Upcoming Halo: MCC flight may include 'new way to play'

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has announced that an upcoming test flight for Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) may include tests for a "new place and way to play."
• Many speculate that this means the game will soon receive the long-awaited custom games browser feature. Some also think this hint indicates a potential Epic Games Store launch of the MCC, or even a launch on another platform.
• The flight will also include testing for FOV sliders on Xbox One, viewmodel adjustments, mouse and keyboard support on console, and more.
• The flight is expected to begin later in February 2021 or early in March 2021.

Halo developers 343 Industries have announced in a new development update that a new test flight for Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) is coming either later in February 2021 or early in March 2021. Additionally, the studio also announced that as part of the flight, a "new place and way to play" may be tested.

It's unclear what this means exactly, although many Halo fans speculate that this hint is referring to the long-awaited custom games browser feature that allows players to join public custom games multiplayer lobbies. Some also believe this indicates that the MCC may be coming to the Epic Games Store soon. There's also the possibility that the MCC will release on new platforms as well, although I think this is unlikely. Ultimately, we'll have to wait until 343 Industries provides some clarification before we can draw any concrete conclusions.

Other major features and changes that will be tested in the upcoming flight include support for FOV sliders on Xbox One, additional key bindings and other controls options, viewmodel adjustments, the ability to use mouse and keyboard on console, and more. Make sure to check out the full blog post for more information.

What do you think of this "new place and way to play" hint? What do you think it's referring to? Let us know, and make sure you sign up for the Halo Insider Program so that you have a chance to participate in the upcoming flight. It's also the program that will be used for test flighting Halo Infinite, so you should sign up for the program even if you don't care about what's next for the MCC.

If you've never tried out the MCC, I highly recommend you do, as it has become one of Microsoft's greatest hits and is easily one of the best Xbox One shooters available. For just $40, you get all of the pre-Xbox One era Halo shooters, complete with support for modern resolutions and framerates. 343 Industries has even added new content to the games as well (check out our List of all Halo: MCC Season 5 Season Pass rewards for more details), which is fantastic.