During Microsoft's most recent Inside Xbox stream, it was officially announced that Halo: The Master Chief Collection is headed to PC. With this collection, PC players will be able to experience the entire Halo franchise up to, and including, Halo 4.

That said, not all of the games included in the collection will be available simultaneously — instead, they will release one by one. This staggered release will allow the community to offer feedback on each individual title, which 343 Studios intends to use to guarantee that a "first class" Halo experience is offered to PC players.

Halo: Reach will be the first game available, and it will be followed by releases of the first four numbered entries in the series. Furthermore, it was also announced that Halo: Reach will release on Xbox One — its multiplayer features will be freely available, while its campaign and firefight mode will be offered as DLC. 

Players will be able to purchase each of the games included in Halo: The Master Chief Collection as they are released. They will be available from the Microsoft Store and Steam.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection for PC is a collaborative effort between 343 Studios, Splash Damage, and Ruffian. This need for collaboration is due to the fact that the bulk of 343's staff is currently working on Halo: Infinite. While not much has officially been confirmed about this forthcoming Halo title, there has been indication that it will offer an experience that is unique to the franchise. 

While the PC release date for Halo: The Master Chief Collection isn't currently decided, 343 may be sharing more information during the upcoming HCS Invitational broadcast, which is set for March 17. If that is not the case, hopefully excited fans will get more details on the collection in short order.

In other Halo news, Microsoft recently announced the Halo Insider Program, which allows players to sign up for early testing on upcoming Halo games, products, and more. 

Ah sequels! Sequels make the world of gaming go 'round. As with every year, 2015 saw a glut of sequels released onto the gaming public. As with any sequel release, some were good; some were not so good; and some could go both ways depending on your feelings. Without further ado, let’s hop to it!  

This list will be separated into three categories: Love, Hate, and Love/Hate. 

Love and hugs!

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Xenoblade Chronicles was a Japan-exclusive Wii game that was brought stateside in 2010 with the successful Operation Rainfall, along with The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower. Unfortunately, Xenoblade Chronicles was a Gamestop exclusive and quickly became elusive, and the price skyrocketed. Even now, a used copy of the game can go for $65 or more.

Thankfully, the stand-alone sequel Xenoblade Chronicles X has allowed Wii U players to get their JRPG on! Chronicles has received great reviews and has garnered praise for its visuals, scope, and scale of the world compared to the player. The game has received some criticism for its no-nonsense approach to combat and difficulty. This is a game that does not want to hold your hand. EVER. Players have appreciated the game allowing them to suss out the game’s depth without being told how. There’s plenty of JRPG action here for players to enjoy! 

The Witcher 3

The Witcher series has garnered praise for its more mature approach to narrative and world building, delivering games aimed squarely at an older audience. The Witcher 3 is no exception. The game has some fantastic supporting characters. Some are so well-written; they even threaten to steal the spotlight from the main character Geralt. (I’m looking at you Bloody Baron.)

Besides great characters, the game features an interesting combat system. It may not be as in-depth as previous games, but it remains entertaining throughout, especially when Geralt performs a slick finishing move.

The world is gorgeous and full of eye-popping color to behold. Fantastic mythical creatures and wildlife such as griffins, cockatrices, and more litter the landscape for you to slay, claim trophies, and obtain bounties for eliminating.

The urgency portrayed in the narrative doesn’t always match up with the design, and the plot can swerve a bit too far into “scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” (i.e. GTA) territory. Regardless, the game manages to remain entertaining, for what I have managed to play anyway. The game is filled to the brim with content, and a large world filled with locations to explore and monsters conquer.   

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

The development of MGS5 has been a tumultuous one to say the least. With rumors swirling of Konami’s employee treatment, Konami removing Hideo Kojima's name from the box and displays, and (worst and most petty) Konami banning Kojima from attending the recent The Game Awards to accept any awards for the game he developed. Konami is the worst and seemingly filled with petulant and petty executives who behave in a manner similar to schoolyard children.

Thankfully, the game seems to have emerged from this hell intact (mostly) and serves as a fine swansong for the long-running franchise, until Konami releases the inevitable cash-ins later or a damn pachinko machine…

The game is set in a huge open-world playground full of distractions for players. There’s a base you can manage and abduct enemy soldiers to staff. There are companions to find to assist you in missions. There’s also the story to play and see what happens to all your favorite characters. You know, if you play Metal Gear games for their story, because no one does that right? Despite Konami inserting microtransactions and the realization some story content was cut from the final release, the game managed to be a success and has continued to enthrall players months after release. 

Just Cause 3

Just Cause 2 was a massive world full of government propaganda to destroy, military bases to capture, and a dictatorship to overthrow. All in a day’s work for a hard-working agent! The game was all about pulling off the most ridiculous stunts you could manage and blowing up everything in sight. You know, a playable dumb/awesome action movie!

Just Cause 3 has delivered more of the same with some tweaks and additions. Rico now has a FLIPPING WINGSUIT along with his magic grappling hook. The hook has some added functionality, and the way it interacts with various objects has been changed. It’s more of what you loved from Just Cause 2 with more content and improvements. What’s not to love? 

Halo 5: Guardians

343 Industries is hard at work on their trilogy in the massively successful Halo franchise and Halo 4 was a solid entry with some issues. The Master Chief Collection has had some problems with the multiplayer not being functional for some players. Needless to say, there was some reason to be skeptical of Halo 5: Guardians before release. However, it seems 343 has managed to mostly pull this one off.

While some reviewers have cited the story as being weak, the rest of the game seems to be solid. The multiplayer has been claimed by some as being as return to the heyday of Halo 2’s landmark multiplayer. The vertical combat and emphasis on mobility shakes up the standard shooty-shooty bang-bang action of the Halo series. The additions of Warzone and Breakout are some great additions to the multiplayer. Competitive Arena adds a multiplayer component focused on twitch gaming reminiscent of the fantastic SWAT mode in prior games. While the game is not perfect and the lack of split-screen is a true shame, Halo 5 seems to be a solid entry in a long-running series that wasn’t afraid to shake things up and try new ideas. 

Feel the Hate!

Lego Jurassic World

While Lego Dimensions seems to have been a solid way for LEGO to enter the ever-malicious “toys to life” genre, a bane to parents everywhere, Lego Jurassic World is another tired entry in the normal LEGO series. At this point, the main LEGO games are tired and extremely repetitive. On top of that, it’s an unnecessary licensed movie tie-in to boot.

Honestly, there’s not much more to say about this one. It’s another LEGO game that didn’t add much to the series or do much of anything really. It did add some annoying Compsognathus enemies that proved to be frustrating. This one should have never left the park. 

Star Wars Battlefront

Technically, Star Wars Battlefront is a reboot of the franchise that saw two successful entries fans continue to play to this day. Free Radical had developed the previous entries and was hard at work on the third. Unfortunately, the game was canceled, and Free Radical went into administration while seeking for investors for the company. Instead of the near-completed Battlefront 3 being finished, the game was scrapped, and development was started again at DICE Studios, known for the Battlefield series.

Star Wars Battlefront released on November of 2015. It’s clear the game needed more time in the incubator before hatching. The game released onto the public feeling unfinished and shallower then my daughter’s kiddie pool. The emphasis on multiplayer-only in an AAA title is fine if the lack of campaign is made up for with other content. Unfortunately, DICE didn’t get that memo and has delivered a lackluster experience in all regards. On top of a shallow $60 package, EA has been pushing a $50 season pass. You know, the price of a game itself. To add insult to injury, the DLC in the season pass is filled with content that has no excuse for not being included in the main game. Seriously EA? Characters, game modes, in-game items, and emotes are being held behind a pay-wall in a game with a severe dearth of content.

The Force is not strong with this one. 

Love/Hate Relationship

These are games that have not had a strong response one way or the other. Depending on whom you ask, the feelings on the following games are quite varied, thus, a love/hate relationship.  

Fallout 4

Before you go to the comments to tell me how wrong I am for including this here, hear me out. Fallout 3 was a major departure from the original Fallout games, and many concessions were made to translate the games into what Bethesda envisioned. The game was met with critical success and sold like crazy. The follow-up Fallout: New Vegas was more in line with the original games having a stronger emphasis on RPG elements, narrative, writing, and a more interesting world to explore. Unfortunately, the game was riddled with bugs at launch and suffered as a result.

Bethesda seemed content to ignore all of the strides Fallout: New Vegas made towards making a more interesting RPG experience and instead revert to Fallout 3’s missteps with some minor changes. Fallout 4 has the trademark “meh, it’s there” narrative with no investment from the writers or much payoff for players. The streamlined conversation system is a disappointment that can thankfully be rectified by mods. As with every Bethesda game, the major selling point of Fallout 4 is to drop players in a large world for them to roam and explore. The combat system remains largely unchanged with real-time combat ineffective at times and V.A.T.S. being the way to go. There is an addition of building settlements, but not much else has really changed since Fallout 3, for better or worse.

Since it is a Bethesda game, Fallout 4 shipped with a litany or bugs. Some are game-breaking; some are more innocuous and annoying. Destructoid’s Chris Carter sums it up quite nicely: “A lot of the franchise's signature problems have carried over directly into Fallout 4, but all of its charms have come along for the ride as well. It manages to do a whole lot right, but the story drags at times, and glitches...glitches never change.” 

Rise of the Tomb Raider

The follow-up to Crystal Dynamic's 2013 reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise, Rise of the Tomb Raider is a perfect game for the tired, "if you liked the first one, you'll like this one" trope. Really though, this descriptor fits the game perfectly. Rise of the Tomb Raider has made some minor changes and added some more content, but it feels like the same game. 

One of the biggest changes in the game is the addition of open-worldish, hub-like areas overflowing with secrets and things to discover. Unlike 2013's Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider actually has tombs for player to explore too. Go figure! Aside from some minor additions of crafting, the hub areas, and more tombs, not much has changed since Tomb Raider. If you were one of those people who didn't care for Tomb Raider, then there's not much here to change your mind. 

Come on Crystal Dynamics. Let's drop this silly "Laura is so serious and gritty RAWR" act and get back to Tomb Raider basics: dinosaurs!

Batman: Arkham Knight

Rocksteady has done what no other development team has managed to do: they made good, no, great, Batman games. While not as good as Arkham Asylum, City was a solid entry in the Arkham series. Arkham Knight is the send-off for Rocksteady’s series, and honestly, the Bat could have done with a better sendoff.

While the game itself seems to be good, player enjoyment seems to vary and many reviews reflect this difference of opinion. What lands this game in this category is the abysmal PC port. To say the port launched in an atrocious state is a complete understatement. The game launched in June in a near-broken state. The port was so awful, Warner Bros. actually pulled it from Steam shortly after release, and the game was added back to the digital storefront in a playable state four months after release. What made this situation even worse is Warner Bros. had shipped another poor PC port earlier this year with Mortal Kombat X. This is completely inexcusable for any game’s launch, especially for a major AAA title. Hopefully other developers take note from this PC port. Or not… 

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3

Treyarch has shown they aren’t afraid to shake things up with the standard Call of Duty formula. Black Ops 3 is the most ambitious CoD title to date. The campaign has seen a major redesign and emphasis on different tactics from previous games. While the narrative is weak, the campaign has some strong points and memorable moments.

The multiplayer has seen some shaking up with new modes, and elements of free-running and parkour have been added. The zombie mode is bigger than ever before with an interesting and unique setting, Lovecraft noir? Count me in! Dead Ops Arcade has also returned and is also bigger than before.

The reason it’s in this category is that the PC port was deemed fit to ship in a state similar to the recent Batman: Arkham Knight. In other words, completely unacceptable (NSFW link). However, the game has seen furious patching since release and is in a more acceptable state at this point.

What pushes this into a “Love” for me is the addition of Ron Perlman and Jeff Goldblum as playable characters in the Zombies mode. Who doesn’t want some of that?!

There were more sequels released this year such as Rainbow Six Siege, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Blood Bowl II, Tales of Zestria, and Disgaea 5. However, the entries on this list were the ones that stood out to me the most. Of course you completely agree with everything with I said here, but on the off-chance you didn’t, sound off in the comments below.

Which sequels did you love, hate, or just feel “meh” about this year?

If you have a backlog of Xbox games you've been meaning to buy, now's probably the time to get them.

Xbox has released a sneak peek video of its Black Friday deals, which will start a week early on November 20th and run through the end of the month. The sale will include more than 150 titles that range from 40 to 60% off (see above for the teaser).

How the Xbox sale will work

On Friday, November 20th, Xbox Live Gold subscribers will gain early access to the "Black Friday" deals on Xbox Live. Silver subscribers will gain access on November 24th, but they can buy a month's Gold subscription for just $1 starting on the 20th, giving them instant access to the deals. The subscription deal is for both Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners.

In addition to the 40 to 60% off, Gold members will also get up to 10% off some games through November 23rd.

The video teases a number of big titles, including Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Forza Motorsport 6, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Critically acclaimed games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and BioShock Infinite make appearances as well.

Don't own an Xbox 360 or Xbox One? Check out our coverage of Nintendo's Black Friday deals and our holiday Gamer Gift Guides.

If you have yet to get your hands on Microsoft’s newest console, Labor Day Weekend might be the time to do it. While the Xbox One has come bundled with Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed: Unity for a while now, the bundles will be expanded until September 7th. An Xbox One will include Assassin’s Creed: Unity, as well as any one of the games below, the choice of which is up to you.

• Lego Jurassic World
• Rory McIlroy PGA Tour
• Minecraft
• Batman Arkham Knight 
• Rare Replay
• NBA 2K15
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
• Destiny
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• The Elder Scrolls: Online
• Forza Horizon 2
• Far Cry 4
• Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
• Payday 2: Crimewave Edition

In addition, two bundles will give you a third game. The Madden 16 Bundle comes with Madden 16, AC: Unity, and one of the games above, as well as a year of EA access. The Halo: The Master Chief Collection Bundle includes Halo: The Master Chief Collection, AC: Unity, and one of the games above. You can also get AC: Unity and Black Flag, as well as one of the free games. 

The standard bundle is available for as low as $349.99, while the Madden and Halo bundles will be $399.99.

At the beginning of every console generation, you see a lot of rushed exclusives and hurried tech demo projects. Rarely do you see an entire series ported to the latest hardware, with new improvements on top. The resulting mess that is Halo: The Master Chief Collection might explain why this is the case.  Despite a very ambitious and noble goal, 343 Industries fails to hit its mark with this remaster compilation.

Because clearly I didn't upset enough people by tearing Arkham Knight to shreds...

Game: Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Platforms: Xbox One (Reviewed)
Price: $14.99 to $59.99
Rating: 4/10

This game was reviewed using a consumer copy of the game.

All materials not recorded by myself are used for the purpose of reviewing under fair-use. All music, voice overs, graphics, and, animation are all owned by their original IP holders.

As a PC gamer who has both of the original Halo titles not only still in his possession, but still installed and occasionally booted up on PC... it's been a really long time waiting for the threequel to "finish the fight" for us.

Some of us, shockingly enough, didn't want to get an Xbox 360. We just wanted to play Bungie's excellent series on PC. Why do I mention this?

Halo is finally returning to PC as Halo: Online!

A F2P Game... Exclusive to Russia...

Wait, what? This is a joke, right? You're punking us. You can't be serious!

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Apparently Microsoft's first attempt at bringing Halo back to PC gamers is a Russian-only F2P game. I keep saying that, tossing the words around in my mouth, and for the life of me I still can't tell you how anyone could have thought that particular combination made sense.

"Let's take an arcade-y, fast-paced, Quake-y shooter to a market known for favoring hardcore games like Stalker, Death to Spies, Cryostasis, and Metro 2033" is the kind of suggestion a crazy person would give. I'm sure there is some overlap in demographics, don't get me wrong, but not -that- big an overlap.

Let's face it, anyone tech-savvy enough will just use a proxy server to play this if they aren't in Russia. This will be even easier seeing as the game is apparently being built for low-end PCs, so even fairly old RIGs will be able to run this game.

The game will be based on a heavily modified version of Halo 3's competitive multiplayer.

Let that last detail sink in.

So on top of being released to a market that Halo doesn't normally cater to,  Halo: Online will be using a game from 2007 as its base. Is this some elaborate joke, Microsoft? Fans asked for Halo 3 back in the day, half a decade later you gave us a port of a mobile game. Fans ask for the Master Chief Collection, you give us a Russian-only F2P game.

What happens if we ask for Halo: Online in North America? Will you port it to Xbox 360 just to spite us? I normally wouldn't be this candid and blunt but speaking as a fan... this is getting absolutely ridiculous.

Seen here, Master Chief, missing since 2007

That's not to say a F2P Halo game isn't out of the question.

In fact, it would make a lot of sense. Except you'd aim for an international release, and use it as a test bed for cross-platform play for PC and Xbox One in a Halo game, in advance of a possible Halo: The Master Chief Collection PC port. This would be 100% legitimate. Star Wars: Battlefront 3 almost used a similar approach back when Lucas Arts was finally going to take over developer duties for their game.

Instead, this is being exclusively built for PC, and Microsoft is already shooting down notions of it coming to Xbox One. Because it's apparently better to try and stand out in a niche of a niche market that isn't all that interested in your genre, than offer a free version of a critically acclaimed multiplayer on your console that is not selling great.

This is like not knowing how to swim, and jumping into the deepest end of the pool. I want to see Halo: Online succeed -- truly I do -- but it is basically being built for failure at this rate. If it actually manages to pull out a win, it will either be due to serious changes in the game's playstyle, or by some sudden untapped niche popping up in response.

What scares me is, I far more likely expect Microsoft is betting on the latter case. They've made claims they are aiming to bend the game to Russian gamers' tastes, but this is Microsoft we're talking about. Anyone who has endured Windows 8 understands just how bad they can be at handling requested changes and features.

Let's Hope Russia is the Beta for International Release

In the best case, we'll find out this is basically an elaborate public beta for Halo 3 coming to PC. That would be fantastic, but that is also just the dreams of a sad fan who just wishes he hadn't had to get an Xbox merely to play more Halo. The excuses given for holding the series hostage for a decade have worn thin. At this point, I'm just starting to feel bitter, and I am not alone.

While Microsoft continually fails at giving more than an occasional glance at PC gamers, Halo PC gamers are actually pulling off some impressive things on their own:

PC is Ready for More Halo

Silent Cartographer Evolved (above) just released for the original game, which completely reworks and updates the famous level to a degree further than even Halo: Anniversary can speak to. New enemy types, new scripted sequences, new weapons, and even exclusive events only available on Legendary difficulty. Made by fans, for fans.

On top of that, fans have made a workaround to get Halo 2's multiplayer working on PC, with a new ranking system to boot. Now, it does require a torrented version of Halo 2 so it's a bit ambiguous, but the workaround has proven to be successful and there's a matchmaking list of potential players you can reach out to and pair up with.

That's not even counting the guy remaking the first level of Halo 3, in Halo: Custom Edition. Yes, seriously, it has gotten to the point that we ourselves are basically making our own Halo: The Master Chief Collection. We want it that badly, but still we're waiting. With such a fever pitch of Halo PC gaming activity, why Microsoft isn't jumping on this powder keg is beyond me.

Halo: Online in of itself is not a bad idea, but at the current direction Microsoft is taking it, it is a terrible way to do it. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, and that they have something magic up their sleeve. But from where I am standing, this is just a bad move that could have been a great step forward.

What do you think? Is Microsoft's plan sound? Or do you think they should port the Xbox 360 entries in the franchise? Let us know in the comments below.

Image Credit: Engadget, Bungie.Net PC Gamer

Arguably one of the best Cortana cosplay's I've ever found, but sadly I am unable to locate the cosplayer's information. If anyone knows who this is, please let me know in the comments below so I may credit her fantastic work!

SpartanJenzii's ready for a fight with an excellent replica Covenant Plasma Repeater and great bodysuit cosplay of Halo 3's Cortana.

Th3 Rouge shows off some stunning body paint cosplay of Cortana in Halo 4, along with a fantastic replica Covenant Plasma Sword.

In this adorable cosplay, xKittyxViciousx's husband and daughter are going out as on Halloween as Master Chief and Cortana.

Yukliefay's cosplay of Cortana is stunning not just in the execution (considering this was a spontaneous cosplay), but in just how much she catches you with that stare. Many cosplays convey the aloof or silly nature of Cortana, but not many attempt to emulate her intensity during the events of Halo 2 and Halo 4.

Cosplayer EvieEvangelion pulls off two feats at once. First, the cosplay looks so painterly it doesn't even look like a photo. Second, she has the rare claim to be cosplaying as a never shown on-screen variant of Cortana from the novel Halo: First Strike. It's in the novel that she originally transitioned from her purple form in Halo: Combat Evoled, to her new, blue form in Halo 2.

Cosplayer Hyokenaseisou's work is doubly on display in this little but of fun at PAX. Cosplaying herself as Cortana, she went toe to toe with a fellow cosplayer in SPARTAN armor she also designed.

msventress's cosplay of Halo 3 Cortana is particularly impressive, as her body suit is entirely hand-pained with fabric paint.

SpartanJenzii's ready for a fight with an excellent replica Covenant Plasma Repeater and great bodysuit cosplay of Halo 3's Cortana.

LittleNeko is ready to fight by Master Chief's side in this awesome cosplay of Halo 2's Cortana and Master Chief. Particular props (excuse the pun) for those great Needler and Plasma Pistol replicas!

In honor of the news that Cortana is returning in Halo 5: Guardians, let's celebrate with some fan cosplay homages to that great lady in blue (and sometimes purple) Cortana! From stunning paintwork to detailed technical work, there is some impressive cosplay out there amongst Halo fans.

It's no secret that the studio behind the recent Halo Collection, 343 Industries, has had its fair share of technical difficulties. One of the more focused upon issues has been the long, overdrawn wait times to find an online match to play in.

Gamers around the world have been complaining that Halo: The Master Chief Collection is not functioning as adequately as it was promised to.

At the top of the list of complaints are 20 minutes and up for matchmaking, an inability to join friends online, and leaderboard sync issues.

The game has also been experience achievement tracking issues, and freezes in-game (both campaign and multiplayer).

Those who purchased the game have had a long list of what is wrong with the game and have felt open enough to say so.

343 released a statement on November 11th:

"Since the launch of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, we've received several, well deserved, complaints related to slow matchmaking and other issues. From everyone at 343 Industries, we are truly sorry and feel your frustration. You deserve better and we are working day and night to find solutions as quickly as possible, with our first priority focused on matchmaking improvements. "

- 343 Industries' Dan Ayoub, Halo Waypoint Forums

With this statement was a discussion of rolling out a patch for the game on Nov 12 to fix many of the connection issues.

However, now a day after the patch released, many of the issues still persist. Some players have been able to connect better since the update, but the majority is sadly still experiencing the same issues.

343 went on their forums on Halo Waypoint and asked for people to report in their issues and connection times in matchmaking. Below are some of the responses.

You can note that some people have been waiting anywhere near an hour before connecting.

Some people have seen some minor improvement but are still battling with the additional issues that have yet to be patched.

Here is a list of issues a single gamer had. They weren't the first to experience this, and highlights the depth of the patch work that is needed.

And some people just resort to tough love. This is an extreme reaction, but conveys the feeling a lot of gamers have since the release of Halo: The Master Chief Collection

While many are calling for a quicker fix, the studio has discussed releasing another patch this coming weekend to fix some of the other issues outside the matchmaking.

No other word has come from the studio in regards to their patch fixes, but we can only assume they are working around the clock to get the issues resolved quickly on this flagship collection.

Xbox Entertainment Studios has officially closed.

As company-wide reduction plans were confirmed in July, XES team leaders Nancy Tellem and Jordan Levin have both made their respective departures after a round of workforce cuts throughout the company. 

In total, approximately 3,000 employees were laid off from the company, and many existing projects that never made it to the developmental stages were ultimately scrapped.

The story was reported on Variety, who cited a focus shift within Microsoft from the specifics of gaming to the more general entertainment and software markets as the driving force behind these changes.

Tellem and Levin were regarded highly among Microsoft staff. Tellem took up the studio's presidential chair back in September 2012, and the pair were expected to remain on site for the development of the original programming in the works until the end of the year. According to a Microsoft representative:

"[Tellem and Levin] were key members and visionaries for the XES team, and we thank them for their leadership and many contributions."

GameInformer.com previously noted that some survivors of the Microsoft project sweep included the Lightbox documentary film Atari: Game Over, the Halo: Nightfall segment of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and the Halo television series set to air on Showtime. These projects are currently undisturbed by the cuts, and fans are urged to stay tuned for more information.

343 Industries has just anounced a new addition for the release of Halo: The Master Chief Collection: a documentary going over the re-creation of Halo 2. The film will go from the begining of 343 Industries' process of taking the idea of re-making Halo 2, to setting it for release. The trailer also hints at interviews with high profile people such as Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb and other fans talking about the release of the original Halo 2 for the Xbox.

There is no set length for the film, but I for one am very excited about this. Halo 2 brought online console game play to a whole new level. Before Halo 2, it was a novel concept that not very many games used effectively. However, Bungie turned Xbox Live into the power house it is today through Halo 2's excellent matchmaking system and integrated voice chat. This documentary will definetly be a great trip down memory lane and will become a definitive addition to this huge pack of Halo games.

Halo developers 343 Industries recently announced that the Master Chief Collection had gone gold, which means it isn’t too long until the game hit’s the shelves. This wasn’t the only surprise 343 Industries had for this week, as they also revealed that the Master Chief Collection would also require a ‘day one’ 20GB update.

Apparently the game is simply too big to fit on a solo Blu-ray disc. “The game takes up almost all of the usable space of a single Blu-ray disc, or 45GB if you will, so a content update at launch will be released to include more features. It will be 20GB in size,” wrote executive producer Dan Ayoub in a post published on Halo Waypoint.

Day One Multiplayer Content Patch

The 20GB update is only for the multiplayer potions of the game, so fortunately you’ll be able to binge on the many single player missions while you wait to score your "first" multi-kills on the old Blood Gulch.

But even the combined 20GB update and 45GB Blu-ray disc couldn't deliver all the updated Halo goodness 343 want to deliver. The episodic co-op game mode Spartan Ops from Halo 4 will see release in December, when all ten episodes will be made available at once.

The Master Chief Collection will be released on November the 11^th in North America and Europe, with other territories receiving it a few days later. The game is currently available for digital pre-order via the Xbox store.   

With Halo: The Master Chief Collection releasing in less than a month for Xbox One, 343 Industries has used their weekly Halo Bulletin to answer some fan questions about the collection of remastered Halo games. 

This week the focus was on the remastered version of Halo: Combat Evolved. According to the Halo Bulletin, Combat Evolved will have all of the game type options that were available for the older version of the game, including custom game types. There will also be options for games with radar enabled or disabled.

Additionally, the remastered edition will include maps for Combat Evolved and Halo 2, which were originally only available for the PC versions of the games. Also, there will be new weapon options for players, including some "classic" weapon options that were originally only for the PC, as well. 

Halo: Combat Evolved will release  for Xbox One along with the rest of the Master Chief Collection on November 11th. 

With a massive amount of retail games coming out in 2014 and early 2015, I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to compile a list of the top games on gamer's radars. Please note that as bias as it is I have left out Nintendo console and handhelds along with PC.

September has a small list of games coming out, on top of this list is one that launches this Tuesday a small title called Destiny; I won't go into much detail about this, as anyone that isn't living under a rock knows a good amount about it.  The only thing I would like to touch on is that if you buy Destiny digitally on last-gen consoles, Bungie is offering a free upgrade to next gen and you get to keep both copies. NHL is another title, although ranking low on my list, that will be high on people's lists.

September 9 

Destiny (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

NHL 15 (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

September 23

FIFA 15 (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

At the end of September comes yet another big title: Shadow of Mordor. This title stands out on this launch week for me.

September 30

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

Persona 4: Arena Ultimax (PS3 and 360)

Forza Horizon 2 (360 AND X1)

Natural Doctrine (PS3, PS4, and VITA)

October has a huge lineup, which would have been bigger had Evolve not been pushed back. In this is includes three games that I have been anticipating for some time now: Evil Within, Lords of the Fallen, and Sunset Overdrive. 

October 7

Driveclub (PS4)

Project Spark (X1)

NBA 2K15 (PS3 and 360)

Alien Isolation (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

October 14:

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (360 and PS3)

The Evil Within (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

October 28

Lords of the Fallen (PS4 and X1)

Sunset Overdrive (X1)

WWE 2K15 (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1) 

November holds a couple iconic games that have marched their ways into players hearts and ranking among the best franchises of their time, We have yet another Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed.

November 4

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

November 11

Assassin's Creed: Unity (X1 and PS4)

Assassin's Creed: Rogue (PS3 and 360)

The Crew (360, PS4, and X1)

Halo: The Master Chief Collection (X1)

November 18:

Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

Far Cry 4 (PS3, 360, PS4, and X1)

Little Big Planet 3 (PS3 and PS4)

December is a little lackluster for releases; however, with the amojnt of overwhelming games launched in the months prior, gamers will have more than enough to get them through the holidays. But just after the new year, there are a couple games that should be mentioned. Evolve was pushed to Q1 of 2015 and the PS4 exclusive Bloodborne has been announced for it's Japanese launch in February, leading us to believe that US launch is shortly after that. Also around the corner is MK: X.

In short this game season is going to be awesome and expensive.

I realize that since May 27th I have been rather M.I.A from GameSkinny. I will also not be posting as much soon after I get this new job of mine. It will take a lot of my time up. I know this isn't game news or reviews or anything, but I just wanted to let everyone who follows me or has read any of my work know my situation. 

I wanted to share my favorite and not so favorite E3 moments. So here we go with the list and reasoning for my favorites and non favorite.

The good:

1. Assassin's Creed Unity: I was excited to see this, because I am a huge Assassin's Creed fanboy. The single-player co-op was my favorite part of the presentation.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: I really didn't play the first two installments, but the presentation for the upcoming third installment made me excited and wanting to play the first two before getting the third. I really enjoy games of that time period.
3. Halo: The Master Chief Collection: Now I know what some may think, "Who cares?!" To answer that, I do. Halo was my first multiplayer game online and Halo 2 is by far my favorite. I am happy to have four games for the price of one with access to a new Halo TV series and beta access to the multiplayer for Halo 5: Guardians.
   
4. Star Wars: Battlefront: I don't think I have to explain my fandom for this, but I liked the little snippet of in-game engine footage for this game, even though I am kind of disappointed that we did not see gameplay demo. One of my most anticipated games.)
5. The Division: This game is getting crazier the more the wait goes on. If there was ever a game that should have the potential to make Tom Clancy proud, it would be The Division.
   
6. Dying Light: A zombie game with a more free fighting mechanic and parkour freedom, what can go wrong? Hopefully nothing. I cannot wait to get my hands on this title.
7. Battlefield Hardline: As a Battlefield fan, I was happy to see that DICE and Visceral are taking a different turn away from the usual military warfare shooter.

The Bad:

1. Grand Theft Auto 5 coming to next-gen: Rockstar wasted their presentation with this boring news. It's cool on PCs part, but I really don't see why they put that as their E3 presentation. Grand Theft Auto 5 wasn't even that great to begin with. Rockstar could have talked more about a Red Dead Redemption sequel they promised.
2. Dead Island 2: I really had no problem with their presentation other than the fact that I wish they would worry more about finishing Dying Light since it was pushed back. I like the idea of it being brought to the states, which seems to offer more opportunities than Banoi did.
3. Mirror's Edge 2: I did not care for the first Mirror's Edge, so I can't say that I am entirely too thrilled for another installment into the series.

The Neutral:

1. Evolve: Even though I am getting this game, I was not wowed or excited by the presentation given for the game at E3.
2. Sunset Overdrive: While it looks nice, I fear that it will end up tanking. Here's to hoping it does well.
3. Dragon Age Inquisition: I never gave Dragon Age a chance, so I cannot say anything about this title.
4. Infamous: First Light: Even though I liked Second Son for a while, I don't see First Light worth getting.

Be sure to share your thoughts on E3 2014 in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by and see you all again soon.

November 11th 2014.

Say Again

Let me say it again, November 11th, 2014. That is the date will get our hands on Halo: The Master Chief Collection. 

Now, what does Halo: TMCC contain? Well, it has Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary (yeah!), Halo 3 and Halo 4 inside the box.

You like that? Good. Now try all that plus Halo 2 multiplayer in all its glory, over 100 multiplayer maps, beta access to Halo 5: Guardians, and Halo: Nightfall.

Nightfall?

What is Halo: Nightfall? Nightfall is the new Halo TV series from Ridley Scott. It will chronicle the time between Halo 4 and 5, showing us how Agent Locke (with help from the Arbiter) looks into the past of Chief.

Looking into what made the Master Chief is what will help Locke find the Chief, who appears to have gone rogue, and save all of creation. The basis of this investigation is how the Halo: TMCC will kick off, the user interface for the collection will based off of the footage that Locke views.

Recap:

• Four Halo games
• One unified interface
• One disc
• All content unlocked right off the bat, pick any level
• Custom playlists - Epic moments from all four games
• Halo 2 multiplayer is back, including six hand-picked maps, starting with Ascension
• 1080p, 60 FPS, dedicated servers
• 4k gamer score
• Every multiplayer map from Halo one through four included
• Halo: Nightfall - live action digital series, leading from Halo 4 through Halo 5 to give
• Halo 5: Guardians beta access, December 27th - January 27th
• Each Halo engine will be present. Yes, three shot death pistol from Halo: Combat Evolved
  
•  Halo 3 and 4 aren't upgraded per say, the upgrade to 1080p and 60 FPS is enough
  
•  Forge mode on Halo 1, 2 and 3
• Character models are adopted from all games in the series
• No armor abilities!

Keep your eyes and ears tuned to GameSkinny for more news on Halo and E3 2014!

EGX London, formerly known as the Eurogamer Expo, is the big brother of EGX Rezzed. Where as Rezzed covered mostly smaller studios, both independent and from within larger companies alike, London will showcase mainly larger titles. However, Rezzed will have a spot at the event. Also announced is the première of Bedrooms to Billions - the story of the UK games industry.

I attended Rezzed earlier this year, here you can read some of my thoughts on the event which include the leg shaking fear I experienced whilst playing Alien: Isolation.

The Show Floor

Where to begin? 12 games have been announced at the time of posting, one would expect that to triple before the event kicks off on September 25th, 2014.

• Alien: Isolation - In space you can read the impressions from E3.
  
• Battlefield: Hardline - EA assure us that Battlefield will not become an annual title. Dice also said they'd never charge for maps...
  
• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! - Enjoy this 14 minutes of low gravity gameplay, minions!
• Destiny - Try out Bungie's new FPS, then go purchase the collector's editions. Yes. All. Of. Them.
  
• Driveclub - The PlayStation exclusive racing game. No, it isn't Gran Turismo.
  
• Evolve - From the creators of Left 4 Dead. Enough said.
• Fables Legends - A game that is due to last 5 to 10 years? A huge claim, it would seem that the spirit of Peter Molyneux lives on at Lionhead Studios.
  
•  Forza Horizon 2 - Showcased at E3, it is another one of those open-world racing titles.
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection - Four games, three four three, two companies, one hero. Everything we learnt from E3.
  
• LittleBigPlanet 3 - Sackboy returns! There are a lot of changes promised, can they deliver?
  
• Nosgoth - A game set in the rich, but under used, universe of Kain.
  
• Project Spark - Due for release this October, the game that teased us with Conker at E3. They shall never be forgiven.
  
• Sunset Overdrive - Open world, check. Crazy weapons, check. Monsters, check. The ability to play as a female, or dress as one if you so please, check! Insomniac aim to please.
  
• War Thunder - A next generation MMO that is dedicated to World War II aviation, armoured vechiles and more!
  

Rezzed Area

So far there has been 15 titles revealed for the Rezzed area, most of them are not reshows from EGX Rezzed back in March.

• Bit Brawlers - A brawler where the content comes from us, the player. 
  
• Fearless Fantasy - Most original RPG of the year. According to Chris Less, producer of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
  
• Gang Beasts - Heavily inspired by Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, and other classic mêlée fighters, Gang Beasts is a family made game for... the family.
• Heat Signature - Stay cool with Heat Signature
  
• No Time to Explain - Well, if they don't have the time to explain?
• Poncho -  2 years in the making, finally in Alpha, time to don your North American rain mac.
• Prison Architect - It's been locked up for several months in early access, is it time for release?
• Quest of Dungeons - A turn-based dungeon crawler with roguelike characteristics.
• Speed Runners - tinyBuild are representing in a huge way, Speed Runners is their 4th title confirmed for the Rezzed area.
  
• Spoiler Alert - With this being tinyBuild's 5th. Massive spoilers!
  
• The Adventures of Bertram Fiddle - An animation studios first foray into the world of games.
• TinyKeep - Roguelike, check. Procedurally generated dungeons, check. Smart AI, check. Female characters, no check. 
• Velocity 2X - A Sony exclusive! 
• Volume - A stealth game about being heard? Yeah, that was my reaction too. Check it out though!
• War for the Overworld - Subterranean Games believe their game will be more fun than taking candy from a baby. Have they tried? Have you tried? I've tried!

Colour Me Excited

Both lists, so far, have me rather excited for my trip to EGX London. How about you; are you heading to EGX? What games are you most excited for?