Halo 1, 2, 3, And 4 Coming To Xbox One As “The Master Chief Collection

[psycopk]

It’s a fanboy’s dream come true!

After weeks of rumors suggesting as much, Microsoft has just announced that the four mainstay titles of the Halo series (Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, 3, and 4) are coming to the Xbox One in one big ol’ release called “Halo: The Master Chief Collection“. Barring any surprise delays, it’ll hit the shelves on November 11th for $60.

Before you worry that they’re going to go and screw up your favorite Halo game: it really seems like they’re doing things right, here.

So which multiplayer maps will it have? All of the multiplayer maps. 343 Industries (the company that took over the Halo series after Bungie) promises “over 100 multiplayer maps” right out of the gate, which covers “every multiplayer map ever released.” (And yes, this means you’ll be able to play Halo 1 online, in all of its single-wielding, absurdly-over-powered pistol glory. Take that, 2001!)

But which Halo‘s engine will they use? All of the engines.

Rather than trying to cram all four games into one new engine that could never, ever, ever satisfy everyone, 343 says that each game and map runs on a ported version of its original engine… complete with any of its original quirks. The only difference, they say, is that they’ll all run at 60 FPS 1080p now.

Select Halo 2 maps will be “remastered” (read: shiny!), but 343 says you’ll be able to switch between remastered and original variants “with the press of a button”

The Master Chief Collection will also serve as the platform for Ridley Scott’s live action Halo series, Halo Nightfall (though I’d bet money there will be other ways to watch it, eventually.) Nightfall is said to fill in the storyline between Halo 4 and the upcoming Halo 5.

Oh, and it comes with a beta key for Halo 5 multiplayer, which will launch in December. Yeah, this is going to sell well.

[psycopk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jVPjo8uROkw