Halo 1 PC testing starts this month, opens to more users in February

343i plans to begin beta testing of Halo 1 PC this month for a small number of Halo Insiders, but the tests will get wider and wider leading to February.

Halo: Combat Evolved's PC port is accelerating according to plan. After locking in key features like mouse and keyboard support, graphics options, and UI changes, 343i is ready to start testing other aspects like matchmaking, campaign, and progression. 343i will hold testing in three phases: Ring 1 (smaller), Ring 2 (small), and Ring 3 (larger).

Sadly there's a chance testing could be delayed. A new Halo Wars 2 PC bug could temporarily pull devs away from Halo MCC until there's a fix for the RTS. The studio still hasn't announced a firm launch date for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary on PC, and the new beta tests will also include Halo Reach optimizations like fixing crouch on mouse and keyboard.

This kind of lumped all-in-one beta testing cadence will likely continue as more and more games are added to the collection, meaning 343i will constantly have to go back and fine-tune already-released games to squash any bugs. This is all while Halo: Infinite's development is ongoing. It sounds like a monumental undertaking and we hope 343i is up to the challenge.

Be sure to sign up for the Halo Insider Program for a chance to try out the Halo 1 PC beta before it launches.

Below are the core pieces of content that we are aiming to validate and receive feedback on:

• Single Player and Cooperative Campaign
• Multiplayer
• Customization
• Progression