Halo: MCC to Run Custom Game Browser Beta Test on February 18

With all Halo games are now have been rereleased (barring Halo 5) via Halo: The Master Chief Collection, fans are now waiting for at least one update for it: the custom game browser. 343 Industries has been working on and promising the custom game browser feature for Halo: MCC since August last year. And according to this month’s update, the team will finally open a public flight/beta test “as early as” February 18, to test it out along with several new features, including:

• Season 6 content.
• Halo Online map for Halo 3.
• FOV slider support for all Xbox One consoles.
• Double keybindings.
• Mouse and keyboard support for consoles.

Halo: MCC public beta tests are only open to members of the Halo Insider program. If you’re not a part of the Halo Insider yet, you can opt-in on aka.ms/HaloInsider to get a chance to be selected for the beta. Complete your email verification, and, if you’re playing on PC, include a DxDiag screenshot as well.

Last week, 343 Industries mentioned that the upcoming flight or beta test will introduce a “new way and place to play“. I wrongly assumed that means 343 Industries and Microsoft might be looking for a new platform to release the game on. Turns out, the previously-mentioned “new way” to play Halo MCC is the addition of the custom game browser. Meanwhile, the beta test update hasn’t explicitly said anything about what the “new place” is supposed to be. But considering the beta test items include Halo Online maps, I bet that is the answer. Yeah, that means no Switch or other console ports. Sorry for keeping your hopes up, folks.

While it is a bit disappointing (everything is when you’re hoping for something), at least we’re getting a custom game browser in Halo: MCC real soon. With Season 5 running for “roughly two months” since late January, it’s safe to assume that the feature will drop in late March-early May together with Season 6. Safer than expecting a Switch port anyway. Let’s see if the Season 6 update can revive the Halo custom game scene again. Stay tuned for more new Microsoft and Halo titles in the future.