343 Industries has today pushed out a massive new update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection which contains notable changes for every Halo title in the bundle. Although Halo Infinite is 343’s latest entry in the long-running Xbox franchise, The Master Chief Collection continues to be supported in a big way in 2023, nearly nine years after it first launched. Now, that support has culminated in what is likely the game’s biggest update of the year which could lead to a major resurgence in players.ย
As of this afternoon, the latest update for Halo: MCC went live across Xbox consoles and PC. The patch contains a variety of big tweaks, but perhaps the most notable is tied to Firefight mode in Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach. Specifically, Firefight has seen its max player count increase from four to eight, while custom Firefight matches have also now been implemented. Given the evergreen nature of Firefight, this should allow the mode to have far more longevity than it once did.ย
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Outside of these alterations, 343 has also made a number of smaller updates with this new Master Chief Collection patch. Certain skulls have been changed across Halo and Halo 2, Escalation Slayer has landed in Halo 3, and additional Forge options have also come to Halo 3. For those looking for more nitty gritty tweaks, 343 has also added button remapping to the controls for MCC and has also let loose some previously unreleased content for Halo and Halo 2. To get a full look at everything 343 has done today, you can check out the studio’s latest blog right here.ย
As for all of the finer bug fixes and other changes found in this new update for Halo: MCC, you can check out the patch notes below.ย
GLOBAL
- The amount of time it takes to activate Machinima controls is now in parity with each game that features them. Machinima controls allow players to lower the weapon they have equipped.
- The following games support Machinima controls: Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4.
- The “Zombie Prevention” challenge, which requires players to perform 500 headshots during Matchmaking, can now be earned using any precision weapon found in each of the supported games.
- Precision weapons include sniper rifles, semi-automatic rifles, and other scoped weapons.
- This Challenge can be completed in all PvP matchmaking modes included in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.ย
- This fix was originally released via a backend update in January 2023.
MENUS
- Players’ last selected Emblems and Avatars are now maintained after the “Game and app history” setting on Xbox consoles is set to Block.
- Secondary and Guest players on Xbox consoles will now receive a warning message after their controller has been disconnected.
- The post-match Rewards screen now supports ultrawide aspect ratios.
Custom Game Browser
- Players can now view their most recent Post-Game Carnage Report (PGCR) from the Custom Game Browser menu by selecting the corresponding button prompt at the bottom of the screen.
Settings
- Background video selections are less likely to be reset after closing and relaunching Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
- Players now return to the Video Background submenu after selecting a new Video Background.
- Performance on Xbox One consoles with Menu Narration enabled has been improved.
- New profiles will retain any progress made on Campaign playlists, as well as any changes made to player Settings and Customization, after restarting Halo: MCC.
- The name of the Casimir Pulaski 2023 Nameplate now displays correctly when viewing it with a non-English language setting enabled.
STEAM DECK
- Steam Deck players are now able to enter subsequent multiplayer sessions after a non-Steam Deck player has exited the previous session.
HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED
- The Plasma Rifle is now able to stun enemies more consistently during online Multiplayer matches.
- Resolved a memory leak in Halo: Combat Evolved Campaign missions.
- Multiple improvements to cutscene letterboxing throughout Halo: Combat Evolved Campaign missions.
- Objects and characters no longer appear in incorrect positions during the opening cinematic of the mission Pillar of Autumn when Remastered graphics are enabled.
HALO 2: CLASSIC MULTIPLAYER
- Carrying the flag in a Capture the Flag match no longer results in pixelated noise appearing within the lights on Elites’ arms.
HALO 2: ANNIVERSARY
Campaign
- Lighting and shadows have been updated to closer align with the original release of Halo 2 on Xbox.
- Campaign Co-Op sessions are now less likely to crash when playing through the mission The Oracle.
- Graphical artifacts no longer appear around the Arbiter’s arms and equipped weapons when playing through the mission Sacred Icon.
- Players are now less likely to encounter a “Network Disconnect” error message while playing through the mission Quarantine Zone in Campaign Co-Op.
- The sound effect of a Hunter charging up its cannon now consistently plays during Campaign missions.
Multiplayer
- Players are now less likely to be stuck at “Respawning in 0” after getting killed during a matchmaking session.
- PC players are less likely to crash when loading into the Stonetown multiplayer map via crossplay.
HALO 3
Multiplayer
- Searching for a Shotty Snipers match no longer places players into Recon Slayer matches.
- Shotty Snipers is a rotational playlist that cycles in and out of matchmaking. Stay tuned toย @Haloย on Twitter for the latest updates on which playlists have rotated into matchmaking.
- This fix was originally released via a backend update in April 2023.
HALO 3: ODST
Theater
- When viewing a theater film of a Halo 3: ODST Firefight match on PC, the Flying Camera mode is now less likely to become stuck to a player when they use a mounted turret.
Firefight
- The “Bonus Lives Awarded at X points” text now consistently appears above the bonus round time and score on the player’s Heads-Up Display (HUD).
HALO: REACH
Global
- On-screen button prompts now appear at a higher visual quality, making it easier for players to identify them.
Campaign
- The following improvements have been made to the campaign mission Long Night of Solace:
- The battle between Seraphs and anti-aircraft guns above the beach is now visible.
- The Pelican and Spirit that drop off Marine and Covenant reinforcements within the base now appear consistently.
Multiplayer
- Players are less likely to experience a crash when entering the passenger seat of any vehicle during a Multiplayer or Firefight match on a modded map.
- In Headhunter matches, obtaining a tenth skull then returning it to the designated deposit zone now consistently awards the Skullamanjaro medal.
Firefight
- The name of the selected Firefight variant now consistently displays when players are selecting a loadout at the start of a Custom Firefight match.
- Players who have run out of lives are now less likely to spawn outside the map after the remaining players have finished clearing the current wave of enemies.
