HCS Year 4 has kicked off and we’re already deep in planning for the HaloWC 2025 which will be hosted right here in Seattle, WA on October 24-26.

As we lead into the big event, we wanted to do things a little differently. Each month we’ll be releasing a new edition in our Road to Halo World Championship blog series. We want to deliver the absolute best experience possible for those joining us live in-person at the event as well as for those watching from home, and the goal of this blog series is to keep you informed on our progress towards delivering that.

In this month’s blog we’re going to cover some of the fundamentals that we’ll be updating and also confirm that a few long-standing traditions will continue to be part of this year's HaloWC.

TICKETS & FLOOR PLAN

We’re fortunate to say that the HaloWC has sold out every year, and in 2025, we’re aiming even higher. That’s why we’ve increased the number of General Admission tickets by roughly 30%, giving more fans the chance to join in on the action. That means more Halo friends to connect with, more energy and passion in the crowd, and more opportunities for new faces to witness the best of the best compete for their share of $1,000,000 - all while enjoying the epic festivities you’ve come to expect from the HaloWC.

In order to accommodate this many fans, we’ve had to make a number of changes to the floor plan, which we mostly haven’t needed to change since the first HaloWC for Halo Infinite back in 2022. Now, the Entrance Hall and what’s inside of it will be different, where the various stages are will be different (along with more seating at these various stages), we're making upgrades to the Playable Area (which we’ll detail in the coming months), and we'll also be refreshing the look of the Mainstage which we're excited for fans to see!

Not only will these changes allow us to accommodate more fans, but we also think they will help give the HaloWC a fresh look and feel for those who have joined us in the past!

VIP EXPERIENCE

One thing that hasn’t changed is the amount of VIP tickets allotted. We did talk about this since we were going to increase the amount of GA tickets available, but we felt it was best to keep it at the same quantity to ensure we kept the same quality.

Our guiding philosophy is to focus on delivering a VIP-worthy experience in the venue; and what we’ve learned is that when the quantity goes up too much that experience can get compromised in some areas (like VIP seating, for example).

Overall, we're excited to continue to build on the VIP experience year-over-year and provide VIP ticketholders with an even better experience than before!

HALO COMMUNITY STAGE

Over the years the Community Stage has played a critical role in giving a home for non-esports Halo fans and helping fulfil our vision of having HaloWC be a “Halo Fest” of sorts.

We're excited to share that the Community Stage will once again return with many familiar panels, as well as some new ones. As usual, the Community Stage will be live on Friday and Saturday of the event for a full 8-hours of programming each day. We’ll be sharing the specific panels and details later but you can expect more developer panels, more cosplay, and more fun games that you’ll get to participate in.

No matter why you love Halo, we want the HaloWC to feel like it has something for everyone, and the Community Stage will continue to be a space where you can connect, share, and celebrate what you love!

HALO COSPLAY

Speaking of cosplay – We're also excited to confirm that the Cosplay Contest is returning with yet another $5,000 prize pool!

We were absolutely in awe of the amazing craftsmanship and creativity that went into all of the beautiful builds last year, and we cannot wait to see what you’ve all be cooking up this year. Whether you decide to participate in the contest or not, we welcome all cosplayers to join us at the event for a good time. And as usual, we will have dedicated repair and changing rooms for cosplayers to use on site.

HALO MAKER'S CONTEST

Related, but totally new to this year’s HaloWC, is a Halo Maker’s Contest.

In the community we see not only a lot of fans building armors to wear, but also weapons and other gadgets from the Halo universe and lore whether they’re human, Covenant, Forerunner or something else. We wanted to officially recognize this craft at the event and look forward to welcoming all participants. With a prize pool of $2,500, we’re hoping to see the finest handcrafted or printed items that the Halo community is able to offer.

NOTE: All Entries must be fabricated by the maker. The use of Laser cutters, 3d printers, C&C machines are all allowed but the design must be created and owned by the maker!

We just wanted to get the word out today so the community out there can start thinking about what they’d like to build. We’ll have the full rules of these competitions in the coming months!

ONSITE COMPETITION

Esports fans and competitors will also have their own fair share of prize money to earn as you can still expect:

CONCLUSION

The road to the HaloWC begins now, and we can’t wait to see you all there. What do you want to see in next month’s blog? Be sure to let me know on X!

Thanks,