Halo returns to PC as Russia-exclusive free-to-play game

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halo russia-exclusive microsoft russia pc gaming free to play halo 3

The Halo series has finally returned to PC, although probably not in the way most PC gamers would hope. 343 Industries, developer of the most recent Halo games for Xbox, has announced Halo Online as a free-to-play online multiplayer game, but unfortunately it's exclusively for the Russian market.

Halo Online will be developed in conjunction with Saber Interactive and Innova Systems, and is a heavily modified version of Halo 3 designed specifically for low-end gaming PCs. There are no plans to bring Halo Online to the Xbox 360 or the Xbox One, and 343 Industries isn't saying whether the game will be seen outside of Russia.

The game will be set on a "secret UNSC space installation called Anvil", where Spartan soldiers train in "war exercises" to improve their battle skills and test out new technology. Halo Online will feature an in-game currency, almost certainly linked to real world money as most free-to-play games tend to be.

343 Industries says that Halo Online is "a learning opportunity for us as we explore ways to welcome new fans to the Halo universe". It will launch in the spring as a closed beta for Russians, though there's currently no word on when the game will launch as a final version.

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Hmmm..

War game simulator only available in Russia, can't wait to see the maps.

You'd think they would be willing to host servers elsewhere, latency isn't always a concern these days.
 
You'd think they would be willing to host servers elsewhere, latency isn't always a concern these days.
you must not be from america :p

Q: Does Halo Online represent your future plans for the franchise on PC?

A: Halo Online is a learning opportunity for us as we explore ways to welcome new fans to the “Halo” universe. We’re excited to release a “Halo” multiplayer-only PC experience tailored for Russian gamers.

Q: Will gamers in other regions like North America and Europe be able to play Halo Online?

A: Right now our focus is on learning as much as we can from the closed beta period in Russia. Theoretically, any expansion outside of Russia would have to go through region-specific changes to address player expectations.
 
Q: Does Halo Online represent your future plans for the franchise on PC?

A: Halo Online is a learning opportunity for us as we explore ways to welcome new fans to the “Halo” universe. We’re excited to release a “Halo” multiplayer-only PC experience tailored for Russian gamers.

Q: Will gamers in other regions like North America and Europe be able to play Halo Online?

A: Right now our focus is on learning as much as we can from the closed beta period in Russia. Theoretically, any expansion outside of Russia would have to go through region-specific changes to address player expectations.
Yea I didnt miss that. I was quoting a general statement...one that was talking about latency in hosting places elsewhere.
 
Blacklight: Retribution was only in Russia when it started as well, and we still managed to get on it (with quite a lot of lag though)
 
Fans will get jealy and some form of it will be available to the U.S./Canada and probably Europe before too long.

There's just far too many fans who are missing out and they won't be happy about it even if the purpose of this is to make improvements for everyone else in the halo universe. Especially since they would rather play a lower quality game than none at all.
 
The F2P market is apparently huge over there--so I'd expect the rest of the world to get it eventually.

Now to reiterate every Halo fan that's a PC gamer: just give us the Master Chief Collection already instead of all these side projects.
 
The F2P market is apparently huge over there--so I'd expect the rest of the world to get it eventually.

Now to reiterate every Halo fan that's a PC gamer: just give us the Master Chief Collection already instead of all these side projects.

It's not that free-2-play is huge in Russia, it's that piracy is so rampant there's no point in releasing a game you only pay for upfront.
 
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