Halo: The Master Chief Collection Triumphs with a Staggering Update

Patience is virtue, and ‘virtue’ is the name of the new update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection from the tech whizzes at 343 Industries. After half a year of eager anticipation, the devs are dropping an all-in-one update on July 12th, chock-full of goodies that could bring back even the grumpiest of Halo veterans.

The Master Chief Collection, for those unfamiliar, isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s a gloriously sprawling conglomeration of Halo classics. We’re talking about Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4. A virtual banquet of sci-fi nostalgia all bundled up for your convenience.

At the top of the update’s bounty list is a facelift for Firefight, the horde-esque staple of Halo: Reach and Halo 3: ODST. The mode now makes a grand entrance into the Custom Games Browser. Players can now jump into ongoing custom Firefight matches, and the player count has been bumped from four to a riotous eight. No extra sweat for the difficulty scaling though, it still respects the good old four-player cap. If you’re after something a bit different, Halo: Reach is getting a long-lost mode resurrected.

Those with memories like an elite might recall the “Network Test 1” Generator Defense mode from the game’s first multiplayer beta. The coming update kicks Firefight waves out and brings in a team-oriented Generator Defense mode accommodating up to eight players. But wait, there’s more! This isn’t all about Firefight. Halo 4 enthusiasts can now relish a Theater Mode for the campaign and Spartan Ops modes.

Halo 3 isn’t feeling left out, introducing a new Escalation Slayer mode, tipping the hat to Call of Duty’s Gun Game. All games in the collection now support custom controller mapping, Halo 2 players can hunt for new Golden Moa collectibles, and the Acrophobia skull finds a new home in Halo: Combat Evolved. This update promises something for every fan of the collection. The Master Chief Collection recently landed on Steam Deck too which is another little bonus for the community.

Related: Halo Infinite: The Disappearing Act of 98% of Steam Players

The July 2023 update is 343’s first patch where they’re not fussed about adding new platform features or porting games to PC. This allows them to really flesh out the features, making the update well worth the wait. The future of The MCC is still under wraps, but in the meantime, game fanatics can revel in the riches of new content.

Fire up your Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, or PC, and join the fray. Halo: The Master Chief Collection is ready when you are.