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343 announces free ODST campaign as apology for Halo: MCC woes
When Halo: The Master Chief Collection launched in November with a largely non-functional online multiplayer component, people were upset. Bonnie Ross, head of developer 343 Industries, personally apologized for the issues, promising to "make this right" with fans of old Tall, Green and Handsome. Yesterday, Ross elaborated on just what she meant: free stuff, including an updated version of Halo 3: ODST running on Xbox One. Anyone who played Halo: The Master Chief Collection online between launch (November 11, 2014) and December 19, 2014 is eligible to receive one month of complimentary Xbox Live Gold, an exclusive in-game nameplate and avatar, and a free download of the Halo 3: ODST campaign running at 1080p and 60 frames per second. Lastly, everyone who plays The Master Chief Collection will be able to enjoy an updated version of the Halo 2 map, "Relic," when it launches as a free content update for the game. The nameplate and avatar will be added to The Master Chief Collection sometime later this month, while a reworked Relic and the ODST campaign will arrive sometime in spring of 2015. "Both [Relic and Halo 3: ODST] were not part of our original development plans, but as a result of community feedback, and to do something special for our fans, both are now in development," an FAQ page for the recently-announced content reads.
Halo: MCC dev pledges to 'make this right with our fans'
343 Industries head Bonnie Ross sent out her "heartfelt apologies" to Halo: The Master Chief Collection players yesterday, following a fortnight of matchmaking malaise. It's far from the first time the studio's said sorry for the Xbox One compilation's online troubles, but it is the first time we've seen the matter addressed on Microsoft's own Xbox Wire blog. In an open letter to fans, Ross reiterated 343's commitment to fixing matchmaking issues, adding that the developer will "make this right" with its audience. "On November 11 we released Halo: The Master Chief Collection," Ross said. "The goal being to create a tribute to Halo fans around the world, and to celebrate the Master Chief's debut on Xbox One. With the initial release of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, however, we have not delivered the experience you deserve. I personally apologize for this on behalf of us all at 343 Industries. Our team is committed to working around the clock until these issues are resolved. "While our team works on continual improvements and towards solutions, my commitment to you is that we will take care of all owners of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Our primary and continued focus is first on fixing the issues at hand. Once we've done that, we will detail how we will make this right with our fans."
Halo 2: Anniversary getting a making-of documentary
In an upcoming documentary that's bound to make the wait for Halo: The Master Chief Collection's November 11 launch more painful, fans will get a peek at what went into tackling the compilation's most-anticipated piece. 343 Industries has released the above teaser for Remaking the Legend - Halo 2 Anniversary, which appears to be a reflection on Halo 2's initial significance as well as the work involved in bringing it to Xbox One. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer, Xbox spokesperson Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb and 343 Studio Head Bonnie Ross are among the figures featured in the trailer, which signs off by promising the full work is coming soon. [Image: 343 Industries]
