Think back to that time in Xbox history. Halo: MCC was generating massive buzz - and for good reason. We were getting a packed set of beloved Halo games on a console that couldn't play older titles - all for just $60. Plus, 343 Industries was crafting a clever system letting players mix and match campaign levels, multiplayer maps, and more into custom playlists.
But we all know how launch day went; it's a story etched in Xbox lore. Halo: The Master Chief Collection simply didn't work right out of the gate. Sure, you could play through the campaigns solo at higher frame rates, but multiplayer was a mess - both in co-op and competitive modes. Worse still, it took ages to fix properly - a PR disaster for 343 and Team Xbox.
The game's rocky start is well-documented in Xbox history. While you could play through campaigns alone at improved frame rates, multiplayer was broken - affecting both co-op and versus modes. The fixes took forever, turning into a major headache for 343 and the Xbox team.
Despite a rocky start, Halo: MCC eventually found its footing. After some free extras and many updates to fix issues, the game took off. While we can't forget its troubled 2014 launch, Xbox's ongoing support for this Halo bundle over the years is impressive - they're even updating it in 2024.
One of the game's biggest wins since release is its Xbox Series X|S upgrade. Back then, updating a 2014 game for a 2020 console seemed far-fetched. Yet 343 did just that, adding 120FPS support and more. The current-gen version of Halo: MCC is truly great!
We can't overlook the PC version either, which has grown in popularity. Beyond cool mods, just having all this classic Halo content on PC five years ago was huge. This happened before Microsoft could release a new Halo game on PC at launch - that came two years later with Halo: Infinite. In 2024, The Master Chief Collection boasts over 200K user reviews on Steam, earning a 'Very Positive' rating overall.
Looking back, Halo: The Master Chief Collection's journey hasn't been smooth sailing. But we praise Xbox and 343 for sticking with it through good times and bad. While we can't excuse the poor launch, the teams more than delivered on the original promise of this classic collection. The PC and Xbox Series X|S ports made it even better. Now over 10 years old, Halo: MCC remains a great way for people to catch up on Xbox's most famous series.
What are your thoughts on Halo: MCC's journey over the years? Share your opinions below.
10 Years On, It's Been A Mighty Turnaround For Halo: Master Chief Collection
Xbox eventually finished the fight
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