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Halo 5 beta adding Strongholds mode, Rocket Launcher
The Halo 5: Guardians beta is drawing to a close, Spartans. Just one week remains before the doors seal shut on January 18, but developer 343 Industries and publisher Microsoft are going to make sure this shindig goes out with a bang - literally. See, week three of the beta is not only adding a new, Forge-created map called "Pegasus" and a new mode called "Strongholds," but it's also re-introducing the classic power weapon, the Rocket Launcher. For those scouting here for tactical reconnaissance, here's what the United Nations Space Command has planned for you: Pegasus, the winning map of a fan vote, has long sight lines perfect for snipers and long-range weapon users. However, the perches where these marksman must take post have plenty of flanking routes, and are also vulnerable to well-aimed grenade throws. Strongholds mode features three control zones spread across a map; possess at least two and you'll be able to score points. First team to 100 wins. But let's be honest, the real reason to come a-running back to the Halo 5 beta is that sweet, sweet Rocket Launcher. Oh. Yeah. [Image: Microsoft]
Halo 5 beta gets new maps, game type in week 2
In a brief Halo Waypoint update, developer 343 Industries revealed its plans for the second week of the ongoing Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta test, which should be updated today. The highlight of the second week's additions is a new game type dubbed Breakout, which we wrote about a few months ago. "The first team to take five rounds wins the match. You'll be able to play on two maps: Crossfire, and its variant, Trench." 343 also points out that two new maps, Regret and Eden, have been added to the Slayer playlist. "Regret is a remix of Truth, and Eden is a remix of Empire, both of which were included in week 1," 343 states, before pointing out that by popular demand, players will be able to use the new Hydra MLRS weapon during matches on Regret. The Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta test is currently open to all owners of the Xbox One-exclusive Halo: The Master Chief Collection. [Image: Microsoft]
Halo 5 kicks off multiplayer beta today
Halo 5: Guardians launched its multiplayer beta program today, Microsoft announced. The beta phase was originally planned to arrive a few days ago, but is now scheduled to run through January 18. The program was announced during the publisher's E3 2014 press conference in June and is open to those that purchased Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Additionally, Microsoft unveiled the bonuses goodies coming to those that pre-order one of the various editions of Halo 5 starting today. The $60 standard version of the game includes an exclusive poster, whereas the $100 Limited Edition includes the poster and adds "exclusive items" in a steel book case as well as bonus digital content for the game. Halo 5's Limited Collector's Edition features everything in the other two versions and adds in commemorative statue signed by 343 Industries. Halo 5 is slated to launch in fall 2015. Those missing out on the beta program can watch our archived stream of the game from earlier this month. [Image: Microsoft]
Joystiq Streams: Halo 5 beta, live and uncut
Halo is on the brain this December. We're chock full of conflicting emotions about Master Chief, personable AI, and the many ancient technology entanglements they find themselves snared in. Revisiting all of Chief's tales in the Master Chief Collection reminded us just how awesome Halo campaigns can be. That said, the plague of matchmaking problems in that anthology caused some serious negative connotations to attach themselves to Halo multiplayer in our brains. What we need is a palate cleanser! A view of the future, not the past. The Halo 5: Guardians beta will be our virtual sorbet. We're streaming Halo 5: Guardians on Joystiq.com/Twitch starting at 4:00PM EST. Iron sights? Crazy dash moves? We'll see what 343's cooked up. You can come on by and hang with us while we do it. Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST, but we stream at unusual times as we're doing today, so make sure to follow us on Twitch to catch all our streams. [Images: Microsoft]
The new dance in Halo 5: Guardians
Despite likening the beta test as "coming out of the house half dressed," 343 Industries and Microsoft will use December as a showcase for Halo 5: Guardians – at least the multiplayer part. With almost 2 years of work done and nearly another year to go before launch, Halo 5: Guardians is going to be a learning experience for just about everyone: first for seasoned Halo players coming to grips with new abilities and a far more responsive output of 60 frames per second, and then for its developers, who will have weeks of data and feedback to get Halo in suitable shape on Xbox One.
Report: Cutscene from Halo: Master Chief Collection leaks
A cutscene from Halo: The Master Chief Collection reportedly leaked during a Twitch stream of the game. The video briefly shows a loading screen that lists The Heretic level from Halo 2 before showing Agent Locke talking to Arbiter about hunting down Master Chief. Some viewers believe the scene may bridge the original Halo trilogy with the coming Xbox One exclusive, Halo 5: Guardians, as Locke has a role in the next game in the series. Head past the break to check the video out for yourself, but act fast, as these types of leaked videos tend to disappear quickly. Halo: The Master Chief Collection will launch on November 11 for Xbox One. [Image: Microsoft]
HaloFest to stream Halo 5 multiplayer, Nightfall's premiere next month
Halo devotees can get an early glimpse at Halo 5: Guardians' multiplayer mode during HaloFest, an upcoming live broadcast event that will also host the world premiere of the digital series Halo: Nightfall. Starting at 8 p.m. PST on November 10, players can tune in at Xbox.com and Twitch.tv/Halo to see exclusive beta footage, developer interviews, and the first episode of Nightfall as part of HaloFest. On November 8-9, Microsoft will additionally host coverage of The Master Chief Collection Launch Invitational, a global multiplayer tournament in which 32 top Halo 2: Anniversary players compete for $50,000 in prizes. Microsoft's streamed event leads up to the launch of the Xbox One series compilation Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which hits retail on November 11. [Video: Microsoft]
Halo 5: Guardians beta shifts to Dec. 29 [UPDATE: Trailer added!]
The beta for Halo 5: Guardians begins on December 29 and ends on January 18, developer 343 Industries announced during Microsoft's Gamescom press conference. This is a slight shift from the initial beta launch dates of December 27 - January 17. Things unlocked in the beta will carry over to the full launch of Halo 5. Halo 5 marks a return to the franchise's "legacy of competitive multiplayer," 343 said. The game is due out in 2015 on Xbox One.
'Halo Channel' digital network announced [UPDATE: Trailer added!]
Microsoft announced the Halo Channel during its Gamescom 2014 press event today. The channel is a digital network dedicated to original content centered around the first-person shooter series for Windows and Xbox One. The Halo Channel will host gameplay streams powered by Twitch, and also offers support for connected second-screen devices, such as tablets. Similar to the Xbox 360's Halo Waypoint channel, players will be able to launch games from the network, which also organizes multiplayer data, videos, player rewards and social networking tools. [Image: Microsoft]
Meet Agent Locke, star of Halo: Nightfall
Though you'll have to wait until San Diego Comic Con to watch Halo: Nightfall in action, thanks to Variety we can introduce you to the series' protagonist, Agent Locke. According to Variety, Agent Locke is played by Mike Colter, an actor best known for his roles in American Horror Story and The Good Wife. Plot details are scant, but during the course of Halo: Nightfall, Locke is reportedly sent to a "distant colony world" to investigate terrorist activity on behalf of the Office of Naval Intelligence. There's more to this story than Locke initially suspects and while investigating the colony, he discovers an ancient alien artifact that kicks off the series' major plot points. Beyond his appearance as the lead in Halo: Nightfall, Locke will also appear in the upcoming Xbox One-exclusive Halo 5: Guardians. It's currently unknown what role he'll play in the game. [Image: Microsoft]
NECA makes a Master Chief motorcycle helmet
Fine purveyor of action figures and other sundry collectibles, NECA is making a piece of molded plastic for Halo fans that does more than just look super cool on your desk. The Master Chief motorcycle helmet isn't just a piece of flashy, decorative headgear but a functional helmet that will protect your cranium while riding your hog. It will also allow you to pretend you're hauling tail on a Covenant Ghost after kicking a Grunt in its wee squeaky face. Riders ready to plunk down cash for a new full-face helmet in time for Halo: The Master Chief Collection to hit Xbox One this fall will unfortunately have to wait a bit longer. The helmet is currently in the sculpt prototyping stage, meaning NECA's still trying to lock down a finished version. With a proposed 2015 release, though, the helmet will likely be available in time to satisfy any obsession born out of Halo 5: Guardians. Finally, you and your cat can do that Master Chief Cosplay Cross Country Bike Tour. [Images: Microsoft]
Halo 5: Guardians beta launches December 27
Microsoft's planned Halo 5: Guardians beta will begin December 27 and run for three weeks, ending on January 17, 343 Industries Studio Head Bonnie Ross tells Joystiq. Beta access will be available via 343's upcoming Halo: The Master Chief Collection, launching on November 11 for the Xbox One. The collection – revealed during Microsoft's E3 media briefing yesterday – includes each game in the Halo series which features Master Chief as its protagonist: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition, a new anniversary update of Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 4.
Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta coming in December [Update: trailer]
The Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta will launch in December, Microsoft revealed today at E3. Those looking for access to the UNSC's upcoming firefight can guarantee their entry in the beta by purchasing Halo: The Master Chief Collection, due November 11. Microsoft announced Halo 5: Guardians last month, revealing a mysterious box art image depicting an unknown character standing as a literal reflection of Master Chief. It is being developed by 343 Industries, who took the reigns on the Halo franchise from Bungie, who themselves have sought out a new Destiny. [Image: Microsoft]
Joystiq Weekly: Xbox One's Kinect, Mario Kart 8 review, Godzilla's past and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. If machinery works the way The Brave Little Toaster suggests, you gotta feel for the Kinect - the solid experiences it supplements are often drowned in complaints about its underwhelming games, as well as its general inaccuracies as a listening, motion-tracking controller. We imagine Microsoft reassured the device about its playground reputation by including it with every Xbox One out there, but then ... well, this week happened. Kinect might be destined to just stay at home now, waiting for a band of appliance-shaped adventures to accept his flaws so it can tag along with for their straight-to-Blu Ray sequel. Hey, on the upside, at least that terrifying air conditioner died off before Kinect was ever able to meet him. Can you imagine being left alone in a house with that thing as a kid? Talk about new legitimate fears. Anyway, now that we're done painting a bleak picture of Kinect's secret social life, there's a lot more to this week than technological popularity contests. It's financial season, with Ubisoft, Take-Two and the NPD Group throwing numbers everywhere, we've got reviews for Mario Kart 8 and Super Time Force, and there's also a dip into Godzilla's past of ruining virtual metropolises. It's all stacked neat and orderly for you after the break!
Weekends with Engadget: the Moto E, futuristic Army helmets and more!
Welcome to Weekends with Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines from the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. For even more action, subscribe to our Flipboard magazine!
Engadget Daily: Sony's Alpha A7s, WP8 gets home automation app, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Halo 5 and its 'Guardians' coming to Xbox One in 2015
The newly christened Halo 5: Guardians is coming to Xbox One in fall 2015, giving dev 343 Industries time to ensure it has "the scope, features, and scale we've been dreaming of for more than a decade." Those are the words of GM Bonnie Ross who, ahead of a one-and-a-half years wait, underlined the efforts going into ensuring the Chief's Xbox One adventure fits the bill in 60 frames per second, and with dedicated servers for multiplayer. "Halo 5: Guardians is a bigger effort than Halo 4," Ross wrote on Xbox Wire. "That applies to the content and scope of the game, as well as the technology in what's now a brand new and more powerful engine. Certainly there are some core elements carried over from prior games, but we've invested a huge effort in retooling our tech to take full advantage of the Xbox One's hardware and ecosystem to create worlds and experiences worthy of next-gen." [Image: Microsoft]
