halo-reach-beta
Latest
Halo: Reach grabs September 14 release date
According to an Associated Press report, Bungie has revealed that Halo: Reach will hit store shelves worldwide on September 14 (with the exception of Japan, where it will launch the following day). That's going to be a rough, rough way to start your school year. The report also reveals that over 2.7 million players logged more than 16 million hours and 1.1 billion kills in the Reach beta during its 18 days of availability. Some may see that as a precursor to Reach's certain retail success -- we see it as a testament to Halo players' startling murder efficiency. [Via VG247]
Halo: Reach beta extended to Thursday, May 20
We'll keep this quick: Bungie's Brian Jarrard has just informed Joystiq, "Our official plans as of now are to turn off the Reach beta on Thursday, 5/20 at 10AM PDT." Previously, the beta was scheduled to end tomorrow, May 19, at an unspecified time. That's what we call a reprieve! Get back into the fight, folks. %Gallery-91245%
Halo: Reach beta Generator Defense playlist now live
The Halo: Reach beta has less than a week to go, and now you have one more reason to put a few more hours into it: Generator Defense. The new playlist is now live, presenting players with a 3-on-3 match of Spartans vs. Elites. The objective is simple: Elites attack the generators and Spartans defend them. Be sure to remember that the actual playlist is called "Network Test 1" -- an apt title, if our first few laggy games were any indication. But hey, what's a little lag when the survival of the whole human race is at stake? In other news, a second episode of Halo: Reach Betabusters is available, and it includes plenty of things you might not know about in the beta (including the ability to assassinate players through glass). Find it after the break.
Bungie talks Reach issues, promises fixes for release
If you've been playing the Halo: Reach beta -- and, statistically, you probably have -- you've likely noticed a lot a changes compared to Halo 3. Look a little closer and you'll find something more sinister: bugs, glitches, issues. Of course, it is a beta test, so such things are expected. Still, in the latest weekly update, the folks at Bungie decided to calm our fears and explain that things will be fixed for the final release this fall. Among the issues addressed: teammates stealing flags in Stockpile, barely visible aiming reticules and the ad nauseam barrage of "Flag taken ... flag dropped" in CTF matches. Bungie assures fans that these and other issues have already been fixed in the current build of Reach. In other Reach news, Bungie has posted a handy beta survival guide compiled by community member Shake Appeal. If you're having trouble adjusting to the new weapons, abilities and overall feel of Halo: Reach, you may want to give the guide a once over. Source - Bungie Weekly Update 5.07.10 Source - Halo: Reach beta survival guide
PSA: Halo: Reach beta gets Invasion mode today
If you've been waiting to lay waste to some split-jawed Elites -- or, conversely, to some uppity Spartans -- then today is your lucky day. Bungie has tweeted that Invasion mode will be added to the Halo: Reach beta at "around 11am PDT" today. Lest you forgot how Invasion mode works, it's a 6-on-6, Spartan vs. Elite gametype that sees the Elites on the offensive, trying to take objectives and unlock new sections of the map. The Spartans, obviously, have to defend said objectives. Also, unlike most other modes in Reach, Invasion allows players to respawn next to a designated teammate (out of combat), adding to the strategic possibilities. On paper, it sounds a bit like Bad Company 2's Rush mode. In the beta, Invasion can only be played on Boneyard, a new, huge map with lots of vehicles and progressively deadlier weaponry unlocked as the match plays on. In other words, clear your schedule. You have plans tonight.
Halo: Reach beta opens to Xbox Live Silver members May 14
Are you an Xbox Live Silver member? Have you been staring with green-eyed envy at all your Gold-subscribing friends currently enjoying the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta? If so, we've got some good news, because Shacknews reports that the Reach beta will be opening up to Xbox Live Silver members next week. Starting May 14 at 9:00am PT, Silver members with a copy of Halo 3: ODST will be able to access the beta. You'd better get as much as you can though, because the party ends on May 17 at 9:00am PT, two days before the beta closes for everyone else. But hey, some Reach is better than no Reach, right?
Halo: Reach Betabusters: things you probably didn't know about the beta
For as much as you've been tirelessly playing (or trying to play) the Halo: Reach beta, we're sure there are some things you didn't know. Example: did you know that you can actually kill somebody by hitting them in the face with a grenade? Yup, totally possible. How about a tried-and-true way to avoid fall damage? It's a lot simpler than you may think! Thanks to Defend The House -- of Modern Warfare 2 Mythbusters fame -- we now know how. And you too can feel the Quickening-like surge of power that is knowledge by simply heading past the break and watching the first episode of Halo: Reach Betabusters. Enjoy!
Halo: Reach beta update: chugging along, but still needs a little work
If you were trying to get your Halo: Reach on last night, you probably remember that crucial point in time when it just plain stopped working. It was a dark time, to say the least, but Bungie is working hard to get things in order. A recent post on its forums states that while you should still expect "suboptimal performance," you can at least get into some games now. While we'd certainly appreciate a fully functional beta, we're not complaining -- playing a few matches is better than playing no matches, after all.
Halo: Reach beta now available through ODST
Fly -- don't run -- to your Xbox 360 and cram that Halo 3: ODST disc into the drive, because it's time to play some Halo: Reach. Bungie has just informed us that the beta, which runs until May 19, is now live. Have you watched Aisha Tyler's informative introduction yet? You don't want to waste time fiddling with the controls on your first day. Let us know how the download process goes and what you think of the game once you're set -- assuming it all goes smoothly. You're not preparing another outrageous letter, are you? Some quick words of warning from Bungie: "The download process may be subject to extended wait times. Server load is expected to be extremely high, especially during the first few hours and days of Beta availability. Please bear with us and stay tuned to Bungie.net for news and information."
Aisha Tyler: Halo Reach beta tester and teacher
Aisha Tyler provided us with countless chuckles and guffaws during her stint as the host of Talk Soup -- now she's providing us with sage-like advice on how to succeed in the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta, which Bungie says will drop "late morning PDT." Check out the video above to watch Tyler give a rundown of the series' new maps, game types and weapons. She'll even demonstrate the proper way to handle said weapons using comically oversized props. Heads up: Throughout the course of the video, Tyler uses about 22 variations of the phrase "kick your ass," so you should file this one under "NSFW."
Win early access to the Halo: Reach beta!
What are you doing this weekend? The answer should be: "Playing the Halo: Reach beta with all my friends from Joystiq." If you're itching to get early access to the Halo: Reach beta, you could be in luck! Enter our giveaway for a chance to win an Xbox Live code that gets you into the beta right now -- no ODST required. Become a Joystiq fan on Facebook and you might win a code! To enter: Be sure to join Joystiq's Facebook fan page at facebook.com/Joystiq. Then, leave one comment with your Xbox Live Gamertag on this Facebook thread. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). Limit 1 entry per person. The entry period is now open and will end at 6:00PM ET on Friday, April 30. At that time, we will randomly select 25 entries to receive a code for access to the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta (no ARV). Codes will be distributed via Facebook. Codes are only compatible with Xbox 360 and require an Xbox Live Gold account and internet access to redeem. The beta file requires approximately 1.15 GB of hard drive space. (The Halo 3: ODST game disc will not be required to participate in the beta through this giveaway.) The Halo: Reach multiplayer beta will end on May 19. For a list of complete rules, click here.
Halo: Reach beta's live-action short makes its online debut
Alright folks -- it's time for another live-action Halo short, this one for the upcoming Reach beta. We told you about it yesterday, now a short version of the short is making its way through the pipes of the internet, winding up on YouTube in advance of a higher-quality version due later this evening arriving from Microsoft on Wednesday morning. We've embedded the clip -- "Birth of a Spartan" -- after the break above The not-so-short (i.e. full) version of the, er, short will hit Thursday morning, April 29. Consider your appetite for more officially whetted. [Via Geoff Keighley, Twitter]
Waypoint's Halo Reach content schedule, Avatar award teased
The Halo: Reach marketing machine is working overtime this week, as Halo Waypoint will release new content everyday until the Beta launches on May 3. If that isn't a big enough tease for you, the schedule of content the team at Waypoint sent to us still has a few "To be announced" placeholders. It's bad enough Halo fans need to wait, but waiting for the content provided to help diminish the wait for the Beta is just cruel, guys. Here's the Halo Waypoint schedule of content for the days leading to the Halo: Reach Beta. In a recent Reach ViDoc, an Avatar award is briefly mentioned by designer Luke Smith as the only thing beta testers will start with when they begin their testing duties on May 3. Halo Waypoint will also see a title update sometime before the beta launches. While it's unconfirmed if the two are related, Team Waypoint recently tweeted more "details" would be released regarding an image of a "Halo: Reach Beta Tester" Avatar hoodie recently uncovered by NeoGAF; it's looking likely that this is the gear you could be getting for playing the Halo: Reach beta. The content schedule for Halo Waypoint can be found after the break.
Bungie expects 'upwards of three million' for Halo: Reach beta
Are you guys excited for this Halo: Reach thing? Yeah, we're not that concerned with it, but apparently it's kind of a "big deal" or something -- we guess there's a beta coming on May 3? Psh, whatevs. Anyway, according to a The Seattle Times interview with Bungie's Brian Jarrard and Chris Carney, the developer is anticipating quite the turnout. "My expectation is it could be upwards of 3 million people. I think that's a fairly conservative estimate," Jarrard said. "Certainly there will never be a console beta of this magnitude." That's a considerable increase from the Halo 3 beta, which managed to snag 820,000 participants during its 26-day run during the summer of 2007. Sure, the inclusion of jetpacks undoubtedly raised some eyebrows, but we would never have thought the potential for atomic teabags would be that big of a selling point. C'est la vie. [Via 1UP]
Interview: Bungie's Lars Bakken on Halo: Reach and the franchise
Following my extensive hands-on preview of the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta at Bungie's Seattle area offices last week, I spoke with Lars Bakken, lead multiplayer designer, to discuss how Reach fits into the studio's long term strategy, how community feedback affects design decisions and the future of the Halo franchise. Joystiq: What did you learn from how you conducted the Halo 3 multiplayer beta? What are you doing differently for the Reach beta? Lars Bakken: I think one of the things we learned from the Halo 3 beta is that we want to keep this thing focused and that might mean less playlists initially. But that's really to keep the people focused and keep them playing the same thing, so we'll be turning on things and turning off other things as the beta progresses. And that's something we really learned from Halo 3, because we wanted to make sure that we were getting all the relevant information that we needed to get -- all the data -- and make decisions and changes on the final game. %Gallery-91245%
Hands-on: Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta
Compared to the clamor and congestion of downtown Seattle, Bungie's Kirkland offices are peaceful and serene. There's little outside distraction and certainly no incessant honking. It's a beautiful day. No one would ever guess that, in two unadorned conference rooms on the third floor, people are blowing each other up. Well, maybe they noticed the Battle Rifle in the lobby. Bungie invited media to its offices for a Halo: Reach mulitplayer beta preview last week, introducing us to four new game types, Generator Defense, Headhunter, Stockplile and Invasion. I filled six hours with as many frags as my controller could possibly deliver and it simply wasn't enough. Reach's new team-driven game types are addictive and ambitious, focused on objective-based progression and strategic action. %Gallery-91245%
Halo: Reach 'Invasion' mode unveiled on latest GTTV
Aha! That's why no one's talking about it! The first video and details on Halo: Reach's "Invasion" mode were shown off exclusively in last night's episode of GameTrailers TV, with Bungie additionally dishing some deets about the game we'd yet to hear. As we already know, Invasion is a game mode that's only available in Boneyard (also scantly detailed until now) and, as promised, features a ton of vehicles. The multi-tiered level unlocks in "three phases (similar to Bad Company 2's "Rush" mode), with various weapon loadouts and vehicles becoming available alongside it. Among the smattering of new footage, Bungie reps introduce the human grenade launcher and plasma launcher, two exciting looking additions to the Halo arsenal. Unfortunately, when pressed on whether or not ODST's Firefight mode would be making a return appearance in Reach, Bungie's Chris Carney says that the mode "is not in the beta" and he's "not sure what those guys have planned." As you might expect, there's also a tease that we'll hear more about the game (campaign mode specifically) "in June."
Halo: Reach multiplayer modes blown wide open
[1UP] As we predicted with our last post on Halo: Reach, the flow of information on Bungie's final Halo game -- well, the beta, anyway -- has now become steady and consistent. Today's exclusive preview of the beta's new multiplayer game types (read: not CTF/Slayer/etc.) at 1UP is further evidence of just such a trend, detailing the Headhunter, Invasion, Stockpile and Generator Defense (quaintly dubbed "Network Test 1 Beta" by Bungie internally) multiplayer modes. Read on after the break for all the details.
New high-res Halo: Reach weapons and vehicle renders
Click to get high ... resolution Good news for fans of Halo minutia -- and who isn't -- as Bungie has released a whole slew of Halo: Reach character, weapon and vehicle renders. Not only that, but these renders are in high resolution. That means you can take in all the tiny details of each and every image, from trigger mechanisms to faceplates to ... whatever the stubby wing things are called on the Banshee. Our favorite image so far is the plasma launcher (pictured above), which, according to the latest Bungie Weekly Update, sends "a volley of one to four plasma explosives" at your enemy. Fun. Check out the complete gallery of renders below. %Gallery-89861%
Halo: Reach character customization detailed
G4 has posted an article detailing the 'Player Investment' system. As the name implies, it's designed to keep you -- the player -- invested in the character you've created. The character you create in Halo: Reach is persistent across both the single-player campaign and multiplayer -- even appearing in the cutscenes -- and both modes will allow players to unlock new customization options. Players earn credits (abbreviated cR) simply by playing the game and then these credits can be used to purchase different custom pieces of armor. Many different tasks will yield credits, though G4 notes that Bungie is making sure to balance task so they don't get in the way of normal gameplay. Each piece of armor, incidentally, is solely for visual customization -- they won't provide any gameplay benefits a la Modern Warfare. One of the ways players will earn cR is with the new challenge system. Bungie will create daily and weekly challenges, small goals designed to keep players interested over the long term. The challenges can be anything, with Bungie's Luke Smith noting "kill X dudes" as an example. Whether said dudes be in multiplayer or single-player, that's up to Bungie. The article also touches on the new ranking system. In addition to ranking players based on skill, the game will also track how they play. Players can earn "Commendations" which reflect their playing style. Make kills with a specific weapon and you earn Commendations for that weapon, which other players can see. Commendations can be earned for other actions too, like driving vehicles. Finally, Microsoft has announced that new Halo: Reach multiplayer info will be dropping every Friday between now and the launch of the multiplayer beta in May. The updates will appear on Bungie.net starting this Friday, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled (for jet packs).
