Halo 4
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After 8 years, 'Halo 4' hits PC on November 17th
Halo 4, the first game in the series developed by 343 Industries, is making its way to Windows PCs on November 17th, Microsoft announced today. The remastered version of the game will be the final addition to the Master Chief Collection, which was released last year and has slowly added new Halo entries since then. Perhaps more important for many gamers though, that remastered bundle of games is also hitting the Xbox Series X and Series S on November 17th as well.
Over 6 million user-created maps are coming to 'Halo: MCC'
Microsoft and 343 Industries said they'd transfer Forge maps and game modes to Halo: The Master Chief Collection with the help of players, and it's clear many gamers were willing to step up. The two have revealed that over 6.6 million user-created maps for Halo 3, Halo: Reach and Halo 4 will be playable in MCC when ready. There's a good chance a favorite map from your Xbox 360 days will be available in remastered form.
Halo 4's Spartan Ops comes to Master Chief Collection
Halo: The Master Chief Collection received another update this week, improving the game's matchmaking and other functions. The update also added Spartan Ops to Halo 4 in the collection, 343 Industries' cooperative multiplayer mode. Teams of up to four players barrel through missions in the episodic mode, which was purposely not included in the collection's initial 20 GB patch; the developer planned to issue Spartan Ops in December so that it could make "technical enhancements" to the mode. Spartan Ops features 10 episodes, all of which are now available in The Master Chief Collection. The update includes a number of other fixes for the collection, such as hit detection for online multiplayer in Halo: CE and also giving a loss to players that disconnect from matches before a round ends. The patch should also improve roster update times as well as statistic and achievement tracking. It's the latest in a line of updates for the game, which launched with severe online multiplayer issues, among other problems. 343 Industries head Bonnie Ross apologized to players for the collection's issues in late November, recently offering free goodies to affected players, including the Halo 3: ODST campaign. [Image: Microsoft]
Next Mass Effect snags Halo 4's lead writer, gets concept art
The next Mass Effect game from BioWare is being written by Chris Schlerf, the lead writer of 343 Industries' Halo 4. BioWare revealed Schlerf's role for the game today in a blog that introduced a few members of the its development team. The lead writer for Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, Mac Walters, is staying on for the next installment as the game's creative director. Schlerf joins the team as lead writer following the departure of the series' creator and executive producer back in August, Casey Hudson. In celebration of "N7 Day" today, BioWare hosted a developer roundtable via its Twitch channel to reveal pieces of concept art for the upcoming game and discuss the developer's visions and ambitions. Shying away from calling it "Mass Effect 4," the next game will emphasize space exploration and features the return of the series' much-maligned vehicle, the Mako. The team also noted that the game's protagonist will not start the adventure with "legendary status" like the previous hero, Commander Shepard. Check out our slideshow of the concept art shown during the livestream below, which certainly beats the teasers shown by BioWare last year. [Image: BioWare]
Halo: The Master Chief Collection jumps to Xbox One on November 11, 2014
Like a Forerunner machine rising from the sand, the rumored Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been given an official, dramatic unveiling by Microsoft. As you might have guessed from the collection's name, The Master Chief Collection will chronicle the adventures of UNSC SPARTAN John-117, aka Master Chief. That means updated versions of Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 4. It also means the inclusion of every multiplayer map from each of the aforementioned games. Following the example of 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, 343 Industries will be remaking Halo 2 with new textures, models and sound, though players will be able to switch back and enjoy the game's original Xbox visuals at any time. Speaking of visuals, Blur Studio will develop new cutscenes to re-tell Chief's story. All games in the collection will run at 60 frames per second.
Rumor: Halo 1-4 bundled in Master Chief Collection for Xbox One
The saga of Master Chief will be packaged up in Halo: The Master Chief Collection for Xbox One this year, Engadget reported. The bundle will seemingly combine Bungie's Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and Halo 3 as well as 343 Industries' contribution, Halo 4, into one HD-remastered pack. The Master Chief Collection will apparently ignore Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach in order to hone in on the story of the iconic hero. The bundle would tide fans of the series over for the time being, as Halo 5: Guardians is slated to launch on Xbox One in fall 2015. [Image: Microsoft]
Man at Arms forges its own Halo 'Energy Sword'
Humanity has yet to invent plasma-based stabbing technology, but we still celebrate Man at Arms' recreation of the iconic Halo weapon, the Energy Sword. Metal isn't a bad substitute for plasma, except when it comes to plastic. Plasma would've done a better job destroying that bottle of Mountain Dew.
Joystiq's Four in February is upon us, behold our staff picks
February is a forbidding land, full of winter darkness and noisome Valentine's Day traditions that are only slightly balanced out by a steady trickle of new games. That's why Joystiq's very own Mike Suszek created Four in February, a gaming event to unify the world against the month's doldrums. Here's how it works: Pick four games to finish in February and then try to finish them. That's it. No crazy rules, no limits on what you play. Just choose four games and take them on with gusto. That's the 4iF way. The best part of 4iF is how we all get to share the struggle, though. We want you to go to the 4iF Facebook community page and tell us everything. Show us pics of what games you're playing, tell us why you're playing them, let us know when you're streaming them, and most importantly, proclaim your victories or failures. Meanwhile, over on Joystiq's Facebook page, we'll be running 4iF giveaways every four days throughout the month starting Tuesday, Feb. 4. On Twitter, we'll be tracking the action to those who shout @joystiq using the hashtag #4iF. This is war on our gaming libraries, and this is our solid battle plan. What's the staff playing? Read on.
Tomb Raider, Republic Commando creative director joins 343 Industries
Tim Longo, creative director of Star Wars: Republic Commando and Tomb Raider has assumed the familiar position of - wait for it - creative director, at 343 Industries. Beyond Entertainment spotted a change in Longo's Twitter biography noting the job change earlier today, which sees him replacing Halo 4 creative director Josh Holmes. David Ellis, designer at 343i, also hinted at Longo's new position when he tweeted that he looked forward to giving Longo regular feedback as he plays through the recently-announced Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Longo replied that he's "all #343Industries & @HaloWaypoint now!" Holmes' LinkedIn profile lists his most current position as "Franchise Creative Director" for 343i, but his Twitter biography has been updated to read "EP [Executive Producer] @ 343." We've reached out for clarification on the position changes.
Console bundles, Battlefield 4 highlight GameStop's Black Friday preview
GameStop isn't quite ready to reveal its full swath of Black Friday deals, but the company has offered a preview including discounted consoles, cheap recent hits, and a sale on all used games. On Black Friday, if you walk into a GameStop (and aren't crushed by an unruly mob), you'll find a 250GB Xbox 360 with Halo 4 and Tomb Raider priced at $200. Sharing that price tag is a PlayStation 3 bundle which includes a 250GB console as well as copies of Batman: Arkham Origins and The Last of Us. If you already have one of these consoles, GameStop is also offering big discounts on two recent games: Just Dance 4 will be available for $15, while Battlefield 4 will feature a $25 price tag. If you'd prefer something a bit more dated, however, GameStop is also planning a "buy two, get one free" deal on all used games in the store. The discounts listed above are only the highlights of GameStop's Black Friday deals. The retailer has yet to publicly release its ad, though the store does offer a site where interested consumers can sign up to receive the ad just as soon as it's ready to debut. While GameStop will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, the store will reopen on 12:01AM, Black Friday. Most likely this means that you'll need to visit your local store as early as possible to ensure savings, but those who'd rather sleep in can instead sign up to be notified when GameStop issues its forthcoming Cyber Monday ad.
Halo 4 anniversary unleashes silly, bizarre, terrifying outtakes
Halo 4 is now a year old, and to celebrate the milestone, developer 343 Industries has offered a look at some of the content that didn't make it into the retail game for reasons ranging from simple collision problems to an overwhelming level of mind-rending horror. The video (which can be found on 343 Industries' site) starts off calmly enough, with franchise director Frank O'Connor introducing what you would expect to be a staid look at content that would otherwise go unseen. Seconds after O'Connor fades from view however, things take a turn for the crazy. Rainbow Warthogs, moonwalking Master Chiefs and twirling robots abound. Character models twist and contort in unnatural fashion, guns fire vehicles instead of bullets, and untextured heads shriek terrible litanies thankfully muted by the clip's jaunty soundtrack. The outtakes are by no means required viewing, but today, a week before the next generation of gaming kicks off in earnest, it's nice to take a moment to relax with the sort of insanity our favorite pastime can unwittingly spawn.
Report: Gamestop's Black Friday has exclusive bundles, blue PS3
Gamestop's Black Friday circular has supposedly leaked its thick, viscous deal-goo all over the internet, exposing the retail chain's plans for the most excruciating shopping day of the year – just don't expect any deals on that new PlayStation 4/Xbox One hotness. For everyone staying in this console generation, though, there's some cool stuff going on if you think leaving the house on Black Friday is worth it. You can have your choice of 250-gig PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 for $199.99, the former bundled with The Last of Us and Batman: Arkham Origins, and the latter bundled with Halo 4 and a download code for Tomb Raider. Meanwhile, a Gamestop-exclusive Azure Blue 250-gig PS3/Jak and Daxter Collection bundle can be had for $249.99. For 360 owners, there's also a Gamestop-exclusive Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City boxed set, Dishonored and Splinter Cell: Blacklist at $24.99 each. PlayStation 3 owners can snag Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag for $40 and a year of PlayStation Plus for $29.99. The chain is also running a buy-2-get-1 free promotion on all pre-owned items, provided the free thing you pick out is of equal or lesser value. Gamestop is also granting an additional 30-percent in-store credit on all trade-ins, though whether these two offers stack is unknown. There's a lot of other stuff on sale, so while we check on the trade-in value of a human soul, click all up on this to check out the full 12-page circular for yourself.
Check your pockets for $10, pick up Halo 4
If you haven't checked out 343 Industries' take on Master Chief yet, Amazon has it for just $10. We gave Halo 4 a big old five stars out of five when we reviewed it last year, Ludwig-117 deeming it, "one of the best games in the series and one of the finest shooters in years." All of which sounds pretty good for 10 bucks.
Halo 4 Master Chief statue coming to protect your desk from tiny aliens
A limited edition, 12-inch tall statue of Master Chief will be available via McFarlane Toys starting December 6 for $295, the action figure and collectibles company has revealed. The statue depicts Master Chief as he appears in Halo 4 - or more accurately, how he appears on the game, as the pose seems modeled after the Halo 4 cover. Each of the limited run of 1,000 statues will come with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Todd McFarlane, as well as three interchangeable weapons: the Assault Rifle, the Energy Sword and the Boltshot. The statue's official page does not currently offer pre-orders, so if you want to get your hands on Chief before the Covenant Didact other collectors do, you'll want to keep a vigilant watch on the McFarlane Toys site.
Halo 4 lead designer joins Visceral
Halo 4's lead designer Scott Warner has joined Visceral Games. Warner announced the career change via Twitter, and will be a design director with Visceral. Visceral, a subsidiary of EA, is the developer of the Dead Space series. Visceral Games is currently working on a project outside the horror franchise, and a Star Wars game for next-gen consoles.
PSA: Halo 4 World Championship finals streaming live this weekend
The world's top Spartans will finish the fight for a grand prize of $200,000 this weekend at PAX Prime in the Halo 4 Global Championship Finals, Microsoft announced today. If you're at PAX Prime, Microsoft is hosting the event in Benaroya Hall from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST until Sunday. If you're unable to attend, the rounds leading up to the finals will be streamed on TwitchTV today from 11:30 to 4pm PST. Spectators eager for the the final rounds can watch tensions mount via a livestream on Xbox Live and HaloWaypoint.com starting at 4 p.m. PST. The stream will be hosted by Major Nelson, Blair Herter and Jessica Chobot.
Halo 4 'Game of the Year' edition drops in October
Microsoft has confirmed a Halo 4 Game of the Year Edition is slated to arrive in October. A spokesperson said the package will include additional DLC , and that more details will be announced "during the live stream of the 'Halo' Global Championship Finals this Sunday." According to information provided to IGN by a tipster, this new version of Halo 4 will cost $50 and include the base game, the first season of Spartan Ops content, a War Games pass, the Champions DLC bundle and content that was exclusive to pre-orders and limited editions.
Halo 4 'Champions Bundle' DLC goes for gold on Xbox Live tomorrow
Spartans will find some additional items in their wardrobe today, as 343 Industries has issued the "Champions Bundle" DLC pack in Halo 4. For 800 MS Points ($10) you'll get: the "Bullseye" pack, which includes two new multiplayer maps, a new "Ricochet" game mode and some sports-themed armor; the "Infinity Armor Pack," a collection of new armor items modeled after past Halo games; and the "Steel Gun Pack," which coats your weapons in some shiny new metals. 343 Industries is also offering these three DLC packs piecemeal, though purchasing the full bundle guarantees 18 additional exclusive in-game items and one cheaper price tag.
gdgt's best deals for August 19: PlayStation Vita, Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga
Ready to save some cash on your tech buys? Then you've come to the right place. Our sister site gdgt tracks price drops on thousands of products every day, and twice a week they feature some of the best deals they've found right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. Today's hottest deals include a pair of products that received excellent gdgt scores. The PlayStation Vita has hit a new low price at Target (for now), while the Lenova IdeaPad Yoga has shed $250 off its MSRP. Join gdgt and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list. Every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
Halo 4 update adds new Support Upgrades, Spartan Ops to matchmaking
343 Industries will push out a title update for Halo 4 this Monday, August 19, ahead of the launch of the game's Champions Bundle DLC, which is scheduled for the next day. The patch, in addition to ending the current Global Championship online qualifier, also adds two new Support Upgrades: Recharge, which reduces the amount of time it takes for your shields to recharge, and Survivor, which automatically ejects the player from any vehicle on the verge of exploding. The update also adds Spartan Ops levels to matchmaking, specifically two chapters from Episode 1 (The Challenge, Sacred), one chapter from Episode 2 (Gagarin) and two chapters from Episode 5 (Spartan Miller, Nothing Can Go Wrong). Meanwhile, the game's Crimson Map Pack will be removed in preparation for the arrival of the Champions Bundle.
