MCC - GOLD
MCC - GOLD
From Xbox Wire:
Hey there Halo fans!
It’s been a long, crazy, exciting road, and we’re finally getting close to launch of Halo: The Master Chief Collection in November. I wanted to personally share some big status updates with you. Let’s start with the biggest:
Halo: The Master Chief Collection has gone GOLD!
This is a massive milestone for the team and also means that the game will be available for Pre-Order and Pre-Download later today. I couldn’t be more excited to start having fans grab this game online so everyone can hit the ground running on release day! The team has been working incredibly hard to make this happen, so we’re all eager for you to play this labor of love.
One of the questions we get asked most is about worldwide release plans. The reality of worldwide sales and retail processes always makes simultaneous launches challenging. Some fans expressed disappointment in our original planned release date of November 11 in North America and November 14 in several other territories around the world. We heard you loud and clear, and I am happy to announce that Halo: The Master Chief Collection will be released on November 11 for the majority of our fans around world!
There are still a few countries that will see a slight delay due to public holidays. In Europe, Belgium will release on November 12 and France will release on November 14 as part of their typical Friday release schedule. Our fans in Japan will see a release of November 13. Given the social aspects of the experience, we were really happy to get it as close to a simultaneous worldwide release as possible so that we can all celebrate on November 11 and start playing together.
This is literally going to be the biggest Halo experience so far
That is to say, the sheer size and scope of the content. To recap, Halo: The Master Chief Collection contains four complete Halo games, every multiplayer map ever released (including DLC from console and PC) across each game, a complete remaster of Halo 2 with all-new audio and Blur’s mind-blowing cinematics, and all of this is tied together with (and enhanced by) a revolutionary user interface.
From the start, our philosophy has been to give Halo fans the best possible experience and not compromise the quality or features of the collection. The result is that Halo: The Master Chief Collection will take up almost all of the usable space of a single Blu-ray (45 GB), and we will also issue a content update at launch that is estimated to be 20 GB. You’ll be able to start playing Campaign and more as the content is installing, with some features and multiplayer content being added via the update. Yes, the update is large, but we weren’t about to cut corners to save disc space. This ensures that you are getting every bit of Halo goodness we can fit in. Our work is not done, however, as we continue to tune, tweak and optimize the online experience to ensure a smooth multiplayer launch. This will continue right up until launch day.
One caveat we wanted to share is that Spartan Ops, our episodic co-op experience from Halo 4, will now release in December. In the meantime, we’re making some technical enhancements to that experience to make sure it’s smoother and even better than before. All ten episodes will be available at the same time, so we’re working to make an event out of it with our Community teams.
26 more sleeps!
Lastly, I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to you, our fans. Development of a game is always hard, but Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been the most challenging of my career. No team has really attempted a project like this, and the number of moving pieces has been staggering. The development team at 343 Industries has been working hard alongside our partners to make this happen and, at every step, you have been there for us. Whether it’s with encouraging words at events, or via messages on Twitter, I can tell you that your feedback is crucial and fuels our drive to make Halo: The Master Chief Collection the best it can be.
I’d like to thank you all for your continued enthusiasm, excitement and support for this game. See you on Xbox Live!
-Dan Ayoub
purchased yesterday, 2000 miles away from home. It should be on my box sitting there as we speak :)
What does Pre-order and Pre-download mean? That if you pre-order, you can download and start playing right now and then pick up the physical disc when it ships in November?
Dang, it took FOREVER to download and I have really fast FIOS. Pretty much I bet 24 hours. Started it at about 6:30 am yesterday and when I went to bed it still hadn't finished. It was done this morning though. So much for my hard drive space!
Can you play matchmaking yet, Distortion?
No, it doesn't boot up - says it can't be played until Nov 11 or something. It just sits there taunting me.
Seems pointless, except maybe for campaign, I guess.
Yeah I don't understand the pre download thing really. I'm guessing you purchase ahead of time download the game and at 12 midnight they flip a switch and you can play the game? I want to play the game as soon as possible that night. While I live right across the street from a Walmart and I'd prefer a hard copy I'm afraid I'll have to wait forever for it to install. Titanfall took several hours when I bought the console this summer. If they do flip a switch then 12pm in what time zone? I'm on the east coast. Will I have to wait untill 12pm on the west coast?
Are there any kind of promotions going on where you get special armor for preordering here or there?
If you buy the digital version, you can download the game now. It's 45gb so it's a hefty download. As for the 20gb update, once it's available, you too can download it (but only if you've purchased the digital copy. (It may be available now, but I'm not 100% sure as I haven't been keeping up with the digital info). Once your clock hits 12:00am on Nov. 11th, the game will unlock and you'll be able to play.
If you go for the physical copy, you'll have to install the game to your harddrive, which will probably take anywhere from 20-30 minutes, then download the 20gb update. If you have slow d/l speeds or the m$ servers are getting hammered, it could take a while. While you're waiting for the 20gb update to download, you will be able to play campaign though, so not all is lost.
As for pre-orders (via Reddit faq):
Best Buy: Get a multiplayer map guide and Grunt Funeral Skull (Grunts explode like plasma grenades when killed).
Amazon: Get the Piñata Skull (enemies drop plasma grenades with every melee).
GameStop: Get the Bandana Skull (provides unlimited ammo and grenades).
ShopTo: Get the Bonded Pair Skull (gives a 100% damage boost for 60 seconds if your co-op partner dies).
GAME (UK): Get a "limited edition" with the multiplayer map guide, a steelbook case, and the Grunt Funeral Skull
JB Hi-Fi (Aus): Get the multiplayer map guide and the Grunt Funeral Skull
According to the 6-25-14 Halo Bulletin, all skulls will be unlocked for all players after a certain period of time, regardless of where you bought the game. Some sources indicate this will probably be about a month after release.
Well Thanks for the info. Preorder stuff looks like no big deal to me. I'll play the campaigns eventually. My biggest interest is Multiplayer mainly Halo 2's. Looks like I've got to make a decision on which way to purchase. Anyways what does everyone plan on doing first? I'm gonna go straight for Halo 2 multiplayer.
All those pre-order skulls are actually beneficial game modifiers. I am sure there will be a big argument in the "Mythic SLASO" community about whether those skulls should be included. The idea of Mythic is to play the game on the most brutal settings. Getting a skull that allows for infinite ammo, including nades, definitely takes away from the "most brutal" concept. This was a big issue for Halo CEA.
As what to do first, I will probably jump between doing campaign walk thrus and MM in H1/H2/H3.
This, although I'm a little skeptical of some of the H2A gimmicks (like the giant bubble shield on Ascension), so maybe I'll do CE, H2, H3, H2A.
I'll be curious to see if H3 plays any better online with dedicated servers. I remember people getting blood shots with the sniper on LAN at MLG events, so I'm not sure if the problems run deeper than what servers can fix.
Well I force myself to play the campaign's. Usually to get some armor for multiplayer. So skulls are no big deal to me.
Another thing I've been thinking about- With Twitch you can watch other people play games. When new releases come out are there usually people on Twitch playing the game early? I managed to get Halo 3 about a week and a half early. I was thinking imagine if Twitch was around then and how many people would have been watching me. Anyone seen any new games on there early?
I just finally saw this. Not sure how I missed it.
http://www.ign.com/wikis/halo-master-chief-collection/Achievements#Overa...
WOW. wtf.
Well I went with a digital copy so I'll be ready to go right away. I got an oversized red bull and my kids Halloween candy to fuel my overnight session. I get off work early and will try to get a nap in. lol see you guys tonight hopefully.
LOL. My wife is home tomorrow so I can't play hooky. I might stay home Wed though. Either way I'll be playing tonight from 11CST to probably 2:30CST
Lol@ Redbull and Halloween ccandy I went digital. It took from 2-5 pm to DL. Didn't see anything about the update thingy so idk if its in there already or if it happens when I try to play. I'll find out in the morning I guess!
Anyone hear anything on whether any of the wonderful custom maps everyone created during the pre-H4 Bungie era will be able to be ported over?
See my comment at http://www.2old2play.com/forum/divisions/halo-series/notice-over-age-50-...
The answer, at least regarding H4 custom maps (but not H3), appears to be "they're working on it."