We're back for another Community Update! The past two weeks have been filled with constant discussion around Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Halo: Outpost Discovery, a real-life Warthog exhibit with mixed-reality, and what seems to be an infinite amount of extra Halo goodness. That said, let's dive in and talk about a handful of the projects that have been going on across the studio!
Two days ago Postums published a deep-dive on our journey to bring MCC to PC. In this dev update, he touches on what it means to make this a true PC experience (and not just a port), interviews our partners at Splash Damage, shows off some behind-the-scenes shots of us testing our builds, and gives an early look at our plans to improve how we collect your feedback during flighting and beyond. Click anywhere on this sentence or on the photo below to learn more about the current state of MCC PC!
As a reminder, if you want to participate in MCC PC and Reach flights, be sure to register for the Halo Insider program. While our timeline for flights has shifted recently (ske7ch provided details on that in the dev update above), we're continuously pushing to get it in your hands as soon as possible.
We've made some solid quality of life improvements over the past two weeks, including implementing a change that will reduce the chances you'll play the same map multiple times in a row. You may have also seen the launch of a ranked Halo 3 DreamHack FFA playlist, implementation of FFA Snipers in Social Games, placement of Yappening game types in Action Sack, return of Infection, and many other community-requested matchmaking changes.
Click here to read our April 24 Update and click here to read our May 1 Update!
One last note for you to mark in your calendars, we're planning on moving to the next Arena Season on Tuesday, June 4. That means you've got just over a month to prepare for the Summer 2019 Season and knock out any placement matches you haven't completed yet.
The Head to Head playlist has returned with improvements to its seven maps as well as its game mode and custom-made Power-Up. This playlist has replaced Hardcore Super Fiesta and will remain active until the end of the Spring 2019 Arena Season.
Read up on the full changes in the Matchmaking Feedback & Discussion Forum!
There isn't too much to say other than the fact that the Big Team Battle Refresh is coming this month!
Here's a closer look at the type of overhauls you can expect on these maps when it rolls out in the next few weeks:
We're launching these maps and are looking to get your input on them before Big Team Battle becomes ranked in the Summer 2019 Season. Keep an eye out for a blog outlining the changes to the maps and modes when the refresh goes live!
Now that it's May, you'll probably start to hear more and more about the HCS Grassroots event that's taking place at DreamHack Dallas later this month on May 31 - June 2. I provided these links in my last Community Update, but thought that it may be worth sharing again just in case you lost them:
In addition to the $50,000 4v4 tournament, there will also be a $5,000 Halo 3 FFA tournament for the lone wolves out in the crowd. If you're interested in making the solo run for that smaller prize pool, you should start practicing in MCC today with the new ranked DreamHack Dallas H3 FFA playlist. It's a carbon-copy of what will be played at the event and will be a great training ground for you to pick up some new strategies.
To cap off our competitive Halo news, I wanted to remind you that the next Halo 3 2v2 at Microsoft Stores is coming up faster than you probably realize. While we usually host these events on the last Sunday of the month, we'll be shifting this month's up a week, to May 19, in order to not interfere with Memorial Day in the US. While we have plans to continue these events, we haven't locked in future dates just yet. Stay tuned for more on these local tournaments in subsequent Community Updates.
As always, you can stay up to date with the latest information and register online for free by heading to aka.ms/MCCHalo!
Grim flew to Blue Whale Studios to pull back the curtain on a few props being build out for Halo: Outpost Discovery. If you click here or on the image below, you can see the construction of our Master Chief and Elite statues that will be inside the Hall of History.
Last Friday we gave people a first-look at the UNSC Honeybee, a state-of-the-art surveillance drone, which will help prove extremely useful while you explore a Halo ring.
This is the bee's knees. Bonnie, Kiki and Frankie took on the infamous "ske7ch squad" consisting of Rob Semsey, Sean Baron, and ske7ch himself in a showdown for the ages. While I don't want to spoil any of the surprises (or strategies) that they talked about afterward, I can't say I've ever heard people be so excited to play VR with each other.
After getting to play a few rounds mid-Community Update, I can confirm it sorta feels like this:
At every Halo: Outpost Discovery location we're giving you a platform to host Halo-related panels with fellow community members. Whether it's on cosplay tips and tricks, a round-table discussion on Forerunner lore, or 'how-to' on becoming a Halo content creator, we'd love to help you share your knowledge with the rest of the community. Once you've got a topic in mind, visit HaloOutpostDiscovery.com to begin your application.
Submissions for these Community Panels are open until the end of the month, May 31!
Back in early March, Grim helped me reveal Troy Denning's sequel to Halo: Silent Storm, Halo: Oblivion, and now we finally get to reveal its cover!
Denning continues John-117's storyline as he and Blue Team continue to take on enraged and emboldened Covenant forces. While Grim, and probably a handful of you may know the official description by heart, I'm going to leave its second paragraph here for those of us who aren't as familiar.
If the UNSC has any chance of stemming the tide of the war, the Master Chief and Blue Team must drop onto an empty, hellish world in order to capture a disabled Covenant frigate filled with valuable technology. It has all the makings of a trap, but the bait is far too tempting to ignore—and this tantalizing prize is being offered by a disgraced and vengeful Covenant fleetmaster, whose sole opportunity for redemption lies in extinguishing humanity’s only hope of survival…
If you haven't read Silent Storm yet, I'd highly recommended it – and so does Grim – so you know it's good. Regardless, you can catch Master Chief's next heroic steps in Halo: Oblivion when it comes out later this year on September 24. Preorder your copy today by tapping anywhere in this blue sentence!
The second half of the Halo: Escalation comic book series has been compiled into one convenient package. This twelve issue compilation is in comic book stores now and will be available online on May 14!
To secure the entire Halo: Escalation collection, here are links to both omnibuses:
The community-run PlayGrifball.com is hosting another season of competitive Grifball in Halo 3 on Halo: The Master Chief Collection! This season, the AGLA will be a draft league which opens up a chance for newer players to compete on teams alongside veteran Grifballers and have a shot at a Grifball Championship. The Spring League 2019 Season opened for registration yesterday and will have matches beginning the week of May 20.
If you can't commit to a full season, they organize custom lobbies every night and are always open to helping out new community members!
One of our real-life Warthogs will be on display for all to see at the legendary Petersen Museum in Los Angeles as part of their Hollywood Dream Machines Exhibition starting this Sunday, May 5. Our beloved ride will be joining other memorable machines from other franchises like Star Wars, Blade Runner, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
If for some reason that isn't enough to get your attention, we've worked with the HoloLens team to make it a mixed-reality experience which is narrated by 343 Guilty Spark. That's right, Tim Dadabo came back to reprise his role as our favorite floating frenemy at this already mind-blowing exhibit.
All I know is that I'm going to do everything I can to get reunited with my ride, and I sincerely hope you get the opportunity to see it in person too. If you happen to be in town and want to attend the Opening Celebration this Saturday, May 4, you can purchase tickets on the Petersen Museum's website at aka.ms/WarthogLA. (Don't forget to use discount count "MSFT_343" to get 20% off!)
The Halo 2 concept art train continues as we take a look at the Master Chief cautiously examining a room before entering and unleashing all kinds of destruction. Chief, with a SPNKr, on a Halo ring – what's not to love?
Thanks for joining me for another Community Update!
Until next time,
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