To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Halo 2, Xbox is set to release several of the game’s multiplayer maps for Halo Infinite on November 5.
Halo Studios, previously known as 343 Industries, revealed on Monday that these seven maps will be included in a special playlist called Delta Arena. The maps — Ascension, Boulevard, Canopy, Conjurer, Inquisitor, Serenity, and Beaver Canyon — have been reimagined in Forge by members of the community, showcasing notable visual enhancements along with new titles. For instance, Beaver Canyon will appear in the playlist as Beaver Creek. Additionally, gameplay adjustments have been made to evoke the classic Halo 2 experience, including elevated jumps and player collision, along with a new starting weapon: the MA5K Avenger.
“Given the subtle differences between Halo Infinite and Halo 2, a direct one-to-one recreation was not feasible. However, we’ve created a blend between the two, where the settings conjure the feel of legacy Halo yet integrate elements from the modern sandbox,” said Halo Infinite designer Evan Colson in an post on Xbox Wire.
The announcement also highlighted that the renowned Halo 2 E3 2003 demo will be made available as a fully playable mod in Halo: The Master Chief Collection via the Steam Workshop.
This demo is particularly famous for making a huge splash when its video premiered at the expo, although much of it didn’t make it into the final game due to technological limitations. Similar challenges were faced with this latest version of the demo, which was crafted by modders using assets from the Digsite archives. They developed tools to facilitate the migration of those assets from a now-defunct engine. “The original executable is challenging to work with because you need an Xbox developer kit to run it, and those are becoming increasingly rare, even within the studio,” explained senior franchise writer Kenneth Peters.
Halo: Combat Evolved was landmark at its launch alongside the Xbox, and Halo 2 had high expectations to meet. Fortunately, it delivered ambitious features, including the introduction of Xbox Live for multiplayer gaming, while advancing the storyline, solidifying its spot as one of the best titles in the Halo series. You can currently experience it through Halo: The Master Chief Collection.