Halo 3 first released over thirteen years ago in 2007. The epic first-person shooter was one of the highest anticipated titles of its generation, and both the campaign and multiplayer went on to be beloved by fans. Now, 343 Studios has added new armor to Halo 3, specifically inside of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, but fans aren't that happy.
It is hard to quantify the love and appreciation that so many Xbox fans have for the Halo franchise. The games truly helped bring the first-person genre to consoles, and the multiplayer experience that came out of Halo is one that games still look to emulate. The first three Halo games are what truly stand out for many. The Halo 3 community is still active, so adding new content in the form of armor to the game seems like a nice idea. The problem is that the armor doesn't fit the Halo 3 art-style.
Fans are finding the new armor to be genuinely shocking. 343 has added whole new armor customization to the game, allowing for mix and match looks. But on top of that being perhaps a bit controversial, the new armors themselves are jarring. Fans are afraid that Halo 3 simply won't feel the same anymore.
The Master Chief has had a renaissance recently, as Halo has found its way into Fortnite. But while some games feel like great fits for unique, wonky, and over the top skins and crossovers, a classic game like Halo 3 feels like something that shouldn't be messed with. This is the major complaint from many fans.
Changes to Halo 3 in 2020 just doesn't feel right for many fans. While Halo 3 for PC recently released to great reviews, the love of the game has to do mostly with a game direction that was darn-near perfect thirteen years ago, and therefore still feels solid today. Altering the formula is almost blasphemous.
Some Halo 3 zealots are outright angry, others are heartbroken. If the new content looked like an extension of Halo 3, it could have been a praised move. But instead, the armor design looks to more closely resemble the likes of Halo 4 or Halo 5: Guardians.
Still, there are those who are excited about the new armor, and even have found new favorites to don in-game. The move from 343 to add weapons skins and armor to Halo 3 is such an interesting one. On one end, supporting a thirteen-year-old game that is still being played today is very neat. On the other end, the game is beloved as having a specific look and feel for a specific time, and messing with that is just odd. For the most part, fans aren't happy.
Halo 3 is playable within Halo: The Master Chief Collection and is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.