Halo Online had a surprise announcement yesterday leaving far more questions about the game than answers. The few things we knew about the game were that it was free to play, it was exclusive to PC, and, for now, it will only be available in Russia. That last part has upset some fans, many of which have been waiting for Halo to return to PC for a while. However, others speculated that the game would follow the path of Call of Duty Online and other free to play titles that have released only in markets with high levels of piracy, such as Russia. That is to say, that the game would not be extremely enjoyable for anyone that has played the regular game. Today’s announcement trailer can really be used on either side of the debate, as it shows off some interesting Halo 3-esque gameplay.
Most interesting for me was spotting what looks like a remake of the Halo 2 map Turf. This map never made its way into Halo 3, so seeing it here indicates some extra content that fans might enjoy in other markets, perhaps as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Along with this come some newer looking maps, a robust customization system, and a few minor tweaks that can be seen in the trailer above.
Whether Halo Online makes its way to other markets is still up for discussion, but it seems highly unlikely given the way the announcement has been handled and the nature of the game. Halo Online will be entering a closed beta in Russia soon, with the full game release to follow some time after.
