Esports

Late last year we added Halo 5 to the “Pro Series” tournament programming and the global support for the online events both in terms of participation and viewership has been great to see – thank you so much!



With Halo Infinite now set to release this fall, we wanted to provide some more Halo 5 and Halo 3 tournament action in the first half of the year. As a reminder, here are our goals:



Our goals:



<ul><li>Provide regular competitions for players around the world to compete in</li><li>Continue to experiment with new formats and broadcast experiences where it makes sense</li><li>Provide support for players of both MCC (Halo 3) as well as Halo 5.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="279" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p1_1.21.2021_1100x300-1024x279.jpg" alt="Image of Pro Halo player playing his game." class="wp-image-6363" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p1_1.21.2021_1100x300-1024x279.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p1_1.21.2021_1100x300-300x82.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p1_1.21.2021_1100x300-768x209.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p1_1.21.2021_1100x300.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">MCC COMPETITION</h2>



For the most part, the format and structure here hasn’t changed from what we had set in place last fall. These are still weekly tournaments in Halo 3 with a $1,000 prize pool, but there are a few key differences:



<ol><li>Double Elimination format: Thanks to the Faceit team for upgrading their platform, these MCC tournaments will now move to a Double Elimination format.</li><li>Sunday competitions: In hopes of increasing participation in these tournaments, they will now be taking place on Sundays rather than previously on Fridays. We will continue to monitor player feedback, number of teams participating, and the overall tournament experience to evaluate the need for any adjustments.</li></ol>



Remember, there are no roster transaction restrictions, so you can feel free to compete with whomever you’d like to on a weekly basis. And as a reminder, with MCC now featuring crossplatform play, players on both Xbox and PC are able to participate. See below for all dates:



<ul><li>Sunday, February 14</li><li>Sunday, February 21</li><li>Sunday, February 28</li><li>Sunday, March 7</li><li>Sunday, March 14</li><li>Sunday, March 21</li><li>Sunday, March 28</li><li>Sunday, April 11</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HALO 5 PRO SERIES ON XBOX</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="279" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p2_1.21.2021_1100x300-1024x279.jpg" alt="Image of Pro Halo player playing his game." class="wp-image-6376" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p2_1.21.2021_1100x300-1024x279.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p2_1.21.2021_1100x300-300x82.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p2_1.21.2021_1100x300-768x209.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/ProSeriesEventsContinue_HCS_In_Article_p2_1.21.2021_1100x300.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



 With the main competition moving to Halo 5 last fall and the reintroduction of the 4 major regions, it’s been amazing to see the energy week in and week out from the community. Just like with MCC, the format and structure here remains the same but there are some notable changes:



<ol><li>Double Elimination Format: For the open tournaments, the format will move away from single elimination and into double elimination. The formats for the Pro and Championship tournaments (group play into single elimination) will remain the same.</li><li>ANZ Schedule: For the upcoming seasons of Halo 5 Pro Series, we have reduced the number of tournaments featured in ANZ and have spread out the dates a bit further as well. Overall, the participation numbers in ANZ at the moment aren’t to the level we had anticipated. Our hope is that with more time between tournaments, we will allow for individuals and Teams of 2 or 3 more time to complete their rosters and sign-up for each tournament. We will of course continue to monitor participation in the region and feedback.</li></ol>



Here’s the full list of dates for both Halo 5 Pro Series seasons:



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">NORTH AMERICA:</h4>



<ul><li>Saturday, February 6 – Open</li><li>Saturday, February 13 – Pro</li><li>Saturday, February 20 – Open</li><li>Saturday, February 27 – Pro</li><li>Saturday, March 6 – Championship (Broadcasted on <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.twitch.tv/halo/" target="_blank">Twitch </a>and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/halo" target="_blank">YouTube</a>)</li><li>Saturday, March 13 – Open</li><li>Saturday, March 20 – Pro</li><li>Saturday, March 27 – Open</li><li>Saturday, April 3 – Pro</li><li>Saturday, April 10 – Championship (Broadcasted on <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.twitch.tv/halo/" target="_blank">Twitch </a>and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/halo" target="_blank">YouTube</a>)</li></ul>



Prizing:



<ul><li>Open – $1,000</li><li>Pro – $5,000</li><li>Championship – $10,000</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">REST OF WORLD:</h4>



<ul><li>Saturday, February 6 – Open (Includes ANZ)</li><li>Saturday, February 13 – Open</li><li>Saturday, February 20 – Open (Includes ANZ)</li><li>Saturday, February 27 – Championship</li><li>Saturday, March 13 – Open (Includes ANZ)</li><li>Saturday, March 20 – Open</li><li>Saturday, March 27 – Open (Includes ANZ)</li><li>Saturday, April 3 – Championship (Includes ANZ)</li></ul>



Prizing:



<ul><li>Open – $1,000</li><li>Championship – $5,000</li></ul>



Finally, in North America, the Top 8 teams from the prior season will automatically advance to the first Pro tournament on February 13. Teams must submit their rosters to <a href="mailto:haloevents@faceit.com">haloevents@faceit.com</a>, and the roster must maintain 3 of the 4 players from the prior season championship. Rosters for the first North American Pro tournament must be submitted by Tuesday, February 9.



Registration for the tournaments is now live and you can head over to the following links to sign up for free: <a href="https://www.faceit.com/en/organizers/20664c35-7e42-4c7b-a45b-8eb49c754557/Halo%205%20Series" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HALO 5</a> – <a href="https://www.faceit.com/en/organizers/ccdbefc7-97c9-49a3-9502-2d79ab4b1cb4/Halo%20MCC%20Series" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MCC</a>. For those competing, please continue to monitor emails and official communication channels for limited time opportunities to offer feedback and input throughout the program. For the latest on Halo esports and the MCC and Halo 5 Pro Series’, be sure to follow <a href="https://twitter.com/hcs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@HCS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FACEITHalo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@FaceitHalo</a> on Twitter.



Best of luck to all players competing!

Official HCS

PRO SERIES EVENTS CONTINUE

Community

Community Spotlight

snickerdoodle

Spotlight: January 14, 2021

Games

343 INDUSTRIES

Inside Infinite – December 2020

Here at 343 Industries, we love our community and we love armor. But, unsurprisingly, there are members of our community who love armor just as much (if not more) than we do. They spend hours meticulously crafting and perfecting their own custom armor sets to eventually wear in real life. They are cosplayers.



Today, we’re happy to release our first official cosplay guide to help support this community of talented creators. With Halo 3: ODST joining Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and ODST armor being a more approachable starting point than a full suit of Mjolnir, we decided to focus this first guide on everyone’s favorite new guy – the Rookie.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE ROOKIE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20201119162902im_/https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CosplayGuides/h3odst-cosplayguide-promo-16x9-waypoint-3420e2e054be4157acd3915c868b158c.jpg" alt="H3 ODST Cosplay Guide for Rookie"/></figure>



Born on Luna at the very start of the war, the Rookie has never known a life without the threat of the Covenant. Leaving the shelter of the Sol system, he eventually joined the UNSC Marine Corps. Soon after, the Rookie volunteered and was accepted for the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST), despite his initial lack of combat experience.



After completing ODST training, the Rookie served in a Rapid Offensive Picket within the 26th Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF). After the fall of Reach, the Rookie was assigned to the 65th Shock Troops Division for emergency defensive operations near Earth.



To download our official cosplay guide for the Rookie and jump feet first into the world of cosplay, look no further than the links below!



<ul><li><a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CosplayGuides/h3odst_cosplayguide_rookie_full-cf711784cefd46f1942179552d484811.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">The Rookie | Cosplay Guide (Full)*</a> </li><li><a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CosplayGuides/h3odst_cosplayguide_rookie_mobile-3205b69a031a4a4f9ced2dee4dff173a.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">The Rookie | Cosplay Guide (Mobile)</a></li></ul>



*File size may be large for mobile devices. Please consider waiting until you’re on a computer to download this file.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FROM THE TEAM</h2>



To help bring this cosplay guide to life, we enlisted the support of many people across our Franchise, Content, and Consumer Products teams. From finding old builds of Halo 3: ODST, to pulling renders of Rookie’s armor, to assembling them inside the guide, this wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of many talented individuals.



To celebrate the collaborative nature of this first guide, I spoke to a few people on the project about their roles and what they’re looking forward to seeing from the cosplay community. Let’s see what they have to say! 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20201119162902im_/https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CosplayGuides/h3odst-cosplayguide-turnaround-front-waypoint-6b29331e87d34cdb81dbfc887ee23992.jpg" alt="Rookie cosplay guide in three different views"/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE IN BUILDING THIS COSPLAY GUIDE?</h3>



Quinn Spence (Franchise): I was responsible for pulling together all of the old Rookie 3D models and textures, as well as making the new high res character renders you see throughout the guide.



Kenneth Peters (Franchise): I did a pass on the guide to give it some canonical flair. Most cosplay guides have little-to-no context for the material, but I felt it important to go the extra mile, and let you know in exactly which pocket the Rookie stores his “pogey bait.”



<a href="https://twitter.com/ZaraVarin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Zara Varin</a> (Consumer Products): I’m an avid cosplayer and armor making enthusiast in my own time, in addition to all the overlap it shares with the awesome things I get to work on here at 343. I’ve also worked on similar guides in the past and build out these sorts of references for myself every time I undertake a new costume or prop build. A great deal of my input was advocating for not only what I would hope to see included in this sort of reference, but what other cosplayers (like our illustrious <a href="https://www.405th.com/">405th Infantry Regiment</a>) have mentioned wanting, too.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20201119162902im_/https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CosplayGuides/h3odst-cosplayguide-references-promo-16x9-waypoint-592e662cc03748f8966414d774ad9f0e.jpg" alt="Graphic showing over 70 pages of examples and references for the Rookie cosplay guide"/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT ASPECTS WERE YOUR FAVORITE ELEMENTS OF THE GUIDE?</h3>



Zara: Gosh I adore the whole thing; some of the lore blurbs still make me laugh and I noticed details on this character model I’d never seen before while working on this. I love being able to include a lot of individual component breakouts and angles that are almost impossible to see in-game; those sorts of details are things I know I’ve spent long hours agonizing over and doing some wild things to try to get reference for my own cosplay. It was important to me that we showed as much as possible, even if that meant having to break the fourth wall a bit; with the Rookie, for instance, revealing the details of areas usually covered by armor also showed parts of the character model where geometry simply doesn’t exist because there was no reason for it to in a final optimized game asset. Fiddly situational stuff like that is the sort of thing I want to make sure we include however we can in future guides, depending on what the unique challenges are for each character.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20201119162902im_/https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CosplayGuides/h3odst-cosplayguide-turnarounds-promo-16x9-waypoint-e53d803b319940aa9ff8cf353167a70a.jpg" alt="Graphic showing over 70 pages of examples and references for the Rookie cosplay guide"/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED TO SEE FROM FANS, FROM THIS OR FUTURE GUIDES?</h3>



Quinn: I’m really happy with the level of detail we were able to put into this guide – I know both how challenging and rewarding it is to bring characters from digital designs to physical outfits, and I’m beyond excited to see the different solutions fans come up with!



Kenneth: The industry and creativity of our community never fails to impress and humble, and I sincerely hope that this guide can help in the creation of new art and artifacts.



Zara: As far as what I’m most excited to see from fans: ALL OF IT. I essentially live in a fandom blanket fort built out of all my favorite things (Halo obviously included!), and I’m always so delighted to see what folks make!



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20201119162902im_/https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CosplayGuides/h3odst-cosplayguide-smg-colors-waypoint-7abce3f557184daea01dc0d051fe4e88.jpg" alt="Rookie cosplay guide for the M7S/SMG weapon in H3 ODST"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CLOSING</h2>



One of the coolest elements of video games is the unique way they can make you feel like you’re truly immersed inside your favorite universe or franchise. From Spartans and Spectres to Gears and Grey Wardens, it can be exhilarating to step inside the experience to truly become your favorite character. 



For some fans though, their passion for truly becoming part of the universe is on an entirely different level.



Halo has been incredibly blessed to have such a massive and engaged cosplay community, with dedicated members all over the world pouring their heart, soul, and skills into bringing the universe to life. We’re always impressed by the lengths that cosplay creatives will go to in order to lend a helping hand to others. Whether it’s assisting someone on their first build, bringing extra foam and Velcro to share at an event, or making an appearance at a moment’s notice to support a good cause, cosplayers are very often at the forefront of what it means to truly be a community.



Guides like these are one way we would like to continue our own involvement in these endeavors—compiled by dedicated 343 team members from across the studio eager to help provide some additional assistance to fans through official assets, reference shots, material guides, turnarounds, contextual information, stats, details, and more. We hope you enjoy this particular contribution to your own creative process, and we can’t wait to see what you make next.



 – 343 Industries



That colorful closing crafted by the creative <a href="https://twitter.com/GrimBrotherOne" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">GrimBrotherOne</a>, whose help with assembling this blog was invaluable, will be included at the start of this cosplay guide and potentially the ones yet to come. His involvement, just like that of so many others, aided in bringing this project to life. More importantly though, those aforementioned words are equally felt by the entire studio, and will sit prominently within this cosplay guide as a reminder of how much we appreciate this passionate community. It was quite the undertaking to find and crack open builds of Halo 3: ODST from 2009 to find those perfect models of the Rookie, but we’re extremely proud of the result and we hope you all enjoy.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20201119162902im_/https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CosplayGuides/h3odst-cosplayguide-color-guide-waypoint-5f4a819c452a4808aeb032376b2b74a6.jpg" alt="Color guide for the Rookie cosplay guide"/></figure>



Before we wrap this up, I wanted to implore you to share any and all of your cosplay creations with us using #HaloSpotlight on <a href="https://twitter.com/Halo">Twitter </a>and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Halo/">Instagram</a>. It’s the easiest way for us to spot your fantastic work and may even land you in a <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news?categoryName=Halo%20Community%20Spotlight" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Halo Community Spotlight</a> here on Waypoint!



Until next time,



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://twitter.com/Unyshek">– UNY</a></h4>

Unyshek

Official Cosplay Guide: The Rookie

Canon Fodder

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/community-update/blog_banner_cf_template-9793d19c52c24cada8e665a576045a9f.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">ISSUE 107</h4>



*wipes dust off*



So uh, hey there! I feel like it’s been a little bit, no? If you’re new to these features, Canon Fodder is a long-standing look into lore-related elements of the Halo universe. Our last issue took a deep dive into the narrative elements of last summer’s Outpost Discovery tour.



While today’s return will be brief, it will hopefully still bring a smile to your lore-loving face—especially if you’re a fan of good books and intriguing storylines. Let’s get started!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HOMECOMING</h2>



Our prime piece of real estate today is to announce the next adventure in Halo’s deep and enriching extended universe – Halo: Shadows of Reach. Penned by Troy Denning, Shadows takes place after the events of Halo 5: Guardians. For a bit more information, let’s take a gander at the official description:



October 2559. It has been a year since the renegade artificial intelligence Cortana issued a galaxy-wide ultimatum, subjecting many worlds to martial law under the indomitable grip of her Forerunner weapons. Outside her view, the members of Blue Team—John-117, the Master Chief; Fred-104; Kelly-087; and Linda-058—are assigned from the UNSC Infinity to make a covert insertion onto the ravaged planet Reach.



Their former home and training ground—and the site of humanity’s most cataclysmic military defeat near the end of the Covenant War—Reach still hides myriad secrets after all these years. Blue Team’s mission is to penetrate the rubble-filled depths of CASTLE Base and recover top-secret assets locked away in Dr. Catherine Halsey’s abandoned laboratory—assets which may prove to be humanity’s last hope against Cortana.



But Reach has been invaded by a powerful and ruthless alien faction, who have their own reasons for being there. Establishing themselves as a vicious occupying force on the devastated planet, this enemy will soon transform Blue Team’s simple retrieval operation into a full-blown crisis. And with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance, mission failure is not an option….



Yes please.



Of course, a return to Reach wouldn’t be complete without a ridiculously cool cover to adorn the adventure, and once more, talented artist Chris McGrath has delivered the goods. It’s honestly one of my absolute favorite Halo book covers, I must say. Make sure you click for the full wrap!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/CANON_FODDER_Franchise/cf_halo_shadows_of_reach_front_cvr-waypoint-a6387eaf8de740fd99304f915afb0b51.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



Halo: Shadows of Reach is published by our friends at Simon & Schuster and Gallery Books, and is slated to drop later this year on September 22, helping you pass the time while you eagerly await the arrival of that little Halo game we’re all looking forward to this holiday season.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ARCHIVISTS ANONYMOUS</h2>



Of course, there’s plenty of Halo to play in the meantime as well, more and more so if you’re playing on PC, as the Master Chief Collection continues to roll out on both the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/halo-the-master-chief-collection/9ntm9hxnlszx?activetab=pivot:overviewtab">Microsoft Store</a> and <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/976730/Halo_The_Master_Chief_Collection/">Steam</a>. Along side this rollout, you may have noticed some new video pieces accompanying each title. First up, and highlighting some gorgeous artwork by our friend at partner <a href="http://toroskose.com/">Toros Köse</a>, two lore-laced video pieces showcased the MCC background menu changes for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CWG6_BKEo0">Halo: Reach</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLHR61cjQAQ">Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary</a> respectively.



Next up is something that might be of particular interest to regular readers of this feature. That would be a new video series titled ONI Archive, which represent on the surface, a way to help introduce new fans to key events and elements of the universe via the loosely canonical framework of an ONI Section 2 propaganda initiative. For deeper-diving fans of course, there’s an additional bit behind the curtain that we hope you’ll find interesting…



Here’s the first video, released in conjunction with Halo: Reach.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="ONI Archive – Noble Endeavors | Halo: Reach" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AoN2mhQTdZs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



 And hot off the presses, a Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary-related drop that released just today! 



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="ONI Archive – Conflict Evolved | Halo: CE Anniversary" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t0R2xW9s5zE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



It’s been awesome to see keen-eyed/eared fans already starting to pick up little details. Stay vigilant, folks… 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BRINGING THE ARMOR TO LIFE</h2>



Another recent video that might be of interest is an inside look into how we partnered with the folks from EVAkura Armor to create a real-life version of Master Chief’s GEN2 Mk.VI armor as seen in Halo 5: Guardians. Featuring Franchise family members Corrinne Robinson and Kenneth Peters to add in some fiction flavor, the video showcases what it takes to use creative modern-day techniques to recreate a set of 26th century power armor for us to use at events, promotions, and other memory-making moments.



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Building a Spartan: Making Master Chief's Armor | 343 Industries" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VE4pOKJFRyk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">COMMUNITY CALLOUTS</h2>



We understand that sometimes there are dryer periods when it comes to the Halo information you might crave the most (like where is my Halo pinball machine already?!). That being said, there are always a host of incredible community outlets discussing and dissecting the Halo story and universe. Here are a couple of recent ones that come to mind:



<ul><li><a href="https://twitter.com/BrendanLorLowry">Brendan “Lor” Lowry</a> always does a bang-up job taking a deeper look at a variety of Halo topics on his blog, but I noticed one recently that had originally slipped past my motion tracker – one that I really enjoyed reading, especially with the recent addition of Noble Team’s efforts to the MCC. Make sure you check out his <a href="https://lortarkam.wordpress.com/2019/12/13/constructing-our-downfall-an-analysis-of-halo-reachs-exodus/">analysis of the Halo: Reach level “Exodus.”</a> So good!</li><li>The awesome folks at Podcast Evolved released a great episode where they interview the long-time voice of Halo audio books, Scott Brick. Make sure you <a href="https://halopodcast.com/shows/podcast-evolved/episodes/episode-202">give it a listen</a>!</li><li>We highlight a lot of great Halo fiction-focused YouTube channels around here, but here’s another one. Installation 00 always has cool videos coming out that take a closer look at different elements of the universe. One of their most recent videos is an audio reading of an excerpt from Halsey’s Journal, read by another very talented community member, Kat Peterson (<a href="https://twitter.com/CxeeFoxx">@CxeeFoxx</a>). The result is a really awesome enhancement of an already rad experience – give it a watch!</li></ul>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="01 - Halseys Journal - August 8th 2510 pt.1 - Classified Materials" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jlExKl9SdrU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



And with that, I must sneak off back to my other duties. Trust me, you’ll hear more about those eventually.



Thanks for joining us for another edition and hope to see you soon! Well, soonish.



Until next time… Live well, play Halo, and wash your hands.



<a href="https://twitter.com/grimbrotherone"><3 Grim</a>

GrimBrother One

Shadows of the Former

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ACCESSIBILITY</h3>



Halo: The Master Chief Collection brings a variety of features across both PC and Console which provide an accessible experience for multiple users in our universe.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1120x630-1024x576.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the Accessibility menu options." class="wp-image-4868" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1120x630-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1120x630-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1120x630-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1120x630.jpg 1120w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Subtitles



There are three settings for subtitles which users can choose from:



<ul><li>Automatic (Default)<ul><li>Subtitles are shown when playing in a language without localized dialogue</li></ul></li></ul>



<ul><li>ON<ul><li>Subtitles will be displayed in game</li></ul></li><li>OFF<ul><li>Subtitles will not be displayed in game</li></ul></li></ul>



Language Selection 



Gives players the option to set their preferred text and dialog languages in game. If a selected default language is not supported, players can set a fallback language to use.



Text to Speech



Gives players the ability to have text chat be read aloud as audio



<ul><li>On Xbox, this feature can be enabled through the Xbox Settings menu. Navigate to Ease of Access > Game Transcription > Text-to-speech</li><li>On PC, this feature can be enabled through the Halo: The Master Chief Collection Accessibility Settings. Navigate to Options & Career > Settings > Accessibility > Convert Text-To-Speech > ON</li></ul>



Speech to Text



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1120x630-1024x576.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the in-game text chat window and options." class="wp-image-4881" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1120x630-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1120x630-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1120x630-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1120x630.jpg 1120w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Gives players the ability to have voice chat be transcribed to text in the text chat window



<ul><li>On Xbox, this feature can be enabled through the Xbox Settings menu. Navigate to Ease of Access > Game Transcription > Speech-to-text</li><li>On PC, this feature can be enabled through the Halo: The Master Chief Collection Accessibility Settings. Navigate to Options & Career > Settings > Accessibility > Convert Speech-To-Text > ON</li></ul>



Text Chat



Provides players with the ability to text chat with other players. There are two channels offered to a player:



<ul><li>SQUAD<ul><li>Allows players to chat amongst all players in their squad in a session</li></ul></li><li>ALL<ul><li>Allows players to chat amongst all players within a session</li></ul></li></ul>



Shortcut Keys



Gives players shortcuts to access certain areas of the title:



<ul><li>J Key (for PC) and left joystick click (for Xbox) will navigate the user to Text Chat</li><li>R Key (for PC) and X button (for Xbox) will navigate the user to the Roster</li><li>O Key (for PC) will navigate the user to the Settings menu</li><li>X Key (for PC) and Y button (for Xbox) will display the most recent Carnage Report</li><li>D Key (for PC) and menu button (for Xbox) will navigate the user to the Options & Career menu</li><li>M Key (for PC) and View button (for Xbox) will navigate the user to the Main Menu</li><li>Enter key (for PC) and A button (for Xbox) will select the currently highlighted menu option</li><li>Esc key (for PC) and B button (for Xbox) will navigate the user to the previous screen</li></ul>



Narration



Halo: The Master Chief Collection offers narrator support across both PC and Xbox. This will help players navigate throughout the menus and UI.



Supported Platforms:



<ul><li>Xbox One (all versions)</li><li>Microsoft Store (Windows 10)</li><li>Steam (Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10)</li></ul>



How to enable on PC



<ul><li>Players can enable this feature through the Windows 10 Narrator app. In the Start Menu, type in Narrator and launch the app.</li><li>To modify Windows 10 Narrator settings, on your keyboard, simultaneously press the following combination: CTRL + Windows Key + N. This will open the Narrator Settings, which then can be changed.</li></ul>



How to enable on Xbox



<ul><li>Players can enable this feature through the Xbox Settings menu. Navigate to Settings > Ease of Access > Game Transcription > Let games read to me</li></ul>



Note: “Let games read to me” in the Xbox Console Companion app is not supported on Steam builds and users must use their Operating System (OS) narrator to enable narration in title.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">CONTROLS</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1120x630-1024x576.jpg" alt="A screenshot of general control settings options." class="wp-image-4894" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1120x630-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1120x630-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1120x630-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1120x630.jpg 1120w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Configure Mouse & Keyboard



Players can configure bindings and options for Mouse & Keyboard input



<ul><li>Configure Bindings<ul><li>Players can set and customize their key bindings for Mouse & Keyboard. The following player actions are accounted for:</li><li>Movement</li><li>Actions (Fire, Melee, Zoom, etc.)</li><li>Vehicle Controls</li><li>UI Controls</li><li>Communication</li></ul></li><li>Crouch Behavior<ul><li>Players can select if crouching in gameplay will require a button hold or button press to toggle the effect</li></ul></li><li>Zoom Mode<ul><li>Players can select if zooming in gameplay will require a button hold or button press to toggle the effect</li></ul></li></ul>



Configure Gamepad



Players can configure bindings and options for Gamepad input



<ul><li>Button Layout</li><li>Thumbstick Layout</li><li>Aim Control</li><li>Auto Look Centering</li><li>Vibration</li><li>Horizontal and Vertical Look Sensitivity</li><li>Look Acceleration</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">AUDIO</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1120x630-1024x576.jpg" alt="Screenshot listing the settings for Voice Chat channels." class="wp-image-4907" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1120x630-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1120x630-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1120x630-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/AccessibilityinHalo_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1120x630.jpg 1120w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Game Volume



Gives players the ability to set volume for all game sounds and music. A subset of specific volume options is available to the player to adjust:



<ul><li>Menu Music<ul><li>Players can set the volume of the main menu music</li></ul></li><li>Game Music<ul><li>Players can set the volume of the game music</li></ul></li><li>Effects<ul><li>Players can set the volume of the sound effects in game</li></ul></li><li>Voice Chat<ul><li>Players can set the volume of incoming voice chat in multiplayer games</li></ul></li></ul>



Each of these have a slider available for tuning from 0 through 100.



Voice Chat Channel



There are three channels which users can choose from for voice chat:



<ul><li>Team (Default)<ul><li>Players will be able to communicate and listen to teammates via voice chat</li></ul></li><li>ALL<ul><li>Players will be able to communicate and listen to all players via voice chat</li></ul></li><li>Squad<ul><li>Players will be able to communicate and listen to squad mates via voice chat</li></ul></li><li>OFF<ul><li>Players will not be able to listen to incoming voice or be able to communicate through the microphone</li></ul></li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">GAMEPLAY</h3>



Crosshair Position



There are two settings which users can choose from:



<ul><li>Centered (Default)<ul><li>The crosshair will appear like most modern shooters, attached to the middle of the screen</li></ul></li><li>Classic<ul><li>The crosshair will appear like the original game, 1/3rd from the bottom of the screen</li></ul></li></ul>



Invite Notifications



There are two settings which users can choose from for invite notifications:



<ul><li>ON (Default)<ul><li>Invite notifications will appear in the top portion of the Roster for a user</li></ul></li><li>OFF<ul><li>Invite notifications will be disabled and not shown in the top portion of the Roster for a user</li></ul></li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ACCESSIBILITY WORKAROUNDS</h3>



Users who can’t identify the current state of whether a friend is muted or unmuted can use the following workaround:



<ul><li>After a user mutes the friend, press Esc from the Roster window, come back to the friend within the Roster, navigate to the mute button and observer the announcement made by the narrator.</li></ul>



Users who rely on Keyboard will not be able to access the back button. This issue is persistent across almost every window, so the user will not be able to navigate further without these buttons using keyboard. The following shortcut keys are provided to help workaround this issue:



<ul><li>Users have to navigate back to the bindings menu to set bindings which are missing since Narrator does not announce the error message.</li><li>Pressing “ESC” button to exit from settings will prompt a confirmation pop up which will show that key bindings are missing. At this point, a user can identify that keyboard mapping is not correctly set.</li></ul>



Users who rely on a Screen Reader will not be able to select mission, difficulty, and game type.



<ul><li>Using the down arrow allows the user to select items which are present under the tab items (mission, difficulty, and game type).</li><li>Using the left Thumbstick down allows the user to select items which are present under the tab items (mission, difficulty, and game type)</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">USERS ARE NOT PROVIDED SHORTCUT KEY INFORMATION</h3>



The information is announced for the user to access the buttons, however here’s the shortcut keys for users to know:



<ul><li>J Key (for PC) and left joystick click (for Xbox) will navigate the user to Text Chat</li><li>R Key (for PC) and X button (for Xbox) will navigate the user to the Roster</li><li>O Key (for PC) will navigate the user to the Settings menu</li><li>X Key (for PC) and Y button (for Xbox) will display the most recent Carnage Report</li><li>D Key (for PC) and menu button (for Xbox) will navigate the user to the Options & Career menu</li><li>M Key (for PC) and View button (for Xbox) will navigate the user to the Main Menu</li><li>Enter key (for PC) and A button (for Xbox) will select the currently highlighted menu option</li><li>Esc key (for PC) and B button (for Xbox) will navigate the user to the previous screen</li></ul>



Users who use Screen Reader for navigation will not know the sliders current position when the user changes the position of the slider.



<ul><li>If the user goes to any button and comes back to the slider, the current value is announced.</li></ul>



Users are not given any Screen Reader announcements when the game launches and lands on the main menu.



<ul><li>The user has to exit from the Narrator by CAPS+ESC and restart the Narrator. The Narrator will start working again and make announcements.</li></ul>



Users cannot perform the action of opening chat pane or options & career from the Roster menu



<ul><li>The user can escape from the Roster window on pressing the Esc button and then access the chat pane and/or options and career by the following shortcut keys:</li></ul>



Users cannot perform “Find A Player” using the keyboard.



<ul><li>Users can search the Gamertag by pressing the “Enter” key as the “Ok” button is not accessible. Users can also use the “ESC” key to close the window.</li></ul>

Accessibility in Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Today, we’re thrilled to announce that Halo: Reach is <a href="https://xbox.com/halo">available to play</a> within The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One and PC! Whether you’re new to the series or a returning Spartan, we’re excited to welcome players to Noble Team and an epic experience that looks and plays better than ever. Visit <a href="https://www.xbox.com/halo">Xbox.com</a>, select your platform of choice, and jump in now.  



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Halo: Reach Drops on December 3, 2019" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/py3t0zT3szs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



From the beginning you may know the end, but you’ve never experienced Reach quite like this before. Read on for everything you need to know about Halo: Reach on PC, what you can expect for Halo: Reach on Xbox One, how to share issue reports and feedback, and more helpful details. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">PC: A CLASSIC SAGA, BUILT FOR PC </h3>



The Master Chief’s saga on PC comes equipped with new features, optimizations, and customizations built for the platform. Halo: Reach looks and plays better than ever at 60 frames-per-second (or greater via an experimental variable framerate option) with 4K UHD support, and a multitude of settings to custom-tailor the experience to your hardware and personal preferences. 



Players will have a few different avenues to obtain Halo: Reach depending on the platform of choice:



<ul><li>Xbox Game Pass – Subscribe with <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/xbox-game-pass-ultimate/cfq7ttc0khs0?activetab=pivot%3aoverviewtab">Xbox Game Pass Ultimate</a> or <a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass/pc-games">Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta)</a> and get Halo: Reach, the first chapter in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, today. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST (Campaign) and Halo 4 are also included in your membership and will be available on each game’s respective release date, completing the collection on PC in 2020.</li><li>Microsoft Store & Steam – The <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/976730/Halo_The_Master_Chief_Collection/">Halo: The Master Chief Collection bundle</a> is available today for $39.99 USD, which includes Halo: Reach and will automatically update with the remaining titles as they launch next year. Halo: Reach can also be purchased individually for $9.99 USD. Note that you don’t have to purchase both of these options – we’ve seen some confusion out there. Think of the MCC product as a launcher that will house Reach. You can purchase MCC complete which will auto-update with all titles as they are released or you can just purchase Reach standalone (but it will still install the MCC shell as a launcher). </li></ul>



Please note that an Xbox Live Account is required to play Halo: Reach PC online. If you don’t have one yet, head <a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/live">HERE</a> to create a FREE Xbox Live account now. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">JUST THE BEGINNING</h3>



Today is an exciting day as the first big step in the journey to bring Halo: The Master Chief Collection to PC but there’s plenty more work to be done. As a reminder, Forge and Theater will not be included with Halo: Reach on PC at launch. These complex features require additional work and fine-tuning in order to support the additional requirements (and opportunities) offered on PC. Work is already well underway on these features (and additional post-launch updates to Reach) and we’ll share more details later next year. In the meantime, the 343 team has performed a mass migration of more than 8 million unique pieces of Forge content from the Xbox 360-era so your favorite maps and modes from the original game are available to enjoy today.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg" alt="Capture the flag with Spartans fighting to capture each other's flag." class="wp-image-7938" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1100x619-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1100x619-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p1_12.3.2019_1100x619.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">BOX ONE: IMPROVED, REFRESHED, AND BETTER THAN EVER</h3>



For existing owners of Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One, the Halo: Reach Campaign, along with Firefight, is now available as a premium add-on for $9.99 USD. The multiplayer components of Halo: Reach – including PVP modes, Forge, and Theater – are automatically included as part of the base content offering of Halo: The Master Chief Collection at no additional cost via a game update available today.



If you’re new to Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One, you can obtain the entire updated and improved collection with <a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass?xr=shellnav">Xbox Game Pass</a> Ultimate or with Xbox Game Pass for Console, or purchase through the Microsoft Store. As of today, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available for purchase at $39.99 USD and includes the totality of Halo: Reachas well as the Halo 3: ODST Campaign (previously only available as a premium add-on).



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">WELCOME TO HALO SUPPORT</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="342" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1100x367-1024x342.jpg" alt="Halo Support logo with Spartans in black & white surrounding it." class="wp-image-7951" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1100x367-1024x342.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1100x367-300x100.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1100x367-768x256.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p2_12.3.2019_1100x367.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



In conjunction with today’s launch of Halo: Reach, we’re also excited to officially launch the new Halo Support site! This new resource is designed to help streamline and expedite our ability to capture issues reported by the community. The Halo Support site currently contains a number of helpful articles to help improve your game experience and give you insights into current known-issues and ongoing development priorities.



To get started, be sure to follow our new official Twitter account <a href="https://www.twitter.com/halosupport">@HaloSupport.</a> We’ll use this channel to help provide quick broad announcements and helpful info.



And lastly, in addition to reports of any issues you may encounter, the team is also eager to hear your feedback on Halo: Reach. For nearly two years now, the MCC team has been working closely with the community using feedback to help inform feature development, address issues, and drive update priorities to continue improving MCC. If you have general feedback, feature requests, and other thoughts to share with the development team, please do so in the official forum threads.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">BECOME AN INSIDER</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="342" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1100x367-1024x342.jpg" alt="Halo Insider logo on top of a Halo Ring in space." class="wp-image-7964" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1100x367-1024x342.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1100x367-300x100.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1100x367-768x256.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p3_12.3.2019_1100x367.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Please consider opting-in to the Halo Insider program for a chance to participate in surveys, share feedback, receive official communications, and have a chance to join future hands-on flights (alpha/beta tests). We wouldn’t be here today without all of the support we’ve received from the community and we’ll continue to partner closely with Halo Insiders to help test and polish the remaining titles heading to MCC on PC in the coming year. If you’re passionate about Halo and want to help ensure that future games, products, and services are the best they can be – become a Halo Insider today!



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">343 VS THE WORLD</h3>



To help celebrate the launch of Halo: Reach, we’ll be ordering in pizza and jumping into Matchmaking on Xbox One and PC later this week and putting some special prizes on the line. During our “343 vs. the World” stream on December 5th, we’ll be giving away special MCC nameplates to everyone who matches with us on both PC and Xbox. And, any players who match and win against Team 343 will receive an ultra-rare commemorative nameplate as a token of victory. Join us in the stream chat to talk with members of the team and maybe even win a copy of Halo: Reach for the platform of your choice! 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="451" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1100x484-1024x451.jpg" alt="Screenshot of the 3 4 3 vs. The World event nameplates. The red and blue nameplate was awarded for matching the studio team. The other, orange flame unicorn, was awarded for beating the studio team in the match." class="wp-image-7977" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1100x484-1024x451.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1100x484-300x132.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1100x484-768x338.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/08/WelcomeToReach_MCC_In_Article_p4_12.3.2019_1100x484.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Join myself and other members of the 343 Team later this week for our “343 vs. the World” live stream on Thursday, December 5th from 1PM to 6PM PT on Mixer.com/Halo. Stay tuned to <a href="https://twitter.com/Halo">@Halo</a> for more details, including the scheudle for who’s playing what and where (spoiler: 343’s Pro Team will be throwing down in Team Hardcore). We’ll see you online!



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">LOOKING AHEAD</h3>



As the team launches Halo: Reachtoday, the foundation is already being laid to kick off public flighting of the next PC release – Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary – in early 2020. Additionally, work is underway for post-release updates to Halo: Reach including additional refinements and improvements as well as the release of Theater and Forge (the latter of which includes several brand new objects). We’ll be paying close attention to Halo Support tickets and player feedback to help inform ongoing needs and priorities for Halo: Reach. 



Thank you to the Xbox and Halo communities for going on this journey with us and thank you for partnering with us to finally make this long-requested dream a reality! This is just the start, and we cannot wait to finish the fight throughout next year as we release rest of the collection in 2020.



Until then, we’ll see you on Reach, Spartans. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/Reach/halo-master-chief-collection-2019_reach-cinematics_02-c8313a806b9d45b1b4bd567b25b4c9ac.jpg" alt="Spartan looking out on Reach"/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ADDITIONAL RESOURCES</h3>



Looking for more info on Halo: Reach and the journey to bring MCC to PC? Want to stay up to date on the latest and greatest Halo happenings? Can’t get enough Halo news and info? Check out these helpful links:



<ul><li><a href="https://www.twitter.com/halo">Follow @Halo on Twitter</a>!</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/halosupport">Follow @HaloSupport on Twitter!</a></li><li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/f3681fbc78fa43878c4aec9a63a46224/topics/halo-reach-screenshots-and-wallpapers/8a5fa910-769b-48c2-815b-9a5922bd839d/posts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halo: Reach on MCC Fan Kit</a></li><li>Catch up on Halo: Reach and MCC Development with our latest monthly update blogs:<ul><li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-development-update-november-2019">November 2019 Update</a></li><li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-development-update-october-2019">October 2019 Update</a></li></ul></li></ul>



<ul><li><a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/">Halo Support Site</a></li><li>Official Halo Waypoint forums : <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/84ad72a8b51847978545f685f651fc15/topics">Xbox One</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/f3681fbc78fa43878c4aec9a63a46224/topics">PC</a></li><li><a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/halo">Official Xbox.com Halo Page</a></li></ul>

Brian "ske7ch" Jarrard

Welcome to Reach

Tashi

What’s Next For HCS

Outpost Discoveries

E3 is an exciting time for the entire video game industry, but for our team at 343 Industries it also marks a new beginning. Last year we unveiled a first look at Halo Infinite and a glimpse of our new Slipspace Engine; built from the ground up to power the future of our game. This year our story-driven teaser, created with that same engine, unveils the beginning of the narrative marking the next chapter of the Master Chief’s story.



And at E3, we’re also pleased to announce that Halo Infinite will debut in Holiday 2020 on Xbox One, PC and our next generation of consoles, Project Scarlett.



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Halo Infinite - E3 2019 - Discover Hope" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZtgzKBrU1GY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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I want to take a moment here to go deeper into the art, science and story of the in-game scene we’ve named “Discover Hope.” These elements are not only deeply rooted in the Halo franchise, but illustrate the passion of the entire team to create something more ambitious than anything we’ve done previously. We don’t want to simply build a sequel, we want to build on the story and invention that has gone before and take the gameplay and narrative in bold new directions, while honoring the legacy that fans have fallen in love with for almost twenty years.



So with that immense responsibility in mind, we are building what we internally refer to as a spiritual reboot, a game with a vision set firmly in the future, but a foundation rooted deeply in the things our team and our fans have fallen in love with – the scope, the scale, the heroism and the moments of spectacle and wonder that brought players together on couches, at basement LAN parties, on Xbox Live and in esports arenas for years. The stories of shared adventure and individual discovery that made the first Halo game such a defining moment for millions of gamers – and helped chart the course for countless FPS games ever since. We want to recapture that sense of awe and delighted surprise – and the right way to do that is to lean into the things that are already magical, and build outward from there.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">VISUAL APPROACH</h3>



Halo has always been a graphically exciting universe to explore. From the epic sci-fi settings, unforgettable alien threats, and the iconic hero in the Master Chief, there are so many amazing things to discover. You can see glimpses from the video how the team has continued to embrace the art direction we touched on last year, envisioned by our Art Director Nicholas “Sparth” Bouvier. The new design for the Master Chief is, by far, the highest fidelity we have ever created to leverage the power of next generation platforms, but with a design that is Master Chief to the core and takes inspiration from the past, with color and texture and detail unavailable to us till now. This same attention to our design for the Chief is true of everything in Halo Infinite. You can see examples in the interior of our UNSC Pelican, the design of our pilot, and even details down to the UNSC logo on his flight suit. Halo Infinite is intended to embrace all that our fans have grown to love in our franchise, while evolving it to something even more visually stunning for players.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p1_6.9.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg" alt="Master Chief and the Pilot react to the alarm on the Pelican." class="wp-image-5674" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p1_6.9.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p1_6.9.2019_1100x619-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p1_6.9.2019_1100x619-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p1_6.9.2019_1100x619.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">UNFORGETTABLE MUSIC</h3>



Music is critical to every Halo experience. It has been from the very beginning and in Halo Infinite, we’re taking that tradition very seriously. I am excited to introduce our new Music Supervisor, Joel Yarger, who led the creation of music for major franchises like God of War, Uncharted, and countless other blockbuster video games. Our Audio Director, Sotaro “Tajeen” Tojima, has challenged Joel to find accomplished music composers that can stay true to the musical traditions of Halo — originally created by maestros Marty O’Donnell and Mike Salvatori — harness its inherent power, and build on those foundations with new creativity and emotional depth.



Given the enormity of the score’s importance and scope, we wanted to hire a team with a specific working sensibility and skillset. More importantly, a team of talented composers of original music that could work seamlessly with existing melodies and themes to blend the classic and the new – music that will sometimes map to familiar characters and ideas, but also introduce brand new threats, wonders and discoveries in dramatic and immersive ways.



We are excited to introduce Curtis Schweitzer, who composed all of the music in “Discover Hope” and music for Halo Infinite. We have been inspired and impressed by the emotional depth and creativity Curtis has delivered so far. There have been tear-inducing, hair-raising, and spine-tingling moments each time we have listened to his inspired compositions. Joel and Curtis are hard at work on Halo Infinite to bring rich emotion to our experiences, to punctuate the thrilling moments of combat, and to connect players to our universe more deeply than ever before. We look forward to sharing more of this new vision for our music in the future!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p2_6.9.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg" alt="The Pilot longs to go home, watches the recording of his family." class="wp-image-5687" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p2_6.9.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p2_6.9.2019_1100x619-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p2_6.9.2019_1100x619-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p2_6.9.2019_1100x619.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">THE POWER OF SLIPSPACE</h3>



Beneath the hood of every important game rumbles an equally important engine. A game engine can define how a game looks and performs – and that’s incredibly important, but it’s more than a method of putting pixels on a screen and making them dance, it’s also key to a game’s soul. There are millions of lines of code that can be read and understood, but when it’s all running smoothly, those bits create far more than the sum of their parts – they create the soul of a game and the hard-to-describe feeling of holistic fun. The original Halo engine was extremely powerful and, for its time, innovative. It let console players, for the first time, explore worlds at a scale of interaction and visual spectacle that was industry leading in 2001. And elements of that still hold true today.



But as we move forward to Project Scarlett and PC gaming platforms, we have an amazing opportunity to create a powerful new engine to take advantage of new hardware and architecture – and take better advantage of the still-not-fully-tapped power of the Xbox One.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p3_6.9.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg" alt="Master Chief walks under a projection of Zeta Halo's broken shape." class="wp-image-5700" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p3_6.9.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p3_6.9.2019_1100x619-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p3_6.9.2019_1100x619-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p3_6.9.2019_1100x619.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



There were some inward facing reasons to do this now. We want better, more flexible tools, so that our artists and engineers have more agility and are taking advantage of more power and performance to iterate on our experiences. To push things further and higher and faster than we have been able to in the past.  We want to give our creative teams faster workflows and better control over the creations and concepts that are vital to the player experience.   



Slipspace not only empowers our creative teams to reach detail and performance no Halo has ever delivered, but also provides technology and tools – from cameras to facial capture that will let us tell intimate stories like the moments you witness in “Discover Hope” — and the ability to iterate and update those experiences to compliment gameplay.  By harnessing the power of our new <a href="https://www.343industries.com/slipspace-engine">Slipspace Engine</a> and combining it with the power and promise of Project Scarlett, we plan to build the Halo game we’ve always dreamed of – and share it with even more players, competitors, adventurers, and creators than ever before.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">BEGINNING THE NARRATIVE</h3>



The Master Chief is our hero and Halo Infinite will continue his decades long saga. While we plan to introduce important new characters — like the resilient Pilot you already met in the video — this story is the Master Chief’s. The universe will continue the continuity of Halo 5 and in that sense contain the adventures that led up to this moment, but in the pursuit of our “spiritual reboot” and the launch of a new console, we also want to make sure that this is a perfect starting point for new players too. This story will mark the beginning of a new chapter and challenge for the Chief, but it will also respect and continue threads that led to this point. If you’ve never played a Halo game before, this will be a great place to jump into the story. You’re arriving in the middle a universe at war, with a sense of history underlying your entry into the world. But it will also feel fresh, full of potential, and new adventure. We will weave in context and guideposts to understand your place in a new universe. But if you’ve invested in Halo for all these years, you’ll feel immediately at home – and some of our story moments will spark a different resonance for your investment.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p4_6.9.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg" alt="Master Chief looks at the broken ring of Zeta Halo from a Pelican." class="wp-image-5713" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p4_6.9.2019_1100x619-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p4_6.9.2019_1100x619-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p4_6.9.2019_1100x619-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2021/07/DiscoverHope_HaloInfinite_In_Article_p4_6.9.2019_1100x619.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



To tell great stories, you need great storytellers, and great storytelling capabilities. Paul Crocker, our Associate Creative Director, and Dan Chosich, Narrative Experience Director, have done an amazing job weaving story and technology together for Halo Infinite — and the “Discover Hope” video is just a glimpse of that. Although the content here is ultimately a real part of the game we’re building, the team balanced polishing this moment with the rigor and effort of our mainline game production schedule. This was a labor of love from more folks than we can name, who worked long days to get it right from a place of pure passion. It will change and evolve as the process continues, but simply getting it into a state of readiness and polish separately from the main production pipeline is a herculean effort and we’re extremely grateful to them.



Our new focus on art direction that both advances Halo’s scale and  fidelity, while also looking to its history for inspiration and aesthetics, is amplified and augmented by the Slipspace Engine, the Xbox ecosystem, the potential of the PC platform and the incredible opportunities afforded to us by Project Scarlett.



It’s also helping our effort to lean into the core storytelling principles that made Halo so engaging for fans. “Discover Hope” is the first glimpse into this story and sets the stage for the beginning of Halo Infinite, leaving you with a sense of mystery, curiosity and wonder for us to unravel together in the coming months.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">UNTIL NEXT TIME</h3>



Bringing a game to life is incredibly challenging and moments like this, sharing our vision, mean so much to us. I know that many of you will want to see and know more about Halo Infinite and I am excited to share more of our experience with you in the future. As I said last year, we’d love to hear what you think, and we still intend to support an early flighting program that will give you a way to play the game and provide feedback that will directly impact decisions we make for launch and into the future. We aren’t ready to kick this off yet, but you will certainly hear about it when we’re ready to welcome you to the program!



As for what’s next, E3 2020 will be a big moment for Halo Infinite. Until we reach that destination in 2020, we’ll continue to embrace the mystery and wonder of Halo and the endless opportunity and potential of this engine, this hardware and, most of all, this team.



– Chris Lee



Studio Head of Halo Infinite