When it comes to Halo: The Master Chief Collection's debut on PC, the game has had a very different release schedule to its Xbox One counterpart. Each entry included in the remastered bundle has instead made its way to the PC individually, with the most recent addition, Halo 3: ODST, hitting Steam back in late September.
Halo 4 is the next iteration of the franchise to make its long-awaited PC debut, with the game's online beta test originally slated for release later this week. The multiplayer event has had to be postponed though, with 343 Industries reporting that a significant "blocker" has caused a halt in production.
For those unaware of what a blocker is, 343 stated back in 2019 that the term refers to a bug that causes such an issue that it "prevent[s] a flight from functioning as needed." Speaking on what this means for Halo 4, Halo's community director Brian Jarrad claimed that the beta test will likely launch next week instead, reminding players that discovering these bugs is why trial-runs are so crucially important. "It’s a bit fluid and unpredictable as we prepare builds, do passes, validate, find and address issues, and repeat," Jarrad claims, reminding future players that the goal is to "have a build candidate the team feels offers a worthwhile experience."
Once this is fixed, Jarrad states that Ring 3 invites will be sent to those registered with the Halo Insider Program. For those confused about how the beta tests work, 343 Industries' Halo: The Master Chief Collection ports go through a number of trials (or "flights" as their known by the studio) labeled Ring 0, Ring 1, Ring 2, and finally Ring 3 prior to release. Each level sees a build of the game offered to a range of players, beginning with the in-studio team, stretching to external partners, and finally debuting to Halo Insider members. If those playing the build find any severe bugs, they can push the game down to a lower ring, fixing its biggest issues through feedback from players.
Overall, it looks as though Halo Insiders will hopefully be getting their hands on the latest build of Halo 4's PC multiplayer very soon. Returning five years after Halo 3, the fourth game in the franchise was something of a mixed bag upon release, with many fans not taking to a non-Bungie mainline Halo release. In the years since, it has gained more popularity, with some claiming it's one of the franchise's most underrated titles. 343 Industries will get another crack at the iconic property when it releases Halo: Infinite next year, seeing the series enter a new generation and bringing back the iconic setting of the titular Halo rings.
Halo 4 is available now on Xbox 360 with a PC version in development.
Source: HaloWaypoint.com