Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a fantastic game, and I’ll go one further: that’s an understatement. Now, I’m personally not too heavily invested in the Warhammer universe. Unlike my older brother, I just never really got into it; instead, I was a massive Halo fan.

Now, of course, you can absolutely be both, but my brother often reminds me that Master Chief wouldn’t survive in the Warhammer universe, something I completely refuse to believe. I’m not here to settle that debate, though. Instead, I want to highlight an incredible community-made mod by Skykiller, using Halo Reach Sangheili models gained via Draken Warlord, that lets you experience Space Marine 2 from the perspective of one of Halo's most iconic species.

The mod itself, called Sangheili Campaign, adds Halo Reach Elite models to the Space Marine 2 campaign, complete with modified textures, materials, and visual effects to better fit the game's world. In fact, it goes far beyond a simple character swap, replacing nearly every weapon with Halo Reach equivalents, including the Plasma Pistol, Carbine, Needle Rifle, Plasma Repeater, Plasma Rifle, and plenty more. And yes, before you ask, the Energy Sword is there too.

I’d like to say it’s surprising how well this all fits together, but it really isn’t. As a huge Halo fan, and I’m sure many others feel the same, I’ve long believed the franchise has been underutilized. Feel free to disagree with me, but even a former Bungie employee, Niles Sankey shared similar sentiments.

When Halo Wars launched, I was genuinely excited because it felt like the beginning of Halo expanding beyond first-person shooters. Since then, though, we’ve had very little outside of Halo Wars and Halo: Spartan Assault and Spartan Strike. I even loved the look of the canceled Halo Mega Bloks game, and seeing this mod only makes me wish we'd gotten an official Halo game in a similar vein to Space Marine 2. Sadly, we haven't, and I think that's a real shame.

Still, I’d love to hear what you think. Would you want to see Halo branch out into more genres like this, or do you think it should stick to what it knows best? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll above!

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

I’ve been covering a lot of the details recently shared by Mr. Rebs around Halo Studios' approach to outsourcing, including its work with co-development studio Abstraction on major parts of Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Now, a new report released a few days ago adds even more context. It outlines details on prequel missions set before the events of Halo: Campaign Evolved, alongside what to expect from the Covenant, references to Reach, and even mentions of ODSTs. So, let’s dive right in.

All details revealed in latest report from Mr. Rebs

For those unfamiliar, Mr. Rebs, also known as Rebs Gaming, has built a reputation as a fairly reliable source for Halo-related reports, having accurately shared details in the past.

This time, it returns with fresh information on the previously announced prequel missions set before the events of Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved.

The three new prequel missions have now been partially detailed, but if you want to avoid spoilers, it’s best to stop reading here.

With that out of the way, the first details point to one of the missions focusing on a long-standing rivalry. Fans of the books may already be familiar with the tension between ODSTs and Spartans.

For added context, Master Chief kills two ODSTs during a sparring match shortly after receiving his augmentations to become a Spartan.

Other details suggest we’ll see a nod to Halo: Reach, along with the inclusion of Brutes, a faction that was not introduced until Halo 2.

We’ll also see a brand-new Covenant faction, with models built entirely from scratch. Its behavior is described as far more religious than what players typically expect from the Covenant.

Outside of the prequel mission details, Mr. Rebs also outlines that assets from Halo: Infinite are being reused. I’m personally not too concerned about this, as Infinite is the best-looking Halo game from 343i/Halo Studis and arguably the closest to the original Bungie-era art style.

For now, that’s everything revealed. Mr. Rebs is planning a follow-up report with more details, but it does encourage fans to stay vocal, as feedback and concerns are still being heard.

If you want to stay more up-to-date, make sure to give Mr. Rebs a follow on both X and YouTube.

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

I was pretty convinced we’d never see much more from Halo Infinite. It had a stellar launch and a few weeks of hype, but people quickly realized it didn’t have much content. 343 Industries then spent two years quietly trying to patch it up behind the scenes.

Eventually, it announced major leadership changes, revealed plans to move the series to Unreal Engine, and even rebranded as Halo Studios while beginning work on the next Halo project. I assumed Infinite’s development was over.

To my surprise, and I’m sure many others feel the same, the game is now almost at feature parity with Halo: Reach. Halo also seems to be everywhere right now, with collaborations in Fortnite and Helldivers 2. It’s great to see the franchise getting more love than ever.

Invasion Mode Makes a Triumphant Return

In celebration of Halo: Reach turning 15, Halo Studios has worked with the community to bring Invasion back as a Forge-made mode with Forge-made maps into Halo Infinite. It’s a fitting tribute to Reach’s anniversary, reviving one of its most beloved experiences.

For those who never played it, Invasion was a staple mode in Reach. It pitted Spartans against Elites in large-scale battles. Infinite doesn’t have playable Elites, but that hasn’t stopped it from feeling great. The community has done a superb job recreating Reach’s Invasion maps.

The new version features six maps in total. Breakpoint and Recovery (formerly Boneyard) return from Reach, joined by four brand-new maps.

Invasion pits two teams against each other, with attackers trying to push through the map by capturing objectives while defenders work to stop them. A dedicated Invasion playlist will be available until October 7, 2025, before the mode moves into the Squad Battle playlist.

Ranked Legacy Playlist Revives Classic Halo Rules

In addition to Invasion, fans have also helped create a classic-style Legacy playlist that aims to recapture the feel of the original trilogy. It’s the one I’m most excited about, as I’ve always preferred that classic gameplay over what we saw in Halo: Reach, Halo 4, and Halo 5: Guardians.

That said, I think Halo Infinite has struck a nice middle ground, and I’d be happy to see it continue to evolve. The Legacy playlist includes maps from the original trilogy and brings back iconic modes like Slayer, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, and Oddball.

Sprint, clamber, and motion trackers are disabled, while player collision has been turned on (thank you!). Everyone spawns with a Battle Rifle, and the goal is to recreate that original magic that Bungie perfected.

Operation Pass Rewards and Limited-Time Collaborations

Along with Invasion and the Legacy playlist, there’s also a free 20-tier Operation Pass that includes a new armor set and coating. A premium version is available too, offering new weapon coatings and other cosmetic rewards.

This update also marks the final chance to earn the coveted Hayabusa helmet. The crossover helmet originally appeared in Halo 3 as part of a promotion with Ninja Gaiden. It’s available to earn through The Exchange until October 21, 2025, or it can be purchased with real world money.

The Operation Pass itself will only run until October 7, 2025. Halo Studios has moved away from permanent battle passes in favor of limited-time ones, likely to help drive more funding for the next game.

Celebrating Halo: Reach’s 15-Year Legacy at the Halo World Championship

September 14, 2025, marked 15 years since the release of Halo: Reach in 2010. It brings back vivid memories for me, as Halo has always been my favourite franchise.

When Reach launched, my parents had booked our first holiday abroad. Younger me was gutted — all my friends were levelling up while I was stuck using the hotel computers just to chat with them about the game.

Looking back, it was a silly thing to get upset about, and I’d definitely choose the holiday over playing Reach now. But at the time, Halo felt like the most important thing in the world to me.

That’s just one of my many memories with the franchise. The anniversary of Halo: Reach was celebrated online with a new art piece shared by Halo Studios on X, and Brian Jarrard (Ske7ch), the studio’s community director, will be hosting a Halo: Reach anniversary panel at the Halo World Championship 2025 on October 24–26.

It’s also where Halo Studios plans to share what’s next for Halo, so it’s well worth marking your calendars

What you need to know

• Walmart is selling Moa burger-flavored Pringles for a limited time.
• Moa are a type of bird within Halo Reach.

If you're looking for a new gaming snack, you may want to make your way over to Walmart. For a limited time, the retailer is selling Moa burger-flavored Pringles. The wavy crisps — remember, Pringles technically aren't chips — are based on the birds within Halo Reach.

In Halo Reach, there were advertisements within the game for a fictional Moa burger. Apparently, the birds are lean, similar to Earth's ostriches or emus.

The official Halo Twitter account shared the news about the Moa burger Pringles. The account states that the crisps are only available for a limited time, though it didn't specify how long they'll be available.

Even if you don't like the taste of Moa meat, the can might be a cool collector's item. The Pringles mascot, Julius Pringles, has a headset with a wraparound microphone, much like the best Xbox One headsets.

What a wonderful world we live in. When I was a kid, there were only a few flavors of Pringles. Now, you can get some wavy crisps based on Halo's Moa birds.

Halo: Reach on PC has been out for several months now, and players have constantly been coming up with creative mods that alter how the game plays, sounds, and looks. One thing many people do is create presets for the post-processing software ReShade, which can be used to dramatically alter Halo: Reach's visuals. One user, ultracasio, has created a ReShade preset called Halo Reach RTX that simulates ray tracing, bringing Halo: Reach to life in gorgeous new ways. Here's a look at the mod, as well as how you can download and install it.

What does the mod do?

In short, the Halo Reach RTX ReShade preset uses a precise combination of different post-processing effects to simulate what Halo: Reach's environments would look like if real ray tracing and global illumination were applied to the game. Effects such as light rays, reflective bump mapping, and overhauled anti-aliasing are used, among others. Also, the preset also adds depth-of-field for increased immersion — you can tweak this or toggle it off entirely in the ReShade settings if you want. Here's a comparison between the preset being on and it being off; if you'd like to see more comparisons, there are plenty of them on the mod's Images page.

The effect that this ReShade preset has on the game is significant. I played through a few levels of Halo: Reach to test it out, and I found that the preset makes the lighting in the game look a hell of a lot more realistic than the vanilla game. In general, the changes make Halo: Reach noticeably darker but in an atmospheric and moody way. Certain areas were also brighter than they were in the normal game, too. I think this overall darker tone fits Halo: Reach well, considering that it's a bleak story where humanity loses to the Covenant.

How you can get the mod

To get the mod, the first thing you're going to want to do is to install ReShade to the game by following our guide. It's quick, free, and easy to do, and we laid everything out step-by-step.

Once you have that done, go to the Halo Reach RTX mod page and figure out which version of Halo Reach RTX will work best for your system. The mod author put together a chart that you can use to pick the version of the preset that will work best with your graphics card; Ultra is obviously ideal since it will look the best, but if you don't have the GPU to handle it, you're better off choosing one of the performance-friendly versions. Once you've established which version of the preset you want, go to the Files section of the mod page and download the preset. The last step of the process is to paste the .INI preset file you downloaded from the mod page into the same folder where Halo: MCC's executable file is (Halo: Reach is accessed through the MCC). This is in Halo The Master Chief Collection/MCC/Binaries/Win64. Once that's done, you can open the ReShade menu by hitting the Home key while playing Halo and select the Halo Reach RTX preset, and you'll be good to go.

Your thoughts

What do you think of the Halo Reach RTX mod? Do you think it makes the game look better? Let me know. For the ultimate Halo: Reach makeover, I recommend combining this ReShade preset with the best-looking textures you can get in the game by manipulating the NVIDIA Control Panel. I wrote a guide on how to do that here.

Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 as a standalone game, or can be obtained as part of the full Master Chief Collection bundle for $40.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has increased the cap for experience gains per multiplayer match in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• Specifically, the cap has been raised by 150 percent.
• This will allow players to earn armor customizations faster.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced on Twitter that the cap on how much experience you can gain per match in both the Xbox One and PC versions of Halo: The Master Chief Collection have been raised by 150 percent in a small update. The cap was previously 8,000 experience per match; it is now 12,000. This change will be felt by everyone playing multiplayer modes, although folks who are playing Firefight and Big Team Battle will likely notice it the most since hitting max experience is a cakewalk in those playlists.

This change is incredibly appreciated, especially since the Halo community has been critical of the rate at which they are able to level up and unlock new pieces of armor to customize their characters with. This is the primary reason many players have resorted to AFK farming overnight to get more experience, so hopefully that behavior will cease after this update. Currently, this change will only affect Halo: Reach as it's the only title in the collection with an experience-based progression system in place. That will change over time as 343 Industries develops one for each game in the Master Chief Collection as part of its effort to bring every title in it to PC, though.

Related: Here are 3 ways the Halo: Reach PC progression system could improve

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available now for $40 on Steam and the Windows 10 Store, and for $30 on Xbox One. If you buy on PC, every title in the collection will be unlocked automatically for you as they release over time. Now that Halo: Reach is out, the next title coming is Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. The first public test flights are currently planned for February.

The launch of Halo: Reach on PC was very successful, and as a result, the modding community has been thriving. Over time, fans have created a ton of awesome projects, and one such project that came out recently is "Role Reversal," a mod that allows you to play as a Covenant Grunt in the Campaign as you and your alien allies battle the forces of the UNSC. Here's everything you need to know about the mod, including what the gameplay experience is like, and where you can download it.

So, what does the mod do?

As you can see in the gameplay video above, Role Reversal (made by BobDoleOwndU) flips the Covenant and UNSC around, making Covenant allies, and UNSC enemies. The human soldiers spawn where Covenant ones normally would, and vice versa. Instead of playing as a Spartan, you also get to take control of one of Halo's Grunts. Together with aid from allied Grunts, Elites, and Jackals, you have to defeat the UNSC Marines, ODSTs, and Spartans you encounter.

As you might expect, playing as a Grunt comes with a lot of interesting changes compared to being a Spartan. You have lower health and no shields, and you're also considerably slower than usual. However, you are smaller, and that means that objects you normally wouldn't be able to use for cover can be utilized. These qualities, when combined with those of your allies, allow for some fun strategies; for example, when I played the mod, I let my tougher Elite buddies run forward and draw enemy fire so that I could move up the battlefield safely.

The mod only encompasses three missions at the time of writing: ONI: Sword Base, Winter Contingency, and Nightfall. However, the mod author has outline plans for the entirety of the Campaign, meaning more levels are expected soon.

How to get the mod

To download the files for the mod, navigate to this page on Nexus Mods. Then, once downloaded, head to the Description tab on the page, and read the instructions for installing the mod. It requires downloading and using software called Assembly to patch the maps, but it's an easy process for most. The instructions are available in video form too, if you'd rather follow visually.

Once everything is installed, it should work, provided you remember to launch the game in Anti-Cheat Disabled Mode. This mode is what nearly all mods for Halo on PC need to properly work, so don't forget!

It's also important to note that if you own the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, make sure to follow this guide from the helpful Halo community on how to access your game files. The installation process for mods is identical for Windows 10 Store users, with the only difference being that finding the files you need to replace takes a few extra steps compared to the Steam version.

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? Personally, I think it's a fun and creative idea that adds a new twist to a game many people have played several times over.

Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Halo: Reach on PC has only been out for a short while, but Halo fans have already made a ton of amazing mod projects for the game. One such mod is the Hunter Firefight mod by Kamaitachi96, which gives the player the ability to control a fearsome Covenant Hunter in Halo: Reach's Firefight horde mode. Here's everything you need to know about the mod, including the specifics of how it works and how you can get it for yourself.

What does the mod do?

This mod puts you inside the armorclad boots of a Covenant Hunter, one of the deadliest enemies in all of Halo. As a Hunter, you have high health, thick armor, a powerful Fuel Rod Cannon, and a massive shield that can be used for both blocking and swinging at enemies.

As you might expect, controlling a Hunter means that you'll be able to kill enemies much easier than if you were a regular Spartan, but there are a few minor drawbacks. For one, your hulking size and heavy weight means that your movement is slower than normal. In addition, your unarmored back is vulnerable, so make sure you don't get flanked by your opponents.

Currently, only one map, Unearthed, is supported for the mod. In addition to that, you'll be fighting Covenant enemies, as the mod author primarily just wanted to get the gameplay working properly before doing anything else.

How to get and use the mod

You can download the mod from the modpage, which is here. Installing it is a fairly simple process, as all you'll need to do is replace the vanilla Unearthed map file in your game directory with the modded one. The modpage contains a concise and easy-to-follow guide on where you'll find the location of the file you need to replace on your system. Before doing that, though, I recommend creating a backup of the original file so that you don't have to redownload it should you want to play regular Firefight on Unearthed again.

It's important to note that if you own the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, you don't automatically have access to the file you need to replace for the mod to work. Thankfully, though, it's not hard to change that. Make sure to follow this guide from the helpful Halo community on how to get access to your files. The installation process for this mod is identical for Windows 10 Store users, with the only difference being the specific location of your game directory.

Once you've placed the mod file in the right spot, the mod will work as long as you launch the game in Anti-Cheat DIsabled Mode. Before playing, however, you'll need to tweak some Firefight settings around to make sure everything works properly in-game. Make sure to check the modpage's description for a list of these changes to the settings.

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? I think it's a badass new way to play Firefight, and I would love to see the concept of playable Hunters expanded. Maybe one day in the near future modders will get this concept working in Campaign. I could also see some seriously awesome stuff being done with it in Custom Games too ⁠— imagine a "boss fight" mode where a team of Spartan players have to work together to take down a pair of player-controlled Hunters. That would be incredible.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store. If you're interested in seeing more mods, check out our round-up of the 10 best Halo: Reach mods.

Halo: Reach on PC has only been out for a few weeks, but the modding community has wasted no time and has already cranked out some amazing projects that allow players to enjoy Halo: Reach in fresh, new ways. Here are our five favorite mods that you can download, install, and enjoy right now.

Ultimate Forge World

If you've ever wanted to fly one of Halo's spaceships or dropships around, this mod from RejectedShotgun will make your dream come true. It adds a ton of new vehicles to Halo: Reach's Forge mode, including a UNSC Frigate, a Pelican, a Phantom, the space-variant of both the Banshee and the Phantom, and more. All of these vehicles have full functionality, and their potential for use in custom maps is massive. As an added bonus, the famous Scarab Gun from Halo 2 also makes an appearance in the mod, and the mod also removes the Forge build limit so they can place as many objects as they want without having to worry about using up the Forge budget. You can get the mod here.

Halo Reach Evolved

This mod from TheVengefulVadam overhauls the Halo: Reach Campaign by adding in new weapons, features, and enemies while also rebalancing many sandbox items. The goal of the mod was to create a Halo: Reach experience that feels more like one of the titles from the original Halo trilogy while also adding in new types of content that offer new gameplay experiences. Some of this content includes Elites that use a Jackal shield in conjunction with an Energy Sword, a Revenant that shoots like a flamethrower, the ability to "hijack" Hunters and plant grenades in their bodies, and more. Currently, only a few missions are available to download, but the mod author is constantly working on updating the mod with the goal of eventually applying it to the entirety of Campaign, as well as Firefight. You can download it here.

AI Forge Menu

This mod by Seraphiicy adds something that Halo fans have been asking for since 2007: the ability to spawn AI NPCs in Forge mode (provided you're playing by yourself). Though the AI lacks any kind of pathfinding, they'll still use basic movement to approach and attack other AI that their faction is hostile against (as an example, UNSC versus Covenant). This allows you to effectively create your own warzones by Forging a battlefield and then filling it with constantly-respawning AI. If you want to study Halo's AI behavior, match one type of AI against another, or simply watch some epic battles unfold, this mod is a must-have. You can download it here.

Trooper Firefight

If you've ever wanted to play as a Marine in a Halo game, then this mod by vanya857 will be right up your alley. It allows you to play as Marines, Army troopers, or ODSTs in Firefight, which naturally ups the difficulty significantly and forces you to play smart and use cover constantly, essentially turning Halo into a tactical shooter. The best part, though, is the fact that multiple people can play the mod together if they all have it installed; this means that you could create a Marine fireteam with your friends, crank the difficulty to Legendary, and experience the most hardcore version of Firefight ever made. You can get the mod here.

Halo Reach Third Person Campaign

This awesome mod by AkFumbles pans the camera out slightly in the Campaign, allowing you to experience the game from a third-person perspective. Interestingly, this turns Halo: Reach into a cover shooter of sorts, allowing you to survey your surroundings more frequently and identify positions to use for protection while you fire back at the Covenant. This mod is fantastic for players who want to experience what a Gears of War-style Halo might feel like, or for people who'd simply like a more cinematic angle to appreciate the Campaign from. You can download it here.

ODST Campaign Overhaul

This project by Xulah replaces Noble Six in the Campaign with an ODST, allowing you to experience the Fall of Reach as a regular soldier instead of a Spartan. Like with the Trooper Firefight mod, this massively ups the Campaign difficulty and turns the game into a slower, more intense experience. This is the mod for you if you're looking for a way to enjoy Halo: Reach's story in a brand new light. You can download it here.

UNSC Firefight

Ever wanted to fight the UNSC troops that are always by your side in the Campaign? With this special Firefight mod by 101stephen101, now you can. This project completely overhauls Firefight by replacing all Covenant enemies with human ones. Where you would normally fight Grunts, Elites, and Jackals, you'll now be facing off against Marines, ODSTs, and Spartans instead. This is a great mod if you want to experience a unique Firefight challenge. You can get it here.

All Character Customizations Unlocked

This simple mod by 0sedax unlocks all of the game's armor when you run the game in Anti-Cheat Disabled Mode. While small in scope, this mod is nevertheless an amazing tool for people who would like to have all of the game's armor customization options available to them while they play Custom Games with their friends. Just be aware that this mod does not unlock any armor for you in the "regular" version of the game that has anti-cheat enabled. You can get the mod here.

Royale Reach ReShade Preset

This ReShade preset by swampticks gives Halo: Reach a moodier, cinematic feel by injecting some post-processing effects, enhancing darker colors, and moderately increasing saturation. This is the ReShade preset that I personally use, as I love how it compliments the depressing and tragic tone of the Campaign's story. You can get the preset here.

Nobility ReShade Preset

If you want a ReShade preset that avoids making drastic changes to the game's look, but still makes use of post-processing effects to make the lighting look more natural and realistic, this preset by Spiffyskytrooper is going to be right up your alley. Nobility is a fantastic option for people who want Halo: Reach to look more modern, and it has a negligible impact on performance, which is a bonus. You can get it here.

Your thoughts

What do you think of these mods? Do you have a favorite? Is your favorite mod not on this list? Let us know.

Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Halo: Reach on PC is pretty new, but that hasn't stopped the Halo community from creating tons of cool different mod projects in record timing. These mods shake up gameplay and provide players with new ways to experience Halo: Reach, which will undoubtedly help keep the game feeling fresh to players who get bored of the vanilla gameplay every so often.

One such project is the ODST Campaign Overhaul, which allows players to play through the game's Campaign as an ODST instead of a Spartan, increasing the difficulty and forcing you to employ new tactics against the Covenant that you normally wouldn't need. Here's an in-depth look at what the mod does, as well as an explanation about where you can download it.

So, what does the mod do?

This mod by Xulah replaces Noble Six with an ODST soldier in every Campaign level, allowing you to experience the infamous Fall of Reach from the perspective of a regular human instead of an amped-up supersoldier. As such, you have no shielding, lower health, and slower mobility. To compensate, though, you're given third-person view and can thus be much more aware of your surroundings than in the vanilla Campaign.

This essentially transforms Halo: Reach into a challenging tactical shooter where you're constantly forced to seek cover and find quality firing positions, especially if you play on one of the harder difficulties. In a weird (but very good) way, it almost feels like a blend of Halo, Gears of War, and one of the older Rainbow Six games.

In the future, the mod author is planning to add more content to the project, including custom weapons, the ability to customize your ODST's armor, some sandbox tweaks, and more. It will be interesting to see how these additions and changes impact the mod's gameplay experience.

How to get the mod

The ODST Campaign Overhaul mod is available right now for free here on the Nexus Mods website. The mod author has an in-depth installation guide on the mod's description tab, so make sure to follow the instructions to get everything working properly. Before beginning, you'll need to download a special software called Assembly. Lots of Halo modders use this to manipulate files, and you're going to need it to install some special patches onto the mod's map files so that you can use unique vehicles like the Sabre and Mass Driver in Campaign as an ODST without issue.

It's important to note that if you own the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, you don't automatically have access to the files you need to replace for the mod to work. Thankfully, though, it's not hard to change that. Make sure to follow this guide from the helpful Halo community on how to get access to your files. The installation process for this mod is identical for Windows 10 Store users, with the only difference being the specific place that Halo: Reach will be installed.

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? Are you interested in trying out Halo: Reach's Campaign with this brand new type of challenge? Personally, I always enjoy when game campaigns get mods that freshen up the kinds of gameplay experiences you can have with them, so I think this mod is fantastic. If you'd like to use ODSTs and other types of UNSC troops in Firefight, check out this mod.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Halo: Reach on PC has only been out for just a few weeks, but it's already home to a variety of incredible mod projects. From the ability to play as Marines to an AI spawn menu in Forge, the Halo community has been hard at work creating new gameplay experiences for people to enjoy. One such project is "UNSC Firefight," a mod that swaps the Covenant out for human soldiers in Firefight. Here's what the mod does specifically, as well as how to install it.

What does the mod do?

This mod by 101stephen101 completely overhauls Halo: Reach's Firefight horde mode by putting you in the shoes of an Elite and replacing all Covenant enemies with UNSC soldiers and vehicles. These range from civilians armed with handguns to Spartans with power weapons and each type of trooper you encounter will pose a unique type of threat. In addition, ordnance drops in-game will be Covenant weapons, and the vehicles usually available for players to use, such as Warthogs, are replaced with Covenant vehicles. The loadouts you can choose from aren't Covenant focused, but you can manually create some Covenant-themed ones in the game options.

Currently, the mod only works on three maps: Beachhead, Corvette, and Waterfront. However, the mod author has stated that all of the Firefight maps in the game will be supported soon.

How to install the mod

Installing UNSC Firefight is easy and painless. All you need to do is replace the vanilla Firefight .map files with the modded ones.

First off, you need to download the mod files and navigate to your Halo: Reach maps folder. Here's how:

1. Go to this page and download the mod files.
2. Extract the files to your Desktop.
3. Open up a separate File Explorer tab, and navigate to the drive you installed Steam on.
4. Select the Program Files (x86) folder.
5. Select the Steam folder.
6. Select the steamapps folder.
7. Select the common folder.
8. Go into the Halo The Master Chief Collection folder.
9. From there, go to the haloreach folder.
10. Select the maps folder.

Now that you've gotten the mod files and have the Halo: Reach maps folder open, you want to create a backup of the vanilla files, so you don't have to redownload them from Steam later if you want to go back to normal Firefight. Once that's done, your final step will be to replace the vanilla files in the Halo: Reach maps folder with the modded ones. Here's how to do all of that:

1. In the maps folder, look for the names of the .map files that match the ones you downloaded from the mod page.
2. Right-click the files and select Copy.
3. In a separate folder of your choosing, select Paste.
4. Select all of the modded .map files you downloaded.
5. Right-click and Copy them.
6. In your maps folder, right-click empty space and select Paste.
7. When prompted (see above), select Replace the files in the destination.

And with that, you're all done and are ready to take on the might of the UNSC! Make sure to run the game in Anti-Cheat Disabled Mode, or otherwise, the mod won't work.

If you own the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, make sure to follow this guide from the helpful Halo community on how to get access to your files. The installation process for this mod is identical for Windows 10 Store users, with the only difference being where you'll need to go in order to find your Halo Master Chief Collection game directory and Halo: Reach map folder.

Your thoughts

What do you think of UNSC Firefight? Personally, I think it's an excellent mod since battling against UNSC AI is something we've never been able to do in a Halo game before, aside from the Marines in Halo 5 Warzone.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Halo: Reach on PC has arrived, and 343 Industries made sure to include an Enhanced mode in the graphics settings for it that improves various aspects of the title's visuals. However, while the game looks excellent in this mode, you can make it look even better by using the NVIDIA Control Panel to force the game to run with a higher Anisotropic Filtering setting than it does in Enhanced mode. Here's what Anisotropic Filtering does, as well as how to edit it in the NVIDIA Control Panel.

What is Anisotropic Filtering?

Before explaining how to crank up your Anisotropic Filtering setting, it's important to clarify just what it does. Anisotropic Filtering improves the clarity of textures within the game world, especially when they are distant and/or viewed at oblique angles. Without it, textures far away from the player or seen at sharp angles would look blurry and low quality until you got closer to them. With Anisotropic Filtering, the textures will come into full detail much further away, and will also remain that way when seen from off angles. The higher the Anisotropic Filtering setting is, the more pronounced its effects will be. Therefore, you want to have the highest value possible — 16x.

How to turn up Anisotropic Filtering

Halo: Reach on PC in Enhanced mode only runs at 8x Anisotropic Filtering, and there's no way to change that setting in the menus. However, you can manually turn the setting up to 16x by going into the NVIDIA Control Panel. Here's how to do that:

1. Open your NVIDIA Control Panel. If you don't have it installed, you can get it for free here.
2. Select and open the 3D Settings options tree.
3. Click Manage 3D Settings.
4. Click the Program Settings tab.
5. Under "Select a program to customize" click the Add button.
6. Find and select Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
7. In the list of settings, select the Anisotropic Filtering dropdown and choose 16x.

And with that, you're good to go. Now, whenever you play Halo: Reach, you will notice that the textures, especially those that are a good distance away from you and aren't being viewed directly, will look much better. If you happen to own an AMD video card instead of an NVIDIA one, don't worry; you can turn up the Anisotropic Filtering in AMD's control panel software too.

Your thoughts

What do you think of Halo: Reach with the Anisotropic Filtering cranked up? Do you like how much better it makes the game look? Let me know your thoughts. If you're curious about how else you can improve or change the look of Halo: Reach on PC, check out our guide on how to install ReShade on PC games. ReShade is a software that can inject post-processing effects such as depth of field into games that don't have them, and features like these combined with the Anisotropic Filtering-enhanced textures can make Halo: Reach look shockingly modern.

Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

What you need to know

• Halo: Reach players can use ReShade to emulate colorblind settings.
• ReShade is completely free to download.
• It is completely allowed to be used in-game.

Halo: Reach on PC has arrived, and so far, it has been met with overwhelmingly positive reception. However, a feature that the game distinctly lacks is support for a colorblind mode, which has become a common sight in the modern day gaming industry. As a result, Halo: Reach is a title that colorblind players will struggle to enjoy — but thankfully, there's a solution. A clever Halo fan by the name of Fractalecho has created a variety of ReShade presets that emulate the functionality of enchroma glasses, which help colorblind people distinguish colors easier.

If you don't know what ReShade is, it's a post-processing injector that allows you to tamper with the visuals of a game. To get it working with the Master Chief Collection (and by extension, Halo: Reach) all you need to do is download the installer and then when prompted by the program, navigate to your MCC-Win64-Shipping.exe file in the Binaries folder of your Master Chief Collection game directory, and select it. Then select "DirectX 10+" in the installer and the program will install ReShade on your game. From there, go to the download page of the colorblind presets, download the one that corresponds to your form of colorblindness, and drag and drop the files from it into the Binaries folder. Once you boot up the game, the ReShade software will give you a quick rundown on how to use your preset.

If you're worried that you're breaking the rules by using ReShade, don't be, as it's perfectly fine. With any luck, 343 Industries will eventually add colorblind mode to Halo on PC so people don't have to use ReShade, but it's pretty awesome that a community member came up with this solution in the meantime.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has confirmed that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary on PC will begin flighting in January 2020.
• It also confirmed that all of the Halo games up to Halo 4 would release on PC in 2020.
• You need to sign up for the Halo Insider Program to participate.

Halo developer 343 Industries confirmed in a blog post that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the remake of the very first Halo game that 343 Industries created in 2011, is the next game in line to come to PC and that test flighting will begin for it in January 2020. We don't have any information on what the flight will entail, but if it's anything like the first flight for Halo: Reach, it will probably be focused on the Campaign.

In addition to this, 343 also confirmed that all of the Halo titles coming to PC — Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 4 — would all be fully released by the end of 2020. This shows that the process of porting the games over has sped up considerably, meaning that we won't need to wait nearly as long as we had to for the Halo: Reach PC port.

If you'd like to participate in the test flighting for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and beyond, make sure to sign up for the Halo Insider Program. It's completely free, and if you're lucky enough to be selected in flights, you get to play some Halo for free while helping 343 Industries develop the PC port of the game. It's a win-win!

If you want to jump right into the Halo action, make sure to check out the Halo: Reach port on PC, which is excellent. The Halo community is already hard at work creating incredible mods for it as well, such as one that allows you to play Firefight as Marines and another that lets you spawn AI in Forge mode.

What you need to know

• The "Ugly Sweater" event for Halo: Reach is now live.
• The event gives all players Double XP.
• The event also allows people to earn a special festive nameplate.
• The event is available to both Xbox One and PC players.
• It runs until January 6, 2020.

The arrival of Halo: Reach on PC, as well as on the Xbox One as part of the Master Chief Collection, has caused the Halo community as a whole to become reinvogorated and excited for the future of the franchise. To celebrate the good vibes, developer 343 Industries has launched an "Ugly Sweater" event for Halo: Reach on both Xbox One and PC. This event runs until January 6 and allows players to earn double the XP that they normally do from all experience sources.

On top of Double XP, the event also gives players an opportunity to earn a special festive-themed ugly sweater nameplate for their in-game profile. Once the event concludes, 343 Industries will grant the nameplate to your account if you met the unlock criteria. To get the nameplate, you need to do one of the following:

• Complete 10 matches of Matchmaking or Firefight on snowy maps (Sword Base, Solitary, Glacier)
• Beat the par score on Campaign missions with snowy environments (ONI Sword Base, The Package)

If you own the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One, you can alternatively get the nameplate by completing these same objectives in snowy maps from the other Halo games.

Personally, I love the idea for this event, as I think allowing players to rank up faster and earn their armor is a great way to give back to the community for the holiday season. Plus, the ugly sweater nameplate will be a nice customization option for players who want to give their Halo profile some festive flair.

Halo: Reach is available for $10 on Steam and the Windows 10 Store, as well as on Xbox One as part of the Master Chief Collection.

The arrival of Halo: Reach on PC has led to a crazy amount of awesome mods coming out, ranging from an imitation of Halo 5's Warzone mode to a version of Firefight where you can play as Marines. One such project that just released is one that adds something fans have been asking Halo's developers to add since the Forge map editor came out in Halo 3: the ability to spawn AI enemies. Here's what you need to know about this fantastic mod, including what the capabilities of it are and how you can download and install it.

So, how does the mod work?

This mod works by adding a brand new spawn menu to the Forge mode when in singleplayer, which contains a wide variety of enemies from the Halo: Reach Campaign and Firefight modes that you can place in your map. All AI are hostile to you but will form teams with one another based on factions. So, for example, UNSC Marines and ODSTs will work together against a group of Covenant Elites and Grunts, and so on. Because all of the AI see you as an enemy, the mod author, Seraphiicy, made sure to give the player invincibility when in Forge's editing mode.

There are respawning and non-respawning variants of the AI, and all of them are capable of basic movement. This means that you can effectively create your own warzones by creating vehicles, structures, and terrain for the AI to use and traverse. For anyone who wants to study the behavioral patterns of Halo's AI, create a custom psuedo-Firefight map, or simply spectate some epic battles, this mod is a godsend.

How to install the mod

First, before doing anything else, you're going to want to enable Forge mode ahead of its official release if you haven't done so already. The process of doing so is a little complicated as you have to edit some code in a file, but fear not; we've got a guide that breaks down the process.

Once you've made it possible to use Forge in Halo: Reach, the next step is to download the mod files and install them over the vanilla files from the game. Thankfully, the mod download includes a readme document that explains everything you need to do, and the good news is that it's a lot less complicated than the process of enabling Forge in the first place. Once you've followed the author's instructions, the mod will be installed properly, and you'll be ready to go.

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? Personally, I think it's incredible that we finally have working AI in Forge, and I can't wait to see how the author of the mod improves it over time. Make sure to check back on the mod page regularly, as future updates will no doubt bring even more features and functionality to the project.

Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

With the arrival of Halo: Reach on PC, the modding community has been hard at work creating amazing projects that shake up the regular gameplay experience and offer players new ways to enjoy the beloved Halo title. This one, dubbed "Trooper Firefight," allows you to play through Firefight matches as UNSC Army troopers, Marines, or Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs). Here's what you need to know about the mod, as well as how to install it.

What you need to know about the mod

Trooper Firefight makes UNSC Army troopers, Marines, and ODSTs playable in place of Spartans in Halo: Reach's Firefight maps. Troopers have weaker armor, no shielding, and aren't genetically-enhanced, so playing as them means you'll be slower, weaker, and less durable. The mod essentially turns Halo into a tactical military shooter where one single mistake will likely mean death.

In addition to the new playable characters, the mod also tunes several UNSC weapons to make the gameplay experience feel more balanced. It also places you in third-person view, which will help you keep aware of your surroundings.

Because of the heightened challenge, the mod author, vanya857, recommends that you play this version of Firefight with friends. As long as everyone has the mod properly installed, it will work in Custom Firefight matches.

How to install the mod

Installing Trooper Firefight is simple and quick. All you need to do is replace the vanilla Firefight .map files with the modded ones.

First, you're going to need to download the mod files and navigate to your Halo: Reach maps folder. Here's how:

1. Go to this page and download the mod files.
2. Extract the files to your Desktop.
3. Open up a separate File Explorer tab, and navigate to the drive you installed Steam on.
4. Select the Program Files (x86) folder.
5. Select the Steam folder.
6. Select the steamapps folder.
7. Select the common folder.
8. Go into the Halo The Master Chief Collection folder.
9. From there, go to the haloreach folder.
10. Select the maps folder.

Now that you've got the mod files downloaded and the Halo: Reach maps folder open, you're going to want to create a backup of the vanilla files so you don't have to redownload them from Steam later if you want to go back to normal Firefight. Once that's done, your final step will be to replace the vanilla files in the Halo: Reach maps folder with the modded ones. Here's how to do all of that:

1. In the maps folder, look for the names of the .map files that match the ones you downloaded from the mod page.
2. Right-click the files and select Copy.
3. In a separate folder of your choosing, select Paste.
4. Select all of the modded .map files you downloaded.
5. Right-click and Copy them.
6. In your maps folder, right-click empty space and select Paste.
7. When prompted (see above), select Replace the files in the destination.

And with that, the mod is properly installed and you've created a backup of the original files should you ever want to go back to regular Firefight. Make sure to launch the game in Anti-Cheat Disabled mode so the mod works properly.

If you own the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, make sure to follow this guide from the helpful Halo community on how to get access to your files. The installation process for this mod is identical for Windows 10 Store users, with the only difference being where you'll need to go in order to find your Halo Master Chief Collection game directory and Halo: Reach map folder.

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? Personally, I think it's an awesome idea, and I love how it provides a brand new way to enjoy Firefight, a mode which most Halo fans have mastered at this point.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 through both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has taken action against players using exploits to farm experience.
• You can be banned for up to one month for using this exploit.
• Further action will be taken as necessary.

Halo developer 343 Industries has officially taken action against Halo: Reach players who have been making use of an exploit to artificially boost their experience gains. Using rubber bands or other objects, many players rigged their controllers to spin them around endlessly in matchmaking games, particularly Grifball; this allowed them to dodge the AFK protection systems in-game and gain experience for completing matches that they didn't play, ruining the gameplay experience for many people who just wanted to play normal matches.

Based on multiple responses to the official notification of the ban by 343 Industries' support account on Twitter, it looks like players who were punished have recieved up to one month bans for their exploiting. It's likely that continuing to AFK farm after a ban will cause a more severe punishment to occur, although there hasn't been word about what that would be at this time. Players who think they were falsely banned can submit a ticket to the official Halo support site.

Personally, I'm glad that 343 Industries has taken relatively swift action here, although I do think that a one month ban for a first offense is a bit on the harsh side. Then again, there's no way that anyone can participate in AFK farming and not know that what they're doing is ruining the game for other people, so I digress.

Halo: Reach is available now for $10 on PC through both Steam and the Windows 10 Store, as well as on Xbox One as an add-on to the Master Chief Collection for the same price.

The arrival of Halo: Reach on PC has prompted the modding community to create tons of cool mods for the game that allow players to enjoy the title in fresh ways, including one that allows you to play through the entirety of the campaign in a third-person point-of-view. This helps you see your customized Noble Six in action and get a more cinematic angle to enjoy the story from. Here's where to download the mod and how to install it.

What you need to know about the mod

This mod (dubbed "Halo Reach Third Person Campaign") pans the camera out behind the normal first-person view, allowing the player to see their character and surroundings at all times. The crosshair is in the same place as it always is, allowing you to shoot and melee as normal. However, it should be noted that you aren't able to zoom in with scopes, so weapons like the Sniper Rifle and Focus Rifle will be harder to use.

The mod works exclusively with Campaign levels right now, although the mod author, AkFumbles, stated that they intend to get the mod working in local Firefight matches as well. Since the mod requires you to run the game in Anti-Cheat Disabled mode, it won't work in matchmade multiplayer games of any kind.

How to install the mod

The process of installing the mod is simple and quick, as all you'll need to do is replace the .map files for each of the Campaign levels with the modded ones that enable third-person. First, you need to download the files and navigate to your Halo: Reach maps folder. Here's how to do that:

1. Go to this page and download the files you want. For the full campaign, get all three downloads.
2. Extract the files to your Desktop.
3. Open up a separate File Explorer tab, and navigate to the drive you installed Steam on.
4. Select the Program Files (x86) folder.
5. Select the Steam folder.
6. Select the steamapps folder.
7. Select the common folder.
8. Select the Halo The Master Chief Collection folder.
9. Go to the haloreach folder.
10. Finally, select the maps folder.

Now that you've gotten the files and have the Halo: Reach maps folder open, you're going to want to create a backup of the normal .map files so you don't have to redownload them from Steam later when you want to go back to first-person. Then, you just have to copy/paste the modded files into the maps folder. Here's how:

1. In the maps folder, look for the names of the .map files that match the ones you downloaded from the mod page.
2. Right-click the files and select Copy.
3. In a separate folder of your choosing, select Paste.
4. Select all of the modded .map files you downloaded.
5. Right-click and Copy them.
6. In your maps folder, right-click empty space and select Paste.
7. When prompted (see above), select Replace the files in the destination.

And with that, you're done! If you ever want to use the standard first-person mode again, just copy the original files you made a backup of and paste them into the Halo: Reach maps folder. It will replace the modded files, returning things to normal.

If you own the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, make sure to follow this guide from the helpful Halo community on how to access your game files. The installation process for the mod is identical for Windows 10 Store users, with the only difference being where you'll need to go to find your Halo Master Chief Collection game directory and Halo: Reach map folder.

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? I think it's fantastic, and I've had a lot of fun playing through the game with a more cinematic perspective.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

With the arrival of Halo: Reach on PC, the modding community has begun to see what magic they can make happen. There are already many cool projects available out there, such as a campaign overhaul and a mock-up of Halo 5's Warzone mode, but there's one mod being worked on that would truly be groundbreaking were it to succeed: A Halo VR mod. Here's what you need to know about it, as well as the person who's making it.

What is ReclaimerVR?

ReclaimerVR is what community member Nibre is dubbing their work-in-progress Halo: Reach VR mod, which aims to bring the franchise into the VR space for the first time in history. Utilizing the anti-cheat disabled mode that 343 Industries included with Halo: Reach on PC, they have been working on getting the title to work with VR controls and equipment. And based on this video they posted on their Twitter, there's plenty of reasons why Halo fans should be excited for this mod.

The above clip shows that looking around, rotations, hand movements, and (some) weapons are all working smoothly, which are crucial components for the mod to get working if the plan is to make a full-scale release that allows you to take on AI enemies in Campaign or other players in Custom Games. Aside from the work-in-progress clip, there's little more to go off of. However, fans have a good reason to be optimistic, as Nibre has previously developed a VR mod for another game: Alien: Isolation. If they can work their magic fully with Halo, too, it's a mod that will likely soar in popularity. If that happens, it may show 343 Industries that there's a market for VR Halo, which might eventually lead to some official VR Halo releases.

Your thoughts

Do you like the idea of playing Halo in VR? What weapon would you want to use the most? I'd love to get my hands on an Energy Sword in VR.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Halo: Reach on PC has arrived, and so far, the game has been met with near-universal praise from the PC gaming community (including us). However, while the game as a whole is great, the progression system has garnered a more lukewarm response from the playerbase for a variety of reasons. I think it's a good system overall because it rewards time investment and doesn't have any microtransactions, but there are definitely ways that it could be better. Here are three ideas I had for the progression system that would improve it and make it more player-friendly.

Allow more player choice

Arguably the biggest issue that most people have with the progression system for Halo: Reach on PC is how players are forced to unlock everything in the game on a set, linear path, which prevents you from being able to pick what you unlock and in what order.

In the original Halo: Reach on the Xbox 360, you could buy any armor at any time provided you had saved up enough credits. In this version of the game, if there's something specific you want, you have to grind experience levels and rank up until you reach the rank that gives you the desired unlock.

It makes sense why 343 Industries has the current system how it is — it wants to have something that keeps people hooked on playing — but the system shouldn't strip us of our ability to choose completely.

A good compromise to this issue would be to allow players to unlock a specific rank early at the cost of some extra Season Points (currently, each new rank costs a point each). That way, players would have the choice to sacrifice the rate of their linear progression so that they could save up some Season Points and buy the rank that contains the items they want earlier than they normally would be able to.

Give experience for Campaign and Custom Games

Another big issue with the progression system is how zero experience is given to people for finishing Campaign levels or completing matches of Custom Games with their friends. The current system pushes players towards the online matchmade modes, and while it's true that this is where the majority of Halo: Reach's content lies, it's not right to exclude people who just like playing in other modes from being able to unlock items.

The original Halo: Reach rewarded small amounts of credits for completing games in these modes. While the gain was still smaller than what you got from multiplayer (it has to be given the exploitable nature of the modes), it added up over time. Ultimately, Campaign and Custom Games players were still able to unlock everything, and I think that should be the case in Halo: Reach on PC, too.

Bring back Challenges

Finally, bringing back the Challenges system from the original Halo: Reach would do wonders for the current progression system on PC. Challenges rewarded players with bonus credits for accomplishing specific tasks every day (or week), such as getting a certain amount of kills with a specific weapon, beating Campaign levels with specific modifiers enabled, and more.

This system improved the Halo: Reach experience in two ways. Firstly, it encouraged players to use different weapons or tactics than they normally would, which often helped make the gameplay feel consistently fresh. Secondly, it allowed people to earn the ability to unlock armor faster as a reward for completing their Challenges.

Bringing back the Challenges system would make people feel better about the grind that the current progression system has. While there are ways to maximize your experience gains already, it would be awesome to be able to get bonus experience by playing well and completing your Challenges. Plus, this would add another layer of player choice to the mix, since people would be able to choose whether or not they go for extra experience opportunities.

Your thoughts

What do you think of my ideas for improving the progression system on Halo: Reach on PC? Do you have any suggestions of your own? Let me know.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Microsoft has released Halo: The Master Chief Collection for PC, kickstarting the migration of the hit Xbox shooter to Steam and Windows 10. The six-piece compilation sees a staged, per-game rollout commencing with Halo: Reach, reviving Bungie's final farewell to the franchise beyond Xbox 360. That comes with significant graphics enhancements to push for 4K, alongside overcoming the challenges of the PC ecosystem bypassed by Xbox consoles.

While Halo: Reach hits PC as an impressive return to the 2010 classic, players are facing a range of graphical, audio, and gameplay bugs and issues. We've rounded up the most prominent Halo: Reach PC hiccups surfacing on launch day, alongside potential workarounds.

With Halo: Reach PC rolling out worldwide, we'll update this list with new bugs and fixes as they surface. Found a bug? Let us know in the comments.

Halo: Reach PC general bugs and known issues

Halo: Reach audio and sound issues

Among the most widespread problems impacting the Halo: Reach re-release is a nasty audio bug, diverging from the soundscape of the original 2010 title. It means some sounds may be muffled, muted, or incorrectly mixed. Microsoft warned of potential hiccups ahead of launch, related to changes to the game's audio encoding, with work underway on a fix. "We are aware that areas of the title don't sound like what you or we ideally want them to," stated Community Support & Engagement Coordinator at 343 Industries, Tyler Davis.

"It will take some time to work through solutions to improve the overall experience for audio and that work is already underway. When it is ready, we will flight to test the fixes we can make prior to updating the title. We also plan to go into more detail on our Reach audio journey in a later blog."

Halo: Reach PC stuttering and lag

Some Halo: Reach PC users report stuttering and lag spikes across all modes. Microsoft has acknowledged issues with certain setups, however, causes and solutions will vary between systems.

Workaround: The newly-added unlocked framerate causes many stability issues for PC, likely to be addressed in future updates. However, Microsoft has warned that Corsair iCue, Logitech G-Hub, and Razer Synapse may cause stuttering with Halo: Reach PC. Disable these programs if installed, when experiencing stuttering and input lag.

Halo: Reach PC freezing and crashing

Halo: Reach may freeze or crash, as a possibility with any PC release. Many report encountering issues during start-up, with a fix likely required to avoid any possible conflicts. Microsoft also confirms a "known crash" when exiting the game.

Halo: Reach PC screen tearing

Halo: Reach PC may exhibit screen tearing, regardless of V-Sync, and other anti-tearing measures. The result of new frames pushed to your display mid-refresh, two separate images may display on two halves of the screen. Many users report heavy screen tearing across a variety of PC setups. "The team is aware of issues around screen tearing and V-Sync not performing as expected for some users," Microsoft stated. "As a reminder, if V-Sync is off, screen tearing will happen." Microsoft continues to investigate issues post-launch.

Delayed mouse input

Microsoft details a number of reports of mouse input exhibiting latency, causing delayed in-game controls. Microsoft is attempting to isolate the issue to specific setups, recommending users contact Halo Support.

'UE4 Critical Error,' 'You've been banned' errors

Halo: The Master Chief Collection PC may output EAC error messages, including a "UE4 Critical Error," "You've been banned," and more. Microsoft has acknowledged an issue, encouraging affected users to contact Halo Support. While UE4 errors appear present, Microsoft claims to have addressed erroneous ban messages.

Workaround: Microsoft recommends players use the latest version of Windows available, eliminating a share of hiccups on PC. If persisting, Steam's "Verify Files" feature may resolve issues tied to local files, while Microsoft Store users should complete a full reinstall.

Unable to crouch while moving

Halo: Reach PC restricts players from crouching while moving their character. To crouch, players must stand still, before pressing the assigned crouch key. Microsoft states this is a legacy issue stemming from the Xbox 360 release when moving and crouching simultaneously were unnatural via the gamepad. The team is "currently testing and prototyping potential alternative solutions to address the community's feedback," expected with future updates.

Main menu performance bug

The Halo: The Master Chief Collection menu may demonstrate poor performance across some setups. "We are investigating on our end but need more data points of this issue," said a Microsoft representative. "If you are experiencing this problem, please visit the Halo Support site and create a ticket."

Other miscellaneous issues

• When using Bluetooth-connected headphones with Halo: Reach PC, users may lose audio after opening the game's main menu. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, attributed to how the title prioritizes devices, with a simple step-by-step fix available.
• When a capture care is designated as the default audio input device, PC audio will transmit over the voice channel.

Halo: Reach PC Campaign bugs and issues

Tip of the Spear performance drops

Microsoft has acknowledged some players may experience cutscene performance issues throughout Tip of the Spear when using AMD hardware. While no formal fix has been provided, expect a fix moving forward.

ONI: Sword Base not loading

The game's second playable mission ONI: Sword Base won't load for some players. Microsoft is yet to acknowledge the issue, although appears to be affecting a handful of unlucky PC users.

Latency during Campaign co-op

Cooperative multiplayer Campaign sessions may cause drastic input lag for all connected players, besides the session host. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue facing some players, although it was unable to promise a significant fix. "Co-op campaign play uses P2P networking and we're aware that some players are reporting high latency and a poor experience when playing Campaign together," a Microsoft representative states. "This is an area the team will continue to monitor but given the complexities of P2P networking and the underlying net code of Reach, the extent to which this issue can be addressed is still TBD."

Miscellaneous Campaign issues

• Character models may temporarily desync after performing an assassination.
• When playing cooperative multiplayer modes, entering an elevator may activate an unintended falling animation.

Halo: Reach PC Multiplayer bugs and issues

Slow multiplayer matchmaking (Fix deployed)

While Halo: Reach PC multiplayer connectivity has proven relatively stable from launch, many report issues with slow online multiplayer matchmaking, paired with the "Connecting Session" message, attributed to the relays feature. Microsoft has deployed a fix for relays blocking matchmaking, pledging to continually "monitor relay performance and matchmaking" in the near term.

Workaround: Microsoft claims to have fixed relays impacting matchmaking for Halo: Reach PC. Otherwise, it advises players to turn off relays via the Halo: Reach "Network Settings" menu, to disable the feature.

Halo: Reach PC Steam bugs and issues

Steam friends don't display in-game

Halo: Reach PC won't display Steam friends via the in-game roster unless also added on Xbox Live. You can only join Steam friends via the Steam client, rather than the in-game menu.

Workaround: Join friends through Steam's integrated friends list.

Halo: Reach Steam Achievements fail to unlock

Halo: Reach PC players report some Steam Achievements failing to unlock, even after completing required milestones in-game.

Existing Xbox achievements missing from Steam

Halo: The Master Chief Collection hits PC with cross-platform achievements, allowing existing Xbox unlocks to translate to Steam Achievements upon linking your Xbox Live account. Some users report that existing Xbox Achievements may fail to transfer between platforms accurately.

Uninstalling Halo: Reach Steam breaks Microsoft Store install

If Halo: Reach PC is installed on the Microsoft Store alongside the Steam version, uninstalling the Steam version will remove the Easy Anti-Cheat client, and rendering the Microsoft Store game unplayable.

Workaround: Microsoft recommends players uninstall and reinstall Halo: Reach via the Microsoft Store if encountering this issue.

Missing Language Packs

When launching Halo: Reach PC is launched via Steam in Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, required Language Packs may not automatically install. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, providing a simple step-by-step fix.

Halo: Reach PC Xbox Live and Microsoft Store issues

Halo: Reach PC fails to launch via Microsoft Store and Xbox App

Halo: Reach PC may fail to launch when installed via the Microsoft Store. This can be attributed to a variety of potential causes, both after purchasing the game or using Xbox Game Pass. Some report Halo: Reach launching only when opened via the Start menu, rather than the Microsoft Store, and Xbox apps. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, working with the Xbox Game Pass team, stating a "hotfix is expected soon."

Workaround: Open Halo: Reach PC via Windows Start menu, over the Microsoft Store or Xbox apps.

Halo: Reach PC fails to download from Microsoft Store

Halo: Reach PC may fail to download, labeled as "Pending" from the Microsoft Store. Signing in to the Microsoft Store a second time, or clearing your Microsoft Store cache, may provide fixes, as detailed step-by-step here.

Have we missed issues you're experiencing with Halo: Reach for PC? Let us know in the comments section.

Halo: Reach on PC has arrived, and the modding community is already hard at work creating fun, interesting ways to play the game that the official experience doesn't provide. One such mod recreates Halo 5's Warzone mode in Halo: Reach, allowing people who enjoyed the chaos of vehicles, power weapons, and enemy AI all at once to experience it in a Halo: Reach format. Here's everything you need to know about the mod, including what it does specifically, where to get it, and who made it.

What does the mod do?

This mod transforms the Unearthed Firefight map into a massive battleground, featuring 8v8 Capture the Flag with tons of vehicles, power weapons, and Covenant AI enemies that constantly respawn and will fight both teams of players throughout the entire match. This combination of sandbox elements makes the mode feel very similar to Halo 5's Warzone, which featured a similar focus on chaotic combat with both enemy players and enemy AI around objectives. For a great look at what a match on the map looks like, check out the gameplay video above (mind the profanity).

Where can you get the mod, and who made it?

The mod can be found on this post of the r/HaloMods subreddit, which features two different places where you can get the file. Once you extract the file, make sure to read the readme document in order to see the instructions for installation. It's a very simple process, as all you'll need to do is replace some files in your Halo: Reach game directory.

The mod was made by Gamecheat13, who is arguably the leading Halo community member when it comes to the topic of modding. Aside from his YouTube channel, he also has a Twitter account where he frequently talks about what he's working on and modding in general. If you're interested in the wider Halo modding scene, you should definitely keep an eye on what he has to say.

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? Personally, I think it looks badass, and I can't wait to get some friends online at some point so we can have some fun on it. Halo 5's Warzone mode was a great concept, and it's awesome to see that the modding community has found a way to recreate it in a past title.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Halo: Reach on PC is here, and many players are hoping to enjoy classic Custom Games multiplayer with their friends. However, if you were a Halo: Reach player on the Xbox 360 but forgot to designate to have your collection of Custom Games maps and gametypes ported to PC before 343 Industries' deadline passed, you'll be left with none of the stuff you need to do so. While you could wait for players to remake these maps and gametypes in the new Forge on PC (which you can access right now, by the way!), there's a much easier way to get those maps and gametypes on PC: downloading the "Halo Reach Forge Collection" mod that adds them!

What does the mod do specifically?

The Halo Reach Forge Collection adds a huge amount of maps and gametypes to your Halo: Reach game directory so that you can play them in your Custom Games matches with your friends. Specifically, you get 303 maps and 256 gametypes, which together will allow you to play nearly every single popular Custom Games mode ever made for the original Halo: Reach. Some of these include Fat Kid (a version of Infection where one zombie is extremely tough, but slow), Duck Hunt (a recreation of the classic game), Indiana Jones (run away from the rolling ball of death), and many, many more.

Where can you get the mod, and who made it?

You can download the mod here on the Nexus Mods website, which is where the vast majority of mods for games are uploaded. The mod is compatible with both the Steam and Windows 10 Store versions of the game, and the description tab of the mod page has clear and easy-to-follow installation instructions.

The mod was made by Halo community member LeTexan, who compiled all of the maps and gametypes into one package. Make sure to leave a comment thanking them for sharing their files to all!

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? Are you excited to enjoy Custom Games with your friends? Let me know.

Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

With the arrival of Halo: Reach on PC, the modding community, of course, got down to business developing different types of mods that alter various parts of the gameplay experience. One such mod, dubbed "Halo: Reach Evolved," completely overhauls the Campaign and Firefight modes, allowing old and new players alike to experience Halo: Reach in a completely new way. Here's everything you need to know about the mod, including an overview of what it contains, where you can download it, and who made it.

So, what does Halo: Reach Evolved do?

At it's core, Halo: Reach Evolved is a project that aims to completely overhaul the sandbox of Halo: Reach using inspiration from the original three Halo games. According to the mod author, who spoke to us, the goal was to add completely new content that would offer a new gameplay experience, while also making sure everything still felt like it belonged in a Halo game and wasn't too crazy.

Another design goal was to make every weapon in the game a viable choice on Legendary difficulty. This is because with vanilla Halo: Reach, only a small amount of weapons were worth using against the deadly foes you face on Legendary. Some things you'll find within Reach Combat Evolved include DMRs that have burst firing, longer-range shotguns, Spikers that shoot like shotguns, a special variant of the Revenant Covenant vehicle that shoots streams of flame instead of plasma mortars, and other sandbox items.

On top of that, there are new Covenant enemy types that add new twists to combat, such as Elites that use a physical energy shield in conjunction with an Energy Sword. You can even "hijack" a Hunter as if it was a vehicle and plant a grenade inside of the worms. Now that's badass! For a first-hand look at what the mod brings to the table, check out the gameplay video above.

The mod isn't fully completed yet on PC, but currently, the campaign mission "Winter Contingency" and the Firefight map "Beachhead" are available to play with the mod. The mod author plans to finish the Campaign first, then finish making the mod work with the rest of the Firefight maps.

Where can you get Halo: Reach Evolved, and who made it?

The current version of Halo: Reach Evolved is available here (The m10_evolved.ppf file is for the Campaign mission, and the ff50_park_evolved.ppf one is for Firefight). Once you've downloaded the files, head over to this Reddit post and follow the instructions on how to patch your game's map files with the files you got in order to make the game work. The process is quick and simple, so it isn't a hassle at all.

Halo: Reach Evolved was made by Halo community member The Vengeful 'Vadam, a Halo content creator on YouTube. He posts information about the mod as well as gameplay on his channel, so make sure to keep an eye on it. He also has a Twitter if you'd like to get in touch with him directly.

Your thoughts

What do you think of the Halo: Reach Evolved mod? Let me know. Personally, I think it's awesome, and it makes me excited to see all of the other types of amazing mods Halo community members will dream up in the future.

Halo: Reach on PC is available on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store for $10.

Microsoft recently debuted Halo: The Master Chief Collection for PC, delivering the first piece of the six-part shooter compilation on Steam and Windows 10. Halo: Reach kickstarts a staged rollout, expanding beyond the Xbox home console, reviving the near-decade old farewell from developer Bungie. The game's arrival marks a bold new era for Microsoft's legendary franchise, although it draws its share of technical complications too.

Moving Halo: Reach from Xbox 360 to PC isn't completely seamless, with our team currently keeping tabs on a roundup of all the bugs and launch issues. But among the most widespread is a nasty audio bug affecting a sizeable share of Halo: Reach PC newcomers, as experienced throughout our full review.

Halo: Reach PC brings 4K visuals, control refinements, and even adjustments to audio, switching up encoding across the board. That appears to have introduced a share of hitches, with many reporting muffled sounds, poor mixing, and other artifacts previously unseen with the vanilla Xbox 360 title.

Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, stating it is "actively investigating" audio quality issues. However, it doesn't appear entirely unexpected, with developer 343 Industries warning of potential hiccups in a past November blog post. "We are aware that areas of the title don't sound like what you or we ideally want them to," stated Community Support & Engagement Coordinator at 343 Industries, Tyler Davis.

"It will take some time to work through solutions to improve the overall experience for audio and that work is already underway. When it is ready, we will flight to test the fixes we can make prior to updating the title. We also plan to go into more detail on our Reach audio journey in a later blog."

While Halo: Reach PC audio issues are proving frustrating for some, it appears Microsoft is already pushing toward a fix. Unofficial workarounds or improvements are yet to surface, but keep an eye out for the days following launch.

In the meantime, Halo: Reach PC Is now available on Steam and the Microsoft Store for Windows 10.

Microsoft released Halo: Reach yesterday, and our full review gives the game high marks for the port to PC.

But the question for many is how well does it play on even mid-range hardware in 2019? It turns out, it's good enough. The Surface Pro 7 with a Core i5 processor is a solid performer and with the recent massive sale an extraordinary value. It also plays Halo: Reach just fine.

Halo: Reach settings and experience

Installing Halo: Reach will take some time, as you need around 20GB of space for the entire game. The game runs fine with 8GB of RAM, but you'll also want to make sure your web browser and any non-essential apps are closed because you will push using all that RAM during gameplay.

Luckily, Halo: Reach has plenty of settings to adjust gameplay based on your desired framerates. Playing at 1024 x 768 looks OK with slightly higher than 30 frames-per-second (FPS) gameplay. You can push resolution even higher to 1280 x 960 and still hover around 30 FPS during battles, but up to 50 FPS when just walking around the environment, making it a good choice, too. The V-Sync setting has no impact on performance, as the hardware here is not pushing framerates that high.

If higher frame rates are preferred, you can, of course, drop the resolution down even further to just HD levels instead of full HD.

In the video posted above by "josher14," you can get an idea of what playing Halo: Reach is like on the Surface Pro 7 with a Core i5 CPU. I've been playing with similar settings for a few hours, and when paired with an Xbox controller (or using a mouse and keyboard), the experience has been amusing.

The 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G4 does quite well with Halo: Reach. While the Surface Pro is fanless, it doesn't seem to matter too much. But if you are in a warm room and are playing for an hour or so, you will likely see some minor CPU throttling at some point. Some users have resorted to external fans to keep the Surface Pro 7 cooled, which can help but is not necessary either.

Those with the Surface Pro 7 with a more powerful Core i7-1065G7 have an actively cooled system (fan) with a more powerful GPU that should improve upon the experience here.

Surface Pro 7 and Halo: Reach not bad at all

Perhaps it's not exciting or unexpected that a game that's nine years old plays well on something like the Surface Pro 7. Still, considering the lack of a discrete GPU and that the Core i5 version is fanless, this is a pretty remarkable experience.

I never fell into Halo games, so my experience with Reach has been unique, as it's my first time playing a game in the series from the beginning. Playing the game on a Surface Pro 7 is like playing Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus on a Nintendo Switch. Sure, you're sacrificing some quality in graphics, but the gameplay and story remain, making the whole thing still enjoyable.

The idea of playing retro console games on new PC hardware like the Surface Pro 7 is an exciting alternative to a Nintendo Switch. It's one less device to carry, and you get a larger display. Combined with Xbox Game Pass for PC and Microsoft is doing a great job of bringing that dream to reality.

What you need to play Halo: Reach on PC

Because it's such an older game, Halo: Reach on PC has very low minimum spec requirements. Here's the official bare minimum specifications your rig will need to meet in order to run the game at below HD and with solid frames per second (FPS):

• Intel i3550 or AMD Radeon II X4 960T CPU
• NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 or AMD HD 6850 GPU
• 8GB of RAM

For 1080p 60 FPS gaming, it's recommended you have these specs:

• Intel i7-870 or AMD FX-4100 CPU
• NVIDIA GTX 560 Ti or AMD Radeon R7 360 GPU
• 8GB of RAM

Finally, for 4K 60 FPS gaming, here's what your rig will need:

• Intel i5-3450 or AMD FX-6350 CPU
• NVIDIA GTX 770 or AMD Radeon 480 GPU
• 8GB of RAM

It's fantastic to see that the parts needed to run Halo: Reach at any level are extremely affordable, as this means that basically everyone will be able to play the game and have a good time.

What should you look for?

Because the requirements are so affordable, I think you should equip your PC with the necessary hardware to maybe go 4K. In my experience, Intel and NVIDIA are better than AMD, so I recommend selecting at least the Intel i5-3450 and an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti (the GTX 770 is almost impossible to find on sale right now).

If you're planning on playing other, more modern games on the PC you're going to use to play Reach, you should get something more recent. I'm a big fan of the Intel i5-9600K's strong mid-range performance and balanced price, and the NVIDIA RTX 2060 SUPER is an excellent choice that offers next-gen power and ray tracing support for a cost that's much lower than the market's leading GPUs.

In terms of RAM, you'll be fine with 8GB, though opting for 16GB is never a bad idea.

How to make the game run better on your PC

If you're having problems getting Halo: Reach to run well, the first thing you should do is make sure that your drivers are up to date. If you've done that and issues still persist, you can try lowering the video settings in-game. Here's how to get to the video menu:

1. Go to Options & Career.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Video.

Once there, try these changes one at a time. If something doesn't improve your performance, try using the changed settings in conjunction with one another.

1. Use Windowed mode (Borderless or regular) instead of Fullscreen.
2. Change Graphics Quality from Enhanced to Original.
3. Limit your FPS to 60.
4. Turn V-Sync on or off, depending on which was selected while you were having issues.

Since Halo: Reach is a relatively easy game to run on PC, you shouldn't be having many performance issues. However, if you do, these changes will very likely fix the problem you're having.

Halo: Reach on PC is here, and the game plays wonderfully on the platform. However, some may be disappointed to hear that the beloved Forge mode wasn't ready for launch, and is instead going to be coming in the near future. However, if you want access to the Forge mode right now ahead of its official release, you can get it with some simple file manipulation. Here's a guide to the full process of getting Forge working.

What you'll need

Before starting, you're going to want to make sure you have the latest version of the HxD software installed. This program is a Freeware Hex and Disk Editor that you'll need in order to open and edit the necessary .pak file that allows you to get your hands on Forge.

If you have the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, you'll also need the UWPDumper program in order to get access to that versions files.

Finally, you're going to need an Xbox One Controller to use with your PC, as the version of Forge you're able to access right now doesn't allow you to use a mouse and keyboard to edit.

Getting started

The first thing you'll need to do is find the MCC-WindowsNoEditor.pak file within your Master Chief Collection directory. For most players, the directory will be on your regular C drive, but if you've installed your game on an SSD like I have, make sure to select that drive instead.

1. Open your File Explorer.
2. Select whichever drive you installed Halo: Reach on PC on.
3. Select the Program Files (x86) folder.
4. Select the Steam folder.
5. Select the steamapps folder.
6. Select the common folder.
7. Look for and find the Halo The Master Chief Collection folder, and go into it.
8. Navigate to the MCC folder.
9. Next, select the Content folder.
10. Finally, go into the Paks folder and the file will be right there.

For Windows 10 Store users

If you own the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, make sure to follow this guide from the helpful Halo community on how to get access to your files. I don't own this version of the game so I can't make a step-by-step process of how to utilize UWPDumper, but just from reading the community's guide I can tell that the process is easy and quick. Once you've got your files, the process of getting Forge working is the same as it is for the Steam version.

Editing in HxD

Now comes the editing of the .pak file. It looks scary, but it's actually pretty simple. Just follow these steps:

1. Open HxD.
2. In HxD, open the MCC-WindowsNoEditor.pak file.

3. Press Ctrl+G. This will open up the HEX search menu. We need to search for two strings of code.
4. In the "Offset" box, paste in this series of characters: 1E302110.

5. Click OK. The program will move your cursor to the first line of code we need.
6. Select the first two 0s in the code and replace it with the number 27.

7. Repeat steps 3-6, but for this series of characters instead: 1E2F52D0.
8. With both strings of code edited, Save the edit and allow the program to finish its work.

9. Launch Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam in Anti-Cheat Disabled Mode.
10. At the main menu, select the Create option (see above) to start Forging.

Optional: Get new Forge objects and a higher build limit

You're good to go as is, but if you want access to the new Forge objects and higher build limit that's coming to Forge when it releases, you'll need to do an additional few steps.

1. Download and extract this special version of the Forge World map.
2. Navigate to your Halo The Master Chief Collection folder again by following the process you used to get to the .pak file.
3. Select the haloreach folder.
4. Select the maps folder.
5. Drag the forge_halo.map file you downloaded into the maps folder you have opened.

6. Windows will ask if you want to replace the regular file of the same name with the new one. Click Yes.

And with that, you're done!

Your thoughts

What do you think of the fact you can get access to Forge ahead of its official release? I think it's awesome.

Halo: Reach on PC is available now for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

In the last article, we saw how the UNSC Spirit of Fire and her crew was able to prevent the Covenant from winning the war early.

Complete Halo timeline series

In this article, we're going to fast forward to the war's latter stages, in which the events of Halo: Reach on PC, which just released on Steam and the Windows 10 Store, take place. Though the UNSC believed that the planet Reach was impenetrable, the Covenant would soon teach them just how wrong they were.

July 2552 CE (Current Era): The Covenant prepare to invade

Using information gained from a tracking device, the Covenant learned of Reach's location and its defense network, which consisted of several Orbital Mass Accelerator Cannon platforms (MACs) and a small home fleet. Opting for stealth, a fleet of several SDV-class heavy corvettes and a CSO-class supercarrier was sent to the system in order to lay the groundwork for the full invasion.

Using cloaking technology, the corvettes snuck past UNSC sensors and began covertly sending down troops. A series of stealth pylons were then constructed on the ground, which allowed the supercarrier to move in-atmosphere similarly undetected. The supercarrier then ferried its own forces to the surface, as well as anti-aircraft emplacements. Their final action was a covert attack on the UNSC's communications network.

The UNSC counterattack

Noticing that communications were down, Spartan NOBLE Team was sent to investigate. Expecting to find a human rebellion, they instead discovered the Covenant's attack force; as NOBLE defeated them and got the relay operational, WINTER CONTINGENCY was declared and Reach immediately put out a call for help to all UNSC vessels. Reinforcements were coming, but not until August 15, almost a month away.

Caught red-handed, the Covenant began engaging the defenders openly. The UNSC armies on the planet were able to successfully destroy the anti-aircraft defenses, which allowed UNSC frigates to move in and lend heavy air support. However, it was now that the CSO-class supercarrier, the Long Night of Solace, revealed itself, completely decimating a UNSC frigate. With its cover blown, it retreated to the edge of the system, outside of the range of planetary defenses.

Using Sabre fighters and the UNSC frigate Savannah, NOBLE was able to capture a Covenant SDV-class heavy corvette, the Ardent Prayer. Removing the Savannah's slipspace drive and bringing it with them on the corvette, the Spartans flew the vessel close to the Long Night of Solace and overloaded the slipspace drive, causing a massive explosion that vaporized the supercarrier's midsection. However, the detonation device jammed, which forced NOBLE-5, or Jorge, to activate it manually, sacrificing himself.

August 2552 CE: The beginning of the end

Though the destruction of the supercarrier was a victory, it was short-lived, as the first wave of the full invasion force arrived soon after and slipped past the planetary defenses while the UNSC was dealing with the electromagnetic pulse from the slipspace explosion. These ships began to engage Reach's home fleet and bolster the Covenant's ground presence, and since they were in-atmosphere, the Orbital MACs couldn't risk firing on them without friendly casualties.

NOBLE Team would continue to fight the Covenant everywhere they could, though this would ultimately cost NOBLE-2, or Kat, her life. Afterwards, NOBLE-6 was tasked with delivering a fragment of the artificial intelligence Cortana to the UNSC Pillar of Autumn. Meanwhile, the planetary defense network and the recent UNSC reinforcements prepared for the inevitable final wave.

August 30 2552 CE: All hope is lost

Three Covenant fleets — 315 vessels in total — arrived at the edge of the Reach system, opening fire on the Orbital MACs and the 152 UNSC ships that had amassed to guard them. The three repair stations present took the Covenant fleet's opening salvo, allowing the defenders a chance to launch an attack. Between the various MAC rounds, missiles, and other ordnance, the defenders destroyed roughly a third of the opposing force. However, with the repair stations destroyed, they now had a clear shot at the defenses.

The Covenant fired, destroying the majority of the UNSC forces and crippling the defense platforms. With a hole in the defensive line created, dropships began to rapidly deploy to the surface, annihilating the already exhausted UNSC ground forces. As Covenant warships began to glass the planet, NOBLE-6 was able to deliver the Cortana fragment to the docked Pillar of Autumn successfully. Staying behind to man an anti-aircraft gun in order to give the Autumn cover as it escaped, he would ultimately die on Reach.

The Pillar of Autumn, lead by its captain, Jacob Keyes, was able to take advantage of the distracted Covenant ships and flee Reach, Master Chief and the now-complete Cortana in tow. And what they discovered after their randomized slipspace jump would lead to the biggest discovery in UNSC history...

Your thoughts

What do you think of the Fall of Reach? Let me know.

• See Halo 5 on Microsoft Store
• See Halo Wars 2 on Microsoft Store
• See MCC on Microsoft Store

Halo: Reach on PC has finally arrived, and with it has come a new customization system that features battle pass-like progression in which you need to play the game to get experience and level up. Each time you gain a level, you'll get Season Points that you can then use to unlock armor pieces in a linear order.

There are 100 different reward packages players will have to get through in order to unlock everything in the game, and the rewards cost more and more Season Points as you approach that number. Because of this, the grind to get every piece of armor in the game will no doubt sound daunting to players. Thankfully, though, there are some strategies that you can employ in order to level up and get Season Points faster. Here are three tips that will help you make your way through the progression system.

Play lots of Firefight Arcade

Firefight Arcade was the best way to get credits in the original Halo: Reach, and it's the best way to get experience in Halo: Reach on PC now. Because of how the game rewards kills (and multikills in particular), the versions of Firefight in Arcade Firefight are ideal for experience farming. You're given a copious amount of power weapons and can easily kill endless hordes of AI enemies, making it one of the simplest and silliest ways to boost your experience gains.

Play lots of Big Team Battle, too

If you're not a fan of Arcade Firefight or get bored of grinding it, another awesome way to level up faster is to play Big Team Battle. Because of the large 8v8 match size and the inclusion of more power weapons and vehicles than standard 4v4 modes, you can go on huge killing sprees if you play your cards right. When using vehicles, always stay on the move and stay out of the open as much as possible, using map terrain and patience to surprise groups of opponents with big firepower. The same applies for power weapons; try and get the drop on several people at once, or hit a crowded vehicle that won't see you coming.

Ultimately, play to stay alive

No matter what mode you're playing, it's important that you stay alive above all else as much as you can. Dying a lot doesn't bode well for your experience gains, and if you're patient and play defensively, opportunities for big plays will come. In particular, a great way to rack up kills while putting yourself in minimal harms way is to watch an area of the map that often has a lot of player traffic with a long-range weapon like the DMR, while peeking in and out of cover so you're not exposed. This allows you to take easy shots at foes who don't see where you are, and if they return fire, you can easily duck into cover.

Your thoughts

What do you think of my adivce? Do you have any favorite experience gaining strategies that you like to use? Let me know.

Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 on Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

Since the release of Halo 2 Vista in 2007, Halo has not had a major outing on the PC platform. Though Halo Online and Halo 5: Forge on PC provided decent experiences, they were riddled with problems and were overall not popular with either Halo's community or the PC gaming one. With 343 Industries' effort to bring all the titles from the Master Chief Collection to PC, though, the lack of Halo on the platform is changing — and Halo: Reach, Bungie's final entry of the franchise, is the first game to make the migration following months of testing and tweaking, supported by community feedback from Halo Insiders.

But is the port any good?

After testing the game extensively, I can confidently say the port is better than good. It's excellent. And while there are some problems worth highlighting, the ultimately successful migration of Halo: Reach to PC makes me excited for the future of the franchise on the platform.

Halo: Reach Campaign and Firefight

Halo: Reach's Campaign, which puts you in the shoes of Noble Six, a member of a squad of Spartans called Noble Team fighting to defend the planet Reach from the Covenant, is one of the two player-versus-environment (PvE) modes available. The other is Firefight, which is a wave defense mode against increasingly difficult assaults by Covenant forces. Both of these get a fantastic boost from the power of PC hardware. The flexibility of mouse and keyboard allows you to react to Covenant enemies faster and more smoothly than you ever could with a controller, and the various environments that make up Halo: Reach's 10-hour campaign and its suite of Firefight maps look crisper, cleaner, and sharper than their Xbox 360 version counterparts. The game doesn't look modern by any means — it is a 2010 release, after all, and the title's age is very noticeable — but it's still leagues better than the original, with lighting in particular getting a major boost in quality. There's a noticeable lack of graphics options aside from turning on "Enhanced" graphics (you can't change things like view distance or shadow quality specifically), but there's probably a good reason for that, as the original game was never made to be on PC in the first place.

In terms of performance, the Campaign and Firefight modes run excellently. Though you might get a screen hitch or slight frame-rate dip during large engagements with lots of visual effects, 95% of the time, you'll have a buttery smooth 60+ frames per second (FPS) experience. The frame rate is uncapped, so if you've got good enough hardware, you can push the FPS as high as your monitor's refresh rate allows. There's an audio bug that currently affects the whole game and makes it sound muddy and muffled, but aside from that, I've had no issues.

Related: Halo: Reach on PC minimum requirements

Multiplayer content and matchmaking quality

Halo: Reach's suite of action-packed multiplayer content is also available, and it also greatly benefits from the PC platform. The mouse and keyboard is considered the top input setup for shooter games for a reason, and the preciseness and control that it offers fits Halo like a glove. In addition, 60+ FPS makes gameplay look and feel smoother, which is important when you're up against other players. You can remap your keys to whatever you prefer if you're not a fan of the default controls, and the game even has a field-of-view slider now, which gives players a much-appreciated amount of control over what their peripheral vision will look like. This is a feature that's great across the entire game, but it matters even more in multiplayer where seeing (and shooting) an opponent first can be the difference between life and death. You can select which specific type of modes and gametypes you want to play, too, which allows you to curate your mutiplayer experiences.

When it comes to how stable the multiplayer is, Halo: Reach on PC is better than I was expecting. I was anticipating issues with matchmaking and in-game connections, but I've had very few issues finding games or experiencing lag during them over my playtime. This is a big relief, as many were afraid that we would be dealing with a repeat of the disastrous Master Chief Collection launch on Xbox One back in 2014. Custom Games work just fine, too.

New progression system

New with the launch of Halo: Reach on PC is the progression system, which takes inspiration from the original game but operates more like a modern day battle pass. By playing multiplayer and Firefight in the game, you earn experience points that level you up, similar to how the credit (cR) system worked in the Xbox 360 version. However, instead of being able to spend your cR on pieces of armor you specifically want, you earn all of the armor in the game linearly by progressing through ranks on the game's battle pass-like system.

Ultimately, I like this system because it rewards time investment, and performing well in-game nets you higher experience so skilled players will have their success rewarded as well, but the loss of the ability to choose what you want to unlock when you want to unlock it is unfortunate.

User interface and mod support

Finally, Halo: Reach on PC utilizes an overhauled version of the user interface (UI) from the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One, complete with clear indicators for toggleable options and a good balance between information and empty space. The result is a UI that looks clean and tidy, which is good to see after how cluttered Halo 5: Guardians was. The UI is snappy and organized well, too.

The game can be launched in "mod mode," which disables the anti-cheat software the game has but prevents you from accessing matchmade multiplayer content. This allows modders to develop and test mods out for the Campaign or Custom Games, and players can also install those mods and use them in this mode. A more long-term, official type of mod support is still coming, but for now, I'm happy to see that the game supports modding in some capacity.

So should you buy Halo: Reach on PC?

While the game-wide audio bug, lack of advanced graphics options, and inability to specifically choose what armor pieces you want to unlock are unfortunate, I can't help but be immensely impressed with how fantastic this port. The best part is the future looks even brighter for Reach on PC and beyond, as 343 Industries has said that it is working on a fix for the audio, Forge and Theater are coming soon, and that long-term mod support is in the works. If the quality of this port is indicative of what every Halo game on PC will be like, the franchise will no doubt succeed spectacularly on the platform.

Whether you're a Halo fan who's excited to try a Halo title on PC for the first time, or a PC-only gamer who has been aching to play Halo since Halo 2 Vista, I can't recommend playing Halo: Reach on PC enough.

Halo: Reach is available for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

What you need to know

• Halo: Reach is a first-person shooter that Bungie released a few years ago.
• The game is part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection is topping sales charts on Steam because Halo: Reach just launched.
• You can also play Halo: Reach through Xbox Game Pass.

Updated December 26, 2019: According to recent statistics, Halo: Reach has been played by over 100,000 people already on Steam and is the third most-viewed game on Twitch. People really wanted these games to hit PC, that's for sure. It's also one of the to-selling new games on Steam according to the end-of-the-year charts.

Halo: Reach just launched on Xbox One and PC. While it's available through the Microsoft Store, you can also purchase the game on Steam. Halo: The Master Chief Collection contains Halo: Reach for $40, but you can also buy the game individually for $10. If you look at the Steam sales chart at the moment, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is at the top, beating titles like Disco Elysium, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and more.

It's great to see Halo doing so well on Steam. If you don't want to spend $40 or even $10 on a one-time purchase, you can always play Halo: The Master Chief Collection through Xbox Game Pass. The subscription service costs $10 a month. Are you excited for Halo: Reach on PC? Let us know.

Xbox

Main

• 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

What you need to know

• Halo: Reach is out now on PC.
• It's available on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.
• The game costs $10.
• It's also available as part of the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One.
• The next game to come to PC will be Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

Halo: Reach on PC has officially launched on Steam and the Windows 10 Store, marking the first time an official mainline Halo title has been playable in full on the platform since Halo 2 Vista in 2007. In addition, players can also enjoy Halo: Reach on the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One. On PC, the game costs $10, and on console, the multiplayer modes are free while Campaign and Firefight cost $10. Forge and Theater aren't ready for the launch, but they're both coming in the near future according to 343 Industries. If you happen to have the game installed on both platforms, 343 Industries has confirmed that you'll be able to transfer your progression for things like unlocking armor between systems. Additionally, the game supports uncapped framerates, allowing modern gaming PCs to take full advantage of the title's relatively low hardware requirements.

It's fantastic to finally see Halo: Reach on PC come out, as 343 Industries has been working closely with Halo Insiders for months in order to port the game over to the platform. The next game being brought to the PC platform is Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, so if you'd like the opportunity to help test that game out, make sure to sign up for the Halo Insider Program. If you're lucky, you'll be selected to participate.

When does Halo: Reach go live?

Halo: Reach Goes LiveCountdown

Halo: Reach's servers are set to go live around 10 AM PST / 1 PM ET / 6 PM GMT on Tuesday 3rd December, 2019. See above for a countdown timer in your timezone, or head to this link if the widget doesn't work in your browser. The campaign itself will definitely be playable, but like many big online game launches, there might be server issues with the multiplayer initially. We'll just have to wait and see on that one.

What is Halo: Reach?

Halo: Reach is a much-loved Halo prequel, and the last Halo title made by the original developers, Bungie. Set on the human colony of Reach, the game charts the early days of the Covenant-Human war.

Catching the UNSC off-guard, the Covenant proceed in decimating the human population. It's on you and your fellow spartans to make a last stand.

Halo: Reach is the first mainline Halo game to hit PC in years, and will spearhead a wider effort to eventually bring every Halo game to Steam and the Microsoft Store for PC. For more info, hit the link below.

Halo: Reach - Everything you need to know

Halo: Reach was one of the most popular Xbox 360 games in the years before the Xbox One's release. Ever since it was added to the new console as part of the backwards compatibility program, it has maintained a healthy player base. However, something fans of the title have been asking for extensively is a port to PC. They would go on to get their wish, as it was revealed that Halo: Reach, alongside the rest of the Master Chief Collection (MCC), is being brought to PC retail services.

Here's everything you need to know about Halo: Reach on PC.

Halo Reach on PC: Gameplay and what to expect

Halo: Reach has been brought to PC in its entirety, and Campaign, Matchmaking, Custom Games, and Firefight are all available for players to enjoy (Forge and Theater are coming, but unfortunately weren't ready for the game's launch). In addition to this, the game is also being added to the MCC on Xbox One, and thankfully the extensive customization that Halo: Reach is known for has been brought to the MCC version on both platforms with an overhaul to how it is earned by the player. The Firefight mode uses dedicated servers. There is cross progression between both Xbox One and PC as well, though crossplay is still up in the air. The matchmaking uses the settings from the Title Update that came out for Halo: Reach after the game's original release.

On both systems, Halo: Reach has been updated and made compatible with modern hardware, allowing gamers to enjoy the game at higher resolutions and framerates, with uncapped framerates on PC in particular. This is great news for players who can't stand the painful 30 frames per second (FPS) and motion blurring in the original game, and if you have a strong PC or an Xbox One X, you'll even be able to push 4K resolution. Without a doubt, this will be the best version of Halo: Reach ever experienced. Lastly, mod support is being considered as well, although it currently isn't a priority for the developers.

Halo Reach on PC: Release date and price

Halo: Reach arrived on the PC platform on Dec. 3, 2019 at 10 AM PST/ 1 PM ET / 6 PM GMT. On the same day, it was also integrated into the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One.

Halo: Reach Goes LiveCountdown

For all players on PC, Reach is $10. If you own the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One, you get access to the multiplayer modes for free, while you have to pay $10 to get access to Campaign and Firefight. If you happen to be an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you get the full Reach experience at no cost on both platforms.

If you'd like to assist 343 Industries test various builds of the next Halo games coming to PC, make sure to sign up for the Halo Insider Program. Flight testing is the perfect way to give the developers a hand.

Halo Reach on PC: Where can you buy?

It's fantastic that Halo: Reach has come to PC, but what service can you get it on? Currently, Halo: Reach is available on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.

The ability to choose which service you like the most is great, and it's a consumer-friendly decision that shouldn't go underappreciated. With any luck, Reach will run smoothly on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store, and maybe even take advantage of the various community features offered by one or both of the services.

Halo Reach on PC: Final thoughts

Halo: Reach coming to PC is incredible. Tons of players never got the chance to experience Bungie's last Halo game due to Xbox exclusivity, and I'm so happy that's changing. I can't wait to see what the PC community thinks of one of Xbox's most successful titles ever.

Your thoughts

What's your opinion on Halo: Reach being on PC? Let me know what you think.

Updated: Dec. 3, 2019: This article was updated with information about the game's release.

What you need to know

• Halo: Reach is coming to Xbox One and PC natively on December 3.
• If you're planning on buying it on Steam, you won't be able to pre-load it.
• The file size isn't expected to be that big so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

Halo: Reach is coming to Xbox One and PC on December 3, and many gamers wanted to know if it's going to be available for pre-load on Steam. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's the case because 343 Industries' Tyler Davis, better known as Postums, said that it wouldn't be. You'll just have to buy it and install it on that day.

Halo: Reach isn't expected to be an absolutely massive file so it shouldn't be that bad. However, it would've been nice to have the option on Steam. Are you considering buying the game on that platform? Let us know.

Xbox

Main

• 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

Halo: Reach hits Xbox One and PC, as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection in December, and Microsoft just released the Xbox Achievements you can unlock. The list was compiled by TrueAchievements after the servers were updated.

Halo: Reach brings 100 achievements for 1,000 Gamerscore. You can take a look at them all below.

Halo: Reach will be available through Xbox Game Pass or you can buy it individually as an add-on for Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Are you going to play Halo: Reach again? Let us know.

Xbox

Main

• 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

What you need to know

• Halo: Reach on PC will support uncapped framerates when it launches December 3, 2019.
• In addition, many other facets of the game are being improved.
• The launch of the game will also see a massive update for the title's Forge level editor.
• Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary on PC will enter testing phases early in 2020.

Halo: Reach on PC is launching on December 3, 2019, and developer 343 Industries has released a blog post that gives a detailed overview about how the launch version of the game will have various improvements over the builds of the title used in test flights.

The biggest news is that Halo: Reach on PC is confirmed to support variable framerate (VFR) out of the gate, which essentially means that you can push your framerate as high as your monitor's refresh rate and your system's hardware will allow. This is excellent news, as the ability to push frames-per-second (FPS) past the standard 60 is considered a crucial feature to have in many PC gaming communities. That's not all, though — mouse input speed and accuracy problems, audio and V-Sync bugs, user interface crashes, and server connection issues are all being taken care of for the game's launch, and a Push-To-Talk key is being added, too. Additionally, 343 plans to tweak things such as controller aim assist on PC over time, as well as increase the amount of servers that support the title.

In addition to all of the improvements mentioned above, 343 Industries is also adding in a ton of brand new Forge objects to Halo: Reach, both for the PC version and for the Xbox One version being added to the Master Chief Collection on the same day of the PC launch. These objects include new space vehicles like the Sabre and Seraph from the Campaign, as well as civilian vehicles and set pieces that were previously only visible in Campaign levels or developer-made multiplayer maps. As an added bonus, players will also be able to place more objects than they could in the Xbox 360 version of the title as well.

Related: How to play Halo: Reach early on PC

Lastly, the blog post was concluded with a note that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will begin recieving PC test flights in early 2020. If you haven't signed up for the Halo Insider Program already, we highly recommend doing so. The process is free, and you'll have a good chance of being able to help 343 Industries test all the other Halo games coming to PC in the future, which include Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4.

Ever since the release of Halo 2 Vista in 2004, first-person shooter Halo titles have been completely absent on PC, with the sole exception of Halo 5: Guardians' Forge and Custom Games modes. Due to this, PC players haven't been able to finish the fight with Halo 3, continue the Master Chief's journey in Halo 4, and more. Thankfully, though, that's changing.

In the summer of 2019, it was revealed that Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) (Halo: MCC) is making its way to PC, thanks to the efforts of 343 Industries and its partners, Splash Damage and Ruffian Games. The way that it's being released makes stability a priority, which is great news. In addition, you'll be able to buy the MCC from two different places, and there's new, unexpected content coming as well.

Here's everything you need to know about Halo MCC on PC.

Halo MCC on PC: Gameplay and what to expect

Instead of bringing all of the Halo games into the PC ecosystem at once, 343 Industries and Microsoft are instead opting for a slower approach, in which each title is released one at a time — this is being done to ensure a stable launch for each title. In terms of content, each individual game will have Campaign, Multiplayer, and Custom Games, as well as Forge and Theater mode. In addition, official mod support is confirmed, but the extensiveness of it will vary based on the Halo game in question. There will be a new progression system for all of the games' unlocks, and there will be cross progression between both the Xbox and PC versions of the game. As an added bonus, 343 Industries is also currently planning to uncap the framerates of each game, too.

Fans will be pleased to know that every Halo shooter aside from Halo 5: Guardians is being brought to PC, including Halo: Reach, which is a fantastic surprise for players who enjoyed Bungie's last entry into the franchise. Just like the other titles, it will have all the modes it originally had, and on modern PCs people can expect the best variant of the game yet. Additionally, Halo: Reach has been added to the MCC on Xbox One, and will receive support for 4K HDR and 60 frames per second (FPS) gameplay.

Halo MCC on PC: Release date and price

Due to the slow and methodical approach to releasing the Halo games on PC, most of the titles don't have release dates. However, Halo: Reach and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary have been released so far. The order in which each game is released thereafter is based on when they chronologically occurred in the Halo universe timeline. Therefore, all of the Halo titles will be launched on PC in this order:

• Halo: Reach.
• Halo: Combat Evolved/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.
• Halo 2/Halo 2: Anniversary.
• Halo 3: ODST (Campaign).
• Halo 3.
• Halo 4.

When it comes to pricing information for the MCC on PC, we know that each game except for Halo 3: ODST will cost $10, while ODST will cost $5. On the Xbox One version of the MCC, though, Halo: Reach's multiplayer suite (Matchmaking, Forge, Custom Games, and Theater) are given to all MCC owners for free, while the Campaign and Firefight modes will be offered as a premium add-on DLC, just like Halo 3: ODST's campaign was. If you're an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you'll get the full Halo: Reach experience at no cost.

If you'd like to assist 343 Industries test various builds of each Halo game, then make sure to sign up for the Halo Insider program.

Halo MCC on PC: Where can you buy?

The MCC is coming to PC, but where will you be able to actually enjoy it? You'll be able to buy, download, and play each Halo game on both the Microsoft Store and on Steam, which allows players to choose their preferred platform. According to the Steam listing for the MCC you'll need an Xbox Live account; this is most likely so your profile is integrated into the Halo ecosystem that currently exists on console.

This freedom of choice is excellent in a PC market that has recently been racked with exclusive release controversies, and speaking as an avid PC player myself, it's very much appreciated. Hopefully, the Halo titles end up running excellently on both services, and it would be cool if the MCC was integrated into each service's community features, too.

Halo MCC on PC: Final thoughts

The fact the Halo games are coming to PC is absolutely fantastic, and I can't wait for the PC gaming community to finally get their hands on the franchise after being hung out to dry since 2004. This is something that the community has practically begged for, and Microsoft and 343 Industries granting them their wish should be commended.

Your thoughts

What do you think about the decision to bring the MCC to PC? Let me know what your opinion is in the comments, and make sure to check back on this article frequently so you don't miss when we update it with new information.

Updated 3/3/2020: This article has been updated with information about Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary's release on PC.

What you need to know

• Halo: The Master Chief Collection was announced as coming to PC earlier this year, starting with Halo: Reach.
• At X019, 343 Industries confirmed Halo: Reach would come to Xbox One and PC on December 3.
• Players on PC can preorder and pre-install the game right now.
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection is included in Xbox Game Pass.

At X019, Brian Jarrard, Community Director at 343 Industries, shared the news that Halo: Reach is coming to Halo: The Master Chief Collection on December 3, for Xbox One and PC. Jarrard also shared the news that all six Halo games in the Master Chief Collection can be purchased for $39.99 USD on the Microsoft Store or Steam. PC players can also grab just Halo: Reach for $9.99 USD.

Players on Xbox One can grab the updated version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which includes Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach, for $9.99 USD. Additionally, there's a new launch trailer for this remastered version of the game, which you can take a look at below.

The game can be preordered and pre-installed right now. You can check the minimum specifications needed to run the game on your PC right here. Halo: Reach is the first title in Halo: The Master Chief Collection that is coming to PC, as the rest of the games will be coming in the future.

Xbox

Main

• 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

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has launched the first Xbox One test flight for Halo: Reach on the Master Chief Collection.
• The primary goal of the flight is to stress test the PvP matchmaking systems.
• Additionally, 343 Industries wants feedback about how the game feels to play and the content that is on offer.
• This flight is not for PC players.

Halo developer 343 Industries has officially launched the first-ever test flight on Xbox One for Halo: Reach's transition to the Master Chief Collection. Invite emails have been sent out to Halo Insiders that have been selected, and the email will contain information about how to install this flight build on Xbox One.

Per a recent blog post, players who were MCC Insiders in 2018 will need to delete their old MCC Insider installations and opt out of the MCC Insider flighting rings in order to gain access to this new Halo Insider test flight. This can be done within the Xbox Insider app.

343 Industries' main goal with this flight is to test out Halo: Reach's player-versus-player (PvP) systems and make sure they are operating efficiently during times of server stress caused by higher populations of players. On top of that, the developers also want to collect feedback from players regarding the "feel" of the game, how it runs, and whether or not the community likes the amount and type of content that 343 Industries included.

It's important to note that this flight is not for PC players like the previous two Halo: Reach flights have been. This flight is for Xbox One only, so if you're a Halo Insider that signed up for the program with only a PC and not an Xbox One, you won't receive an invitation.

Related: How to play Halo: Reach early on PC

If you haven't already, we strongly advise signing up for the Halo Insider Program, as being a part of it is the best way to help 343 Industries bring Halo: Reach to both PC and the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One. It'll also help bring many other Halo games to PC. If you're looking to get your hands on some full Halo games right now, make sure to check out the Master Chief Collection.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries is launching an Xbox One test flight for Halo: Reach on MCC soon.
• Participants will need to delete their old "MCC Insider" builds from 2018.
• Additionally, participants will also need to unenroll themselves from MCC Insider flight rings.
• The primary goal of the flight will be to test the PvP experience.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a development update that the transition of Halo: Reach to the Master Chief Collection (MCC) on Xbox One is getting a test flight soon, and Halo Insider participants who used to be a part of the MCC Insider program in 2018 will need to make sure that all MCC Insider builds are deleted from their Xbox One systems.

In addition, they will also need to unenroll themselves from MCC Insider flight rings. This can be done within the Xbox Insider app that all MCC Insiders used to test the MCC.

The reasoning behind this requirement is that the old MCC Insider builds have been recorded causing issues with the Halo: Reach builds that 343 Industries plans to distribute to selected Halo Insiders, which would prevent players from being able to participate in the flights for Halo: Reach. People who were not a part of the MCC Insider program in 2018 don't need to worry about any of this, although they do still need to download the free Xbox Insider app from the Microsoft Store.

In the same update, 343 Industries revealed that the goal of the flight will primarily be to test the player-versus-player (PvP) matchmaking for Halo: Reach on the MCC. In addition to that, 343 Industries is also going to be gathering information from players about how they feel the game runs, feels, and plays, as well as what they think of the PvP content offering overall.

Related: How to play Halo: Reach early on PC

If you haven't done so yet, we strongly recommend that you sign up for the Halo Insider program, as it will give you an opportunity to help 343 Industries test Halo: Reach's journey to both the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One and to the PC platform, as well as the rest of the Master Chief Collection's titles as they make their way to PC in the future. If you're looking to get your hands on some Halo games right now, make sure to check out the Master Chief Collection.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has launched the second test flight for Halo: Reach on PC.
• The flight allows players to play Halo: Reach's Firefight mode, available to roughly 10,000 people.
• The playtesting period lasts until August 27, 2019 at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET.
• The goal of the flight is primarily to test both Firefight and Matchmaking systems.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced that the second test flight for Halo: Reach on PC has arrived and is now live, and it's set to last until August 27, 2019 at 10 AM PT/ 1 PM ET. Invites have been distributed to Halo Insider Program applicants over email, with instructions on how to install the build via Steam.

This flight is significantly larger than the previous one, as it has about 10,000 participants compared to the first flight's 1,000. Players will be able to play Halo: Reach's Firefight mode across three different maps: Beachhead, Corvette, and Holdout. Players will be put into matchmade games with other Insider participants in either one of two playlists: 4-player Heroic standard Firefight, or 4-player Normal grab bag Firefight. The two will rotate over the course of the test, but both will not be active at the same time.

After the test has concluded, 343 Industries plans a following blog post detailing its findings. Alongside the Firefight test, the developers are also beta testing a new support site that is intended for players to use to submit issues they may encounter.

Related: How to play Halo: Reach early on PC

If you haven't already, we strongly advise signing up for the Halo Insider Program, as more flights that include more content and a higher player count are very likely on the way soon. If you're looking to get your hands on some Halo games right now, make sure to check out the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One.

What you need to know

• Halo: Reach is being actively tested on PC.
• So far, Xbox One tests haven't commenced.
• 343 Industries said that this is due to memory limitations on the original console.
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection is part of Xbox Game Pass.

A few weeks ago, public testers finally got their hands on Halo: Reach on PC. The game already runs smoothly and looks great. However, many console gamers were wondering when they could get their hands on the native Xbox One version of Halo: Reach.

Unfortunately, it looks like that won't happen for a while because the team at 343 Industries has run into problems with memory limitations. The customization system has been overhauled and now uses Unreal Engine 4. Between the eleven different engines in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and seven different games, the Xbox One can't handle it. The team is hard at work on a solution, but it's unclear when that might happen.

The team said the following on its website. Luckily, the PC build is going strong and flighting will continue on schedule.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a part of Xbox Game Pass so you can play it immediately if you're a subscriber. There are a couple of options when it comes to getting Xbox Game Pass. You can pay $10 a month on Xbox One, or you can pay $15 a month for Xbox Game Pass on Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass on PC, and Xbox Live Gold. The bundled package offers a lot of savings so that's the one I would recommend.

Xbox accessories you'll love

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

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

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

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

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

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has launched the first test flight for Halo: Reach on PC.
• The flight allows players to play the "Tip of the Spear" mission.
• The test includes less than a thousand people.
• Pirated versions of the beta are available online.

The Halo: Reach beta rolled out to less than a thousand people a few days ago, but that hasn't stopped it from leaking out. Pirated versions can be found all over the internet, allowing anyone to play a selection of the game. Microsoft is aware of this problem and has promised to crack down on offenders.

Today, Community Support and Engagement Coordinator at 343 Industries Tyler Davis said that those who play the pirated beta will be banned. David added, "If you download or play this illegal copy, we have the right to ban all associated accounts and remove you from all current or future... programs." The beta only contains one mission and is currently just to test out delivery methods.

If your account is banned, it means that you lose access to all your digital purchases as well. Since many gamers use the same account for Xbox One and the Microsoft Store on Windows 10, a ban can be quite devastating. Hopefully, those pirating the game will keep this in mind.

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has launched the first test flight for Halo: Reach on PC.
• The flight allows players to play the "Tip of the Spear" campaign mission.
• The flight includes less than 1,000 people and is small in scope.
• The play testing period lasts until July 1, 2019.
• The goal of the flight is primarily to test distribution.

Halo developer 343 Industries has announced in a blog post that the first test flight for Halo: Reach on PC has finally arrived, and will last until July 1, 2019. People who signed up for the Halo Insider Program should check their email address, as there is a chance that they have been sent emails that confirm they've been selected to test Halo: Reach on PC in this flight, as well as provide them with instructions about how to install the build on Steam.

The flight is very small in scope; players can only access the Halo: Reach campaign mission "Tip of the Spear," and according to 343 Industries, less than 1,000 people were selected for the flight, although we don't have an exact number. The primary goal of the flight is to test how the test flight distribution works, but 343 Industries is also looking to get feedback on how the game "feels" on PC as well as how the game performs on a broad range of hardware. Once the flight concludes, 343 Industries plans to release another post that details how everything went during the flight period. In addition, another post is soon to come that will detail how development of Halo: Reach on PC has gone during the month of June.

If you haven't already, we recommend signing up for the Halo Insider Program, as more flights are sure to come in the future. If you're looking to get your hands on some Halo games right now, make sure to check out the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One.

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection hits PC later this year, expanding Microsoft's leading Xbox system seller to Steam and Windows 10. The six-piece compilation compiles its mainline hits into a unified 4K HDR bundle, serving up the iconic first-person shooter series its best form yet.

With work on Halo: The Master Chief Collection for PC still underway, the game has adopted a staged rollout over months ahead. Halo: Reach kickstarts public testing this summer, packing an extensive lineup of enhancements tailored for Windows. Microsoft's latest E3 2019 showing has now proved it's serious about PC gaming, crafting a healthy foundation for Halo outside the living room.

Injecting new life into Halo: Reach on PC

With Halo: The Master Chief Collection slated for Windows PCs later this year, E3 2019 served our first sample of Microsoft's ongoing porting process. We caught a glimpse of the mid-game mission "Tip of the Spear," an environment demonstrating essential components of the single-player campaign. From close-quarters industrial complexes to scorched vehicle-friendly plains, it's a fitting testing ground for Reach's revival.

Halo: Reach dropped in the latter years of the Xbox 360; an era where games wrangled maximum horsepower from fast-aging hardware. The results attained by Bungie's final farewell remain impressive nearly one decade later, but exhibit clear comprises amid a late-generation power struggle. It's among several Xbox 360 titles that used aggressive motion blur to mask performance snags, scrambling to achieve 720p at 30 frames-per-second (FPS).

How to play Halo: The Master Chief Collection early on PC

Halo: The Master Chief Collection PC extracts the best from Halo: Reach, outputting up to nine times the pixels at 4K resolution. The studio is also targeting unlocked framerates and removal of smeary motion blur, streamlining the shooter to modern standards. The PC debut dabbles with a roster of commonplace PC settings too, including advanced graphical options, dynamic field of vision (FOV), and ultrawide support. Integrating these into Halo: Reach is surprisingly seamless, while gameplay emerges tight and agile in-hand.

Although we're unable to compare the two versions side-by-side, Halo: Reach PC appears to pull higher resolution textures over its Xbox 360 counterpart. The game draws the full potential of Bungie's original assets when stacked upon a resolution bump, spotlighting details on firearms and surrounding vistas.

Microsoft's E3 2019 build provided a work-in-progress glimpse into the port but excluded some features expected for the final release. Finishing touches are still being applied to The Master Chief Collection's new Unreal Engine 4-powered PC interface, restricting us from experimenting with settings after loading into the game. Reach also still lacks common PC standards like scroll wheel weapon selection, but 343 Industries affirms this will be addressed before the first public test.

No thumbsticks, no problems

Investing hundreds of hours into Halo: Reach on Xbox 360, the PC version personally emerges just as gripping as launch day. Synonymous with Microsoft's home console family, a departure from the gamepad was admittedly jarring at first. However, it's sleek and refined across all facets of this vertical slice, translating the full controller-bound shooter.

The resources backing Halo: The Master Chief Collection highlights worthy talent on the PC project, meticulously tuned for mouse and keyboard. Gunplay is snappy under mouse command, with no evidence of acceleration or virtualization trickery under the hood. The fully-remappable keyboard bindings also appear well-tuned, even breaking out some actions under shared buttons into separate keys.

While Halo: The Master Chief Collection for PC has been under development for some time, 343 Industries is still ironing the final controls. It's been among several motives for ongoing delays, committing extra time to perfect its inputs. The time has allowed the studio to nail an impressive layout packed with quality of life considerations, guaranteed to impress even seasoned PC gamers. The result is a sleek reincarnation of Bungie's final Halo title, fitting for newcomers and returning veterans.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is set to hit PC later this year, starting with its 4K remaster of Halo: Reach. Fronting its staged rollout over coming months, Halo: Reach PC is expected to cost $10 for access to its campaign and multiplayer modes.

In the meantime, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available exclusively on Xbox One, bundling Halo: Combat Evolved through Halo 4 at 4K and 60 FPS.

Cheap PC accessories we love

Take a gander at these awesome PC accessories, all of which will enhance your Windows experience.

Anker 4 port USB 3.0 hub ($10 at Amazon)

Whether on a desktop or laptop PC, you always need more ports to connect things to. This hub gives you an additional four USB 3.0 Type A ports.

Ikea Fixa Cable Management System ($11 at Amazon)

This IKEA cable management kit is your ticket to a clean setup. It's simple and functional.

NZXT Puck ($20 at Amazon)

This clever little accessory has powerful magnets on the rear to make it stick to any of the metal panels on your PC case or anything else. It's great for hanging accessories like headsets.

What you need to know

• Halo: Reach is getting a PC beta in June.
• The game's "Firefight" mode will run on dedicated servers.
• This should fix the networking problems and lag that plagued the original.

A few months ago, 343 Industries announced that Halo: Reach was joining Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One and PC soon. While the beta is scheduled to roll out in May, the team keeps on providing more information about the project. Today, the long-awaited answer as to whether the game would feature dedicated servers was answered.

According to a report by PC Gamer, Halo: Reach's "Firefight" mode will feature dedicated servers and asynchronous code. This should fix the lag and other networking issues that plagued the title on Xbox 360. 343 Industries issued the following response to the outlet.

Firefight mode is a lot like Gears of War's "Horde" mode where you fight waves of incredibly-difficult enemies. It's great to see that it's finally being fixed after all this time, even though we're another console generation in since it first launched. We assume the dedicated servers are for both Xbox One and PC, but we've reached out for clarification.

Will you play Halo: Reach on Xbox One and PC at 60 frames per second? Did you like its multiplayer offerings back in the day? Let us know.

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

What you need to know

• Halo: Reach is a first-person shooter from Bungie.
• The game is coming to PC soon.
• Beta builds for PC should roll out to testers in June.

A few weeks ago, 343 Industries announced that Halo: Reach was rolling out to PC beta testers in May. Unfortunately, those plans never materialized. Today, during a livestream where the developer showcased gameplay from the beta build, the team revealed that the beta would roll out to testers in June. It's unclear when in June, but it may be towards the end of the month given how June is only a few days away.

Halo: Reach looks incredible on PC, as it features a significantly higher resolution and frame rate than Xbox 360. However, given the fact that the game is also coming to Xbox One X through Halo: The Master Chief Collection, you'll be able to play it at 4K and 60 frames per second on the console.

Interestingly, the build will utilize the "Title Update" settings for matchmaking. This should ensure a smooth experience for Halo: Reach's multiplayer modes. Let's hope the June flighting schedule for the beta sticks because it has been delayed a number of times.

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.