how much of these modes players will be able to access is unknown at the moment. Make sure to sign up for the Halo Insider Program so you can have a chance at helping to test Halo 4 on PC!

What do you think of all the information in this post? Let me know. You can get the full MCC on Xbox One and PC for $40, which gives you access to all of the MCC's games for a killer price.