Halo: MCC Season 8 flight to begin next week, includes new map and Firefight improvements

Halo 3 Icebox
Halo 3 Icebox (Image credit: Microsoft)

What you need to know

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

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

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

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

Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

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

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

Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. He's been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you'll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he's not writing or gaming, there's a good chance he's either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once. Follow him on X (Twitter).