343 Industries continues testing for Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC. Halo 3 is the current focus of the ongoing test flights, and progress is moving fast, though one area of the game that's recently received a new level of oversight doesn't have to do with game development. Rather, 343 is much more actively punishing in-game racism from testers. Those punished may event find their punishment lasting through Halo 3's launch.
343 community director Brian Jarrard made clear the company's stance regarding racism in Halo 3's test flighting on Twitter on Tuesday. Jarrard says that it's, "Disappointing to see some Insiders using racial slurs and attacking other players in the flight." Jarrard goes on to clarify that 343 is removing these players from Halo 3's test flight, as well as banning them from future test flights.
The punishment for racism during Halo 3 testing will apparently extend beyond and outside of just testing, however. Jarrard says that players saying racist things during testing, "well face consequences in the retail game, too." Jarrard doesn't explicitly state they'll be banned, though that's certainly possible, but 343 will definitely be keeping track of their transgressions and limit them in some way.
It appears that 343 is ramping up their efforts to moderate in-game racism, with the Halo community director being so outspoken about the issue. 343 isn't alone in this, with many studios announcing in recent weeks that they're upping their efforts to reduce racism in their games. This is likely directly due to the Black Lives Matter protests in the USA. Most Xbox gamers are certainly cheering 343 on.
The Halo: Master Chief Collection is available now on PC and Xbox One.