Editing Halo: The Master Chief Collection

{{Title|''Halo: The Master Chief Collection''}}
{{Era|RW}}
{{Game Infobox
|name= ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection''
|image= {{tabcontainer|title1=2014-2018|content1=[[File:Master Chief collection.png|300px]]|title2=2019|content2=[[File:MCC Boxart New.jpg|300px]]}}
|developer= [[343 Industries]]
<br>[[Bungie]]
<br>[[Wikipedia:Saber Interactive|Saber Interactive]]
<br>[[Certain Affinity]]
<br>[[Wikipedia:Ruffian Games|Ruffian Games]]
<br>[[Wikipedia:Splash Damage|Splash Damage]]
<br>[[Wikipedia:United Front Games|United Front Games]]<ref>[http://www.unitedfrontgames.com/ufg-microsoft/ '''United Front Games Website''']</ref>
<br>[[Blur Studio]]
<br>[[Axis Animation]]
|publisher= 
*[[Microsoft Game Studios]] {{C|Formerly}}
*[[Xbox Game Studios]]
|platform= 
*[[Xbox One]]
**[[Xbox One X]]
*[[PC]]
**[[Microsoft Store]]
**[[Steam]]
|releasedate= [[2014#November|November 11, 2014 (Xbox One)]]
<!--'''UK''': November 14, 2014<br>--><br>
[[2019#December|December 3, 2019 (PC/Steam, Reach)]]
|genre= [[First-person shooter]]
|modes= [[Campaign]]<br>[[Multiplayer]]<br>[[Campaign#Cooperative|Cooperative]]<br>[[Forge]] <small>(excluding ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary/Classic'' and ''Halo 2 Classic'')</small><ref name="briefing"/><br>[[Theater]] <small>(''Halo 2: Anniversary'' multiplayer,<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/bulletins/the-halo-bulletin-assault-on-controller-settings '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''The Halo Bulletin: 10/16/14'']</ref> ''Halo 3'', ''Halo 4'' and ''Halo: Reach'')<ref>[http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=116092208&postcount=1010 '''NeoGaf''': ''Frank O'Connor on Theater'']</ref></small>
|rating=[[Wikipedia:Computer Entertainment Rating Organization|CERO]]: (D) Ages 17 and up<br/>[[Wikipedia:Entertainment Software Ratings Board|ESRB]]: Mature (M) for Blood and Gore, Language, Violence

[[Wikipedia:Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: 16+ (Europe only)
}}
{{Quote|Your journey begins.|Tagline}}

'''''Halo: The Master Chief Collection''''' is a bundle of ''Halo'' games starring [[Master chief petty officer|Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]]. The set includes ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'', ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo 4]]'', as well as the digital feature ''[[Halo: Nightfall]]'' and access to the ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' [[Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta|multiplayer beta]]. ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> campaign was added via content update on [[2015|May 30, 2015]]. The collection was released exclusively for the [[Xbox One]] on [[2014|November 11, 2014]] for $59.99 (USD). 

In mid-2018, ''The Master Chief Collection'' would undergo a dramatic overhaul, with 343 Industries working to fix the bugs that had plagued the game since its release in 2014, to 2015. Improvements ranged from a UI overhaul, to the improvement of overall game stability, as well as the addition of a match composer, enabling users to fine tune their social game selection.

In March 2019, it was then announced that ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' would be remastered and released on the Xbox One as part of the collection, and that ''The Master Chief Collection'' was set to release on PC via the [[Microsoft Store]] and [[Steam]], with ''Reach'' spearheading the release. ''Halo: Reach'' was released simultaneously on both editions of ''The Master Chief Collection'' on December 3, 2019. ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' followed after, and was launched specifically on PC on March 3, 2020 with ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' following on May 12, 2020.<ref name="H2APC">[https://twitter.com/Halo/status/1257717196114935810?s=19 ''Halo on Twitter'':] ''"Halo 2: Anniversary arrives on PC as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection on May 12!"''</ref>

Both the [[Xbox One]] and Microsoft Store versions are included with [[Xbox Game Pass]] Ultimate. The Steam edition of ''The Master Chief Collection'' supports [[Steam reward]]s, which can be viewed [[Steam reward/Halo: The Master Chief Collection|here]].

==Features==
The four games in the collection are all contained on a single disc, with two additional games as DLC, and are accessible through a unified interface known as the "Master Menu". The menu allows players to directly play any mission in any of the five games straight from purchase, or arrange the levels from different games into their own custom playlists. Some playlists arranged by [[343 Industries]] are readily available from launch.<ref name="Waypoint">[https://web.archive.org/web/20140609191047/https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-the-master-chief-collection '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'']. Archived from [https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-the-master-chief-collection the original] on June 09, 2014. Retrieved November 29, 2019.</ref> Examples of these include "Final Four", featuring the four final missions of each main game, "Hogs" for levels featuring the [[M12 Chaingun Warthog|Warthog]], and "Flood" for missions featuring the [[Flood|eponymous parasite]].<ref name="venturebeat">[http://venturebeat.com/2014/06/10/understanding-halo-the-master-chief-collection-faq-playlists-forge-control-schemes-and-more/ '''Venturebeat''': ''Understanding Halo: The Master Chief Collection (FAQ) — playlists, Forge, control schemes, and more'']</ref> ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' also features separate [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]] and [[John-117|Master Chief]] playlists which allow players to complete the two protagonists' respective levels individually. The music and backgrounds in the Master Menu are sensitive to the game that is being browsed at the time, as well as specific modes of that particular game.<ref name="RTX">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQQbGq8TnR8&list=UU7NCg0venpKJg3kuJojKlbQ&index=3 '''YouTube''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection Panel - RTX 2014'']</ref>

All six titles have been optimized for the Xbox One and run natively at 60 [[Wikipedia:frame rate|frames per second]]; ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'', ''Halo 3'' and ''Halo 4'' are a native resolution of [[Wikipedia:1080p|1920x1080]], whereas the ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' campaign has a lower native resolution of 1328x1080 which is automatically up-scaled to 1080p by the Xbox One.<ref name="ignhorse">[http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/10/07/the-horse-you-rode-in-on-a-halo-the-master-chief-collection-story-ign-first '''IGN''': ''The Horse You Rode In On (A Halo: The Master Chief Collection Story) – IGN First'']</ref> ''Halo 3'' and ''Halo 4'' have received upgrades to their lighting systems.<ref name="venturebeat"/> ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' has also received an update to its graphics toggle, which is now instantaneous similar to ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.<ref name="pax">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGn4YXXZyDo '''YouTube''': ''Halo and the Journey of the Master Chief- PAX Prime 2014'']</ref> The Kinect features available in the original ''Combat Evolved Anniversary'', however, are not supported in this version.<ref name="ignhorse"/>

The collection features intro and outro cinematics for ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' created by [[Blur Studio]], which was also responsible for remastering the cutscenes in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''. These cinematics follow [[Jameson Locke|Agent Locke]]'s search for the Master Chief after the events of ''[[Halo 4]]'' and have narrative connections to ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''.<ref name="ytinterv">[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTDVFdQVNw4#t=664 '''YouTube''': ''Halo 2: Anniversary - Cairo Station Campaign Gameplay and...'']</ref> New [[Terminal/Halo 2: Anniversary|terminals]] are featured in ''Halo 2: Anniversary''; the original terminals of ''[[Terminal/Halo 3|Halo 3]]'', ''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' and ''[[Terminal/Halo 4|Halo 4]]'' remain unchanged.<ref name="venturebeat"/>

In addition to the [[Xbox controller layout|control schemes]] of each individual game, ''The Master Chief Collection'' features several universal control setups to span all the games. However, ''Halo 3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s specific controls are not available as one of these options due to the difficulty of implementing them to function with the other games.<ref name="venturebeat"/>

The collection features campaign scoring for each game and an option to have a HUD overlay tracking one's score in real time. Each level has its own leaderboard featuring various stats, including total score, fastest completion time, and the number of enemies killed. Players can designate friends listed on the leaderboards as "rivals", whose scores can then be measured against in the in-game real-time score tracker.<ref name="leaderboard reveal"/>

''The Master Chief Collection'' is available for digital download on Xbox Live Marketplace. The download version also features the attached ''Halo: Nightfall'' and ''Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta'' access passes.<ref name="bulletin61914">[https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/headlines/posts/the-halo-bulletin-6-19-14 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin 6.19.14'']</ref> The [[Halo Channel]] is integrated with ''The Master Chief Collection''. Players can unlock features, such as [[skull]]s, for the campaign by completing challenges on the Halo Channel. Additionally, players can use the Halo Channel to view their friend's stats during ongoing games or seamlessly join their matches.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-gb/halo-channel '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo Channel'']</ref>

On December 20, 2014, it was announced that ''Halo 3: ODST''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s campaign mode, a remake of the ''Halo 2'' multiplayer map Relic, one free month of Xbox Live, an avatar award and an in-game nameplate would be included in ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' for free to players who had played the collection between its release on November 11, 2014 and December 19, 2014, serving as compensation to said fans who had experienced many bugs and glitches in the weeks following the collection's launch.<ref name="thanks">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/halo-the-master-chief-collection-thank-you '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''A Thank You to Our Fans from Bonnie Ross'']</ref> The ''Halo 3: ODST'' campaign was officially released as DLC for ''The Master Chief Collection'' on May 30, 2015. Players not eligible for the free DLC can purchase the ''ODST'' campaign add-on for $4.99 USD.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/halo-the-master-chief-collection-thank-you-faq '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection - Remnant & ODST FAQ'']</ref>

===PC release and ''Halo: Reach''===
In March 2019, it was announced in a Social Stream that 343 Industries was working to bring ''Halo: Reach'' into the ''Master Chief Collection'', and the Collection itself onto PC, with several Flight tests between these two platforms. On November 14, 2019, it was announced during the Inside Xbox 2019 that ''Halo: Reach'' would be released on December 3, 2019 on both Xbox One and PC/Steam for $9.99 USD. Players on PC may pre-purchase the entire collection for $39.99 USD. Titles on PC will be released incrementally once developers feel that each title is ready for a "'first-class' PC experience." The PC version does not require an Xbox Live Gold subscription, but does require a basic [[Xbox LIVE]] account for both the Microsoft Store and Steam variants. A PC port had been long-planned for the future, but the success of the [[ElDewrito]] mod for ''[[Halo Online]]'' in 2018 had "lit a spark" for 343 Industries to begin development on the PC port sooner due to the huge community interest in the ''Halo'' PC experience, even after the 2016 cancellation of ''Halo Online''.<ref name="eldewrito future">[https://blog.eldewrito.com/post/183642178153/eldewrito-the-future-of-the-mod-and-our ''Eldewrito'': ElDewrito: The Future of the Mod, And our Involvement with 343 on MCC PC.]</ref>

During E3 2019, Xbox announced that MCC for both console and PC would be available on [[Xbox Game Pass]] Ultimate. The Game Pass version is fully-loaded and will include all titles, including Reach and the ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' campaign (which was previously paid DLC). The Xbox One Game Pass variant launched with the release of Game Pass Ultimate. On PC, MCC via Game Pass is only offered on the Microsoft Store on Windows 10. ''Halo: Reach'' launched for ''MCC'' on December 3, 2019 on both Xbox and PC platforms, though the [[Forge]] and [[Theater]] modes are presently absent from the PC releases while 343 Industries continues to work on adapting their control and feature-sets to a keyboard and mouse control scheme. As part of the revamp of the Forge mode, nicknamed "[[Thorage]]", additional forge objects from the campaign and other maps will be added to [[Forge World]] and [[Tempest]] that were unavailable in the Xbox 360 release of ''Halo: Reach''.

''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' launched for PC on February 20, [[2020]], with ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' beginning flighting in late March 2020.

===MCC Insider program===
[[File:MCC Insider Program.png|thumb|right|The MCC Insider program logo.]]
{{Main|MCC Insider Program}}
Due to the game's notoriously buggy codebase, the ''Master Chief Collection'' went without significant updates for several years. In October 2017, 343 Industries announced a revitalised effort to revisit the game and update it with new patches and content, due to their plans to update the game for 4KUHD on the Xbox One X. To ensure that future patches would work as intended, 343 Industries implemented the "MCC Insider Program", a program designed for select players to be able to download and beta test MCC update releases.<ref name="Insider1">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-development-update '''Halo Waypoint''' ''- MCC Development Update'']</ref> The program was initially closed to a select few thousand people, but soon grew to become an open program that anyone could join. The program is now used to test all content updates the MCC gets, with the game's UI, main menu background, new Skulls and more being added in post-launch updates. After the announcement of PC support, a completely separate Insider program for PC was made available for anyone to sign up for. Testing on PC has initially consisted of Reach, however it is likely that further testing will include the other titles already on console as each is developed for PC.

===Co-op Campaign===
Both online and split-screen co-op campaign play are supported in all six games. The campaign co-op breakdown is as follows:<ref name="bulletin61914"/>
*''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' – 2 players max, split-screen or online
*''Halo 2: Anniversary'' – 2 players max, split-screen or online
*''Halo 3'' – 4 players max online, 2 players max split-screen
*''Halo 3: ODST'' – 4 players max online, 2 players max split-screen
*''Halo: Reach'' – 4 player max online (Console/PC), 2 player max split-screen (Console Only)
*''Halo 4'' – 4 players max online, 2 players max split-screen

===Multiplayer===
[[File:MCC-Spartan-Lobby.png|thumb|200px|Armor customization for ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'']]
[[Multiplayer]] is available for all four games—each running from their respective original engines—and is accessible via a unified matchmaking menu system. Players are put into a lobby, then asked to vote for a match from a random selection of over 100 maps from all games (depending on playlist), rather than have the population split into groups for different games.<ref name="Waypoint"/> However, there are a number of playlists specific to each game.<ref name="RTX"/> The collection uses a single unified multiplayer ranking system shared across the four games.<ref name="venturebeat"/> Rank, stats or unlockable items such as armor permutations do not carry over from the previous games.<ref name="bulletin61914"/>

''The Master Chief Collection'' ships with every multiplayer map ever packaged with ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', ''Halo 2'', ''Halo 3'', and ''Halo 4'', as well as all downloadable content maps ever released (including the six maps from [[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC port)|''Halo: Combat Evolved'' for PC]] as well as the two exclusive maps from ''[[Halo 2 (Windows Vista)]])''.<ref name="bulletin61914"/><ref name="frankAllMaps">[http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=115556760&postcount=1375 '''NeoGaf''': ''Frank O'Connor on Halo PC maps'']</ref> In addition to the original maps of each game, the collection also contains six remastered maps from ''Halo 2'': Ascension, Lockout, Zanzibar, Coagulation, Sanctuary, and Warlock.<ref>[http://event.eslgaming.com/gamescom-2014/halo/ '''Gamescom 2014''''"Halo: TMCC" Showdown - Tournament rules: Game modes"]</ref>

[[Forge]] is featured in ''Halo 3'' and ''Halo 4'', as well the remastered multiplayer portion of ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.<ref name="venturebeat"/> ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' also features a new vehicle, the [[M274R Mongoose#M274-M Gungoose variant|M274-M Gungoose]]. Forge will also be included in the port of ''Halo: Reach''. However, due to intricacies learned from bringing Forge to PC in ''[[Halo 5: Forge]]'', the PC release of the Forge and Theatre mode will be delayed until Halos ''3'' and ''4'' are brought into collection on PC.<ref name="PCAMA_2"/>

The [[Firefight]] game mode is not included within the MCC port of ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'',<ref name="thanks"/> though the ''Halo: Reach'' Firefight mode was included in the game's campaign release.<ref name="PCAMA_2">[https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/b2yhk8/mcc_pc_halo_reach_and_halo_insider_ama/eivvvtw/?context=3 '''Reddit''' - ''MCC PC, Reach and Halo Insider AMA''] - ''ske7ch343's response''</ref> Although the team is currently focused on bringing ''Reach'' and the rest of the collection to PC, it is possible that they may begin investigating bringing ODST's Firefight mode into the game in the future.<ref name="PCAMA_2"/>

====Multiplayer maps====
While originally reported by 343 Industries to contain 93 competitive multiplayer maps,<ref name="twitter fun fact">[https://twitter.com/Halo/status/476137807249809408 '''Twitter''': ''Fun Fact'']</ref> ''The Master Chief Collection'' was later established to feature all maps from the four games, increasing the total number of multiplayer maps to over 100.<ref name="bulletin61914"/> With the complete campaigns of all five games, the collection contains 55 campaign missions, as well as ''Halo 4''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s 50 ''[[Spartan Ops]]'' missions.<ref name="twitter fun fact"/>
{{Featurelist|secondcolumn=title-4
|title-1=''Halo: Combat Evolved''|
*[[Battle Creek]]
*[[Blood Gulch]]
*[[Boarding Action]]
*[[Chill Out (level)|Chill Out]]
*[[Chiron TL-34]]
*[[Damnation]]
*[[Derelict]]
*[[Hang 'Em High]]
*[[Longest]]
*[[Prisoner]]
*[[Rat Race]]
*[[Sidewinder]]
*[[Wizard]]

'''Halo PC'''
*[[Danger Canyon]]
*[[Death Island]]
*[[Gephyrophobia]]
*[[Ice Fields]]
*[[Infinity (Halo PC level)|Infinity]]
*[[Timberland]]

|title-2=''Halo 2''|
*[[Ascension]]
*[[Backwash]]
*[[Beaver Creek]]
*[[Burial Mounds]]
*[[Coagulation]]
*[[Colossus (level)|Colossus]]
*[[Containment]]
*[[Desolation]]
*[[Elongation]]
*[[Foundation]]
*[[Gemini]]
*[[Headlong]]
*[[Ivory Tower]]
*[[Lockout]]
*[[Midship]]
*[[Relic (level)|Relic]]
*[[Sanctuary]]
*[[Turf]]
*[[Terminal (level)|Terminal]]
*[[Tombstone]]
*[[Warlock]]
*[[Waterworks]]
*[[Zanzibar]]

'[[Halo 2 (Windows Vista)|''Halo 2'' for Windows Vista]]'
*[[District]]
*[[Uplift]]

|title-3=''Halo 2: Anniversary''|
*[[Bloodline]] (remake of [[Coagulation]])
*[[Lockdown]] (remake of [[Lockout]])
*[[Remnant]] (remake of [[Relic (level)|Relic]])
*[[Shrine]] (remake of [[Sanctuary]])
*[[Stonetown]] (remake of [[Zanzibar]])
*[[Warlord]] (remake of [[Warlock]])
*[[Zenith]] (remake of [[Ascension (level)|Ascension]])

;Forge maps
*[[Awash]]
*[[Nebula]]
*[[Skyward]]

|title-4=''Halo 3''|
*[[Assembly (level)|Assembly]]
*[[Avalanche]]
*[[Blackout]]
*[[Citadel (level)|Citadel]]
*[[Cold Storage]]
*[[Construct (level)|Construct]]
*[[Epitaph]]
*[[Foundry (level)|Foundry]]
*[[Ghost Town]]
*[[Guardian (level)|Guardian]]
*[[Heretic (level)|Heretic]]
*[[High Ground]]
*[[Isolation]]
*[[Last Resort]]
*[[Longshore]]
*[[Narrows]]
*[[Orbital]]
*[[Rat's Nest]]
*[[Sandbox]]
*[[Sandtrap]]
*[[Snowbound]]
*[[Standoff]]
*[[The Pit]]
*[[Valhalla]]

|title-5=''Halo: Reach''|
*[[Anchor 9 (level)|Anchor 9]]
*[[Battle Canyon]]
*[[Boardwalk]]
*[[Boneyard]]
*[[Breakneck]]
*[[Breakpoint]]
*[[Condemned]]
*[[Countdown]]
*[[Forge World]]
**[[Forge World/Asylum|Asylum]]
**[[Forge World/Hemorrhage|Hemorrhage]]
**[[Forge World/Paradiso|Paradiso]]
**[[Forge World/Pinnacle|Pinnacle]]
**[[Forge World/The Cage|The Cage]]
*[[Highlands]]
*[[High Noon]]
*[[Penance]]
*[[Powerhouse]]
*[[Reflection]]
*[[Ridgeline]]
*[[Solitary]]
*[[Spire]]
*[[Sword Base (level)|Sword Base]]
*[[Tempest]]
*[[Zealot (level)|Zealot]]

'''Firefight'''
*[[Beachhead (Halo: Reach level)|Beachhead]]
*[[Corvette (level)|Corvette]]
*[[Courtyard]]
*[[Glacier]]
*[[Holdout]]
*[[Installation 04 (map)|Installation 04]]
*[[Outpost (level)|Outpost]]
*[[Overlook]]
*[[Unearthed]]
*[[Waterfront]]

|title-6=''Halo 4''|
*[[Abandon]]
*[[Adrift]]
*[[Complex]]
*[[Daybreak]]
*[[Exile]]
*[[Erosion]]
*[[Forge Island]]
*[[Harvest (map)|Harvest]]
*[[Haven]]
*[[Impact]]
*[[Landfall]]
*[[Longbow]]
*[[Meltdown]]
*[[Monolith]]
*[[Outcast]]
*[[Perdition]]
*[[Pitfall]]
*[[Ragnarok]]
*[[Ravine]]
*[[Shatter]]
*[[Skyline]]
*[[Solace]]
*[[Vertigo]]
*[[Vortex]]
*[[Wreckage]]
}}

===Customization===
The ''Master Chief Collection'' allows players to select single a three-digit [[Service Tag]] and a [[Multiplayer emblems|multiplayer emblem]] which are used for all games in the collection. Nearly all emblems found in the constituent games are available for use.

Players can select an armor permutation for each of the five multiplayer modes. The ''Halo: CE'' and ''Halo 2'' armor permutations mirror the original games, however the ''Halo 3'' and ''Halo 4'' is much-simplified; specifically, players can no longer customize individual armor pieces, but instead must choose from complete armor sets. ''Halo 4'' armor and weapons skins are also not found in the collection, nor are the DLC customization elements, specifically the [[PREFECT-class Mjolnir|Prefect]], [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V|Mark V]], and [[ODST armor#MJOLNIR GEN2.2FODST|ODST]] armor permutations, the Resistor [[Tactical packages|tactical package]], and the Recharge and Survivor [[support upgrades]].

Players can customize five [[loadout]]s for ''Halo 4'' multiplayer; unlike the original game, all five loadouts and all loadout options are unlocked by default.

In the ''Halo: Reach'' component of the game, players will be able to fully mix and match their armour as in the game's Xbox 360 release, with a new customisation system designed to retain the feel of the older systems while blending it with more modern unlock systems, though no microtransactions will be involved. 343 Industries has no current plans to expand this level of armour customisation to ''Halo 3'' and ''4'' currently, though may begin investigating it following the release of ''Reach'' in the collection.<ref name="PCAMA_1">[https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/b2yhk8/mcc_pc_halo_reach_and_halo_insider_ama/eivsska/?context=3 '''Reddit''' - ''MCC PC, Reach and Halo Insider AMA''] - ''ske7ch343's response''</ref>

===Unlockables===
The collection contains [[List of Achievements for Halo: The Master Chief Collection‎|its own series]] of [[achievement]]s for each of the five games, with the collective [[Gamerpoints]] attainable initially totaling 4000.<ref name="briefing">'''Microsoft E3 2014 Media Briefing'''</ref> An additional 50 achievements worth 500 Gamerscore were added at launch,<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/the-next-50-achievements/ '''Halo Waypoint''': The Next 50 Achievements'']</ref> while 50 more achievements worth 500 Gamerscore were added on January 8, 2015.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/50-more-achievements-for-halo-the-master-chief-collection '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Achievements Update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection'']</ref>
An option in the in-game achievements list allows players to jump directly into a game configured to be optimal for the completion a given achievement.<ref name="leaderboard reveal">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQDmWlUcTbU '''YouTube''': ''Campaign Leaderboard Reveal - Halo: The Master Chief Collection'']</ref>

The collection features [[Halo: The Master Chief Collection Skulls|37 skulls]], most of which are exclusive to certain games. Some of the skulls were initially accessible only through pre-order bonuses but were unlocked universally on December 12, 2014.<ref name="your journey">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/bulletins/the-halo-bulletin-your-journey-begins '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin: Your Journey Begins'']</ref> One skull, Swarm, is unlocked by watching all episodes of ''[[Halo: Nightfall]]'' on the [[Halo Channel]] and completing all associated challenges.<ref name="your journey"/><ref name="live and let pie"/><ref>[https://dlassets-ssl.xboxlive.com/public/content/f33009f4-14ff-4821-94e3-c3573c868c2e/GameManual/97d0359f-4eb2-45ea-af0d-bd3f90529585/en-US/index.html#article0021 '''Xbox Live''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection online manual'']</ref>

''The Master Chief Collection'' also features over 300 unlockable player customization options, including [[Multiplayer emblems|emblems]], [[nameplates]] and [[avatars]] for use in game lobbies and player profile pages. There are various ways to unlock these items, although most are earned by completing achievements. Additional unlockable items include 15 terminal videos and a customizable clan tag. For every unlocked achievement, the player receives a high-resolution image from the remastered ''Halo 2'' cinematics, concept art, level images, or a frame from a terminal. These images can be used for one's personal Xbox One background.<ref name="live and let pie">[http://halo.bungie.org/halobulletins/168 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''The Halo Bulletin: Live and Let Pie'']</ref>

===Additional PC features===
During one of their monthly update blogs covering the development of the PC version of the MCC and Reach for Xbox One 343 Industries announced that it will allow players to set and change new options that are exclusive to the PC version. These include the configuration of different key bindings, changing the Field-of-View while on foot and while driving vehicles, resolution scaling, HUD anchoring, V-sync, framerate limits and uncapped framerates, adjusting the volume of game sounds, effects, music and voice chat independently of each other, changing the position of the crosshairs and more.<ref name="mcc october update">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-development-update-october-2019  '''Halo Waypoint''': ''MCC Development Update - October 2019'']</ref>

It is currently unknown if these features will be added to the Xbox One version in a later update.

== Marketing ==
===E3 2014 trailer===
{{Main|Halo: The Master Chief Collection announcement trailer}}
In their [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]] 2014 conference, [[Microsoft]] showed a pre-rendered trailer announcing the bundle.

The trailer features a remastered cutscene from the level [[Cairo Station (level)|Cairo Station]] from the ''[[Halo 2]]'' campaign. The trailer shows [[John-117]] dragging a [[Covenant]] [[antimatter charge]] through one of the [[hangar bay]]s in ''[[Cairo Station (station)|Cairo Station]]'' to "return" the bomb to a {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}. [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] provides a voice-over for the trailer and it is revealed that an [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] agent, [[Jameson Locke]], is searching for the Master Chief.

=== Terminal trailer ===
{{Main|Halo: The Master Chief Collection terminal trailer}}
A short trailer originally debuted at the [[343 Industries]] panel at [[Rooster Teeth|RTX 2014]]. It showcases the animation used in the terminals for the ''Master Chief Collection'', once again created by [[Sequence]]. 

The trailer depicts a target profile report concerning [[Thel 'Vadam]], compiled by [[Jameson Locke]] sometime after [[2553]]. The report details 'Vadam's personal history from the start of the [[Human-Covenant War]] to the glassing of [[Reach]] and beyond. The report was later accessed by the [[John-117|Master Chief]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-PtjomjQ-Y/'''Halo: The Master Chief Collection Terminal Trailer''']</ref>

=== ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' cinematic trailer ===
{{Main|Halo 2: Anniversary cinematic trailer}}
A trailer that originally shown at the 343 Industries panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2014. It showcases the newly remastered Halo 2 cutscenes by [[Blur Studio]].

=== ''Halo 2 Anniversary'' cinematic launch trailer===
{{Main|Halo 2 Anniversary cinematic launch trailer}}
The second cinematic trailer for ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' showcases more of Blur Studio's new CGI cinematics as well as clips from the remastered ''[[Another Day at the Beach]]'' for the first time.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_64VHqDHQQ '''YouTube''': ''Halo 2 Anniversary Cinematic Launch Trailer (Official)'']</ref>

=== Remaking the Legend ===
{{Main|Remaking the Legend}}
A documentary chronicling 343 Industries' journey as they re-imagine Halo 2 for its ten-year anniversary.

===''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' launch trailer===
{{Main|Halo: The Master Chief Collection launch trailer}}
A trailer featuring footage of all four games.

===Halo TV Ad We Will Rock You===
{{Main|Halo TV Ad We Will Rock You}}
A television commercial set to We Will Rock You by Queen. 

===Halo Grunt Ad===
{{Main|Halo Grunt Ad}}
A commercial where a grunt is interviewed for being the only Covenant soldier to "survive all battles against the Master Chief".

===''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' Xbox One X Enhanced trailer===
{{Main|Halo: The Master Chief Collection Xbox One X Enhanced Trailer}}
To coincide with the launch of the Xbox One X enhancement update and release of MCC on the Xbox Game Pass, a trailer was released promoting the game's new 4K UHD features.

===''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' PC Announcement===
{{Main|Halo: The Master Chief Collection PC Announcement}}
An announcement trailer featuring footage from all four games, before announcing an upcoming PC release.

===''Halo Reach'' - X019 - ''The Master Chief Collection'' Launch Trailer===
{{Main|Halo Reach - X019 - The Master Chief Collection Launch Trailer}}
A trailer announcing the imminent inclusion and release date of Halo Reach into the MCC on Xbox One and PC.

=== Pre-order bonuses ===
Like ''Halo 4'', pre-order bonuses for the bundle varied between retailers. Three of the bonuses were revealed to be [[Halo: The Master Chief Collection Skulls|skulls]] that modify campaign gameplay, namely [[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Skulls|those introduced in ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'']].

Amazon offered the ''Piñata'' skull, GameStop the ''Bandana'' skull, Best Buy the ''Grunt Funeral'' skull and the multiplayer map book and ShopTo offered a new skull called ''Bonded Pair''.<ref>[https://teambeyond.net/halo-master-chief-collection-pre-order-bonuses/ '''Beyond Entertainment''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection - Pre Order Bonuses'']</ref> GAME UK had two exclusive "limited edition" offers: the first edition, titled "Limited Edition", had a steel bookcase, a [[Halo: The Master Chief Collection Multiplayer Map Book|multiplayer map book]] and a Grunt Funeral skull while the second edition, titled "MJOLNIR Edition", had all of the exclusive items of the previous edition with an ArtFX statue of the Master Chief ArtFX. The Master Chief ArtFX statue bundled with the ''MJOLNIR Edition'' was not exclusive however; the statue, made by Kotobukiya, was released separately worldwide in Fall 2014.<ref name="artfx">[https://web.archive.org/web/20140707164306/https://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/halo-4-master-chief-artfx-statue '''Forbidden Planet International''': ''Halo 4 Master Chief ArtFX Statue'']. Archived from [http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/halo-4-master-chief-artfx-statue?#.U-JojfldV8F the original] on July 07, 2014. Retrieved December 01, 2019.</ref>

<gallery>
File:HaloMCC Limited.jpg|GAME UK's Limited Edition
File:HaloMCC MJOLNIR.jpg|GAME UK's MJOLNIR Edition
</gallery>

==Release and reception==
{{MCC Review}}
''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' went gold on [[2014#October|October 17, 2014]]. The collection takes up 45 gigabytes of disk space and includes a 15 GB content update at launch. The game launched in most countries worldwide on November 11, with delayed releases in Belgium (November 12), France (November 14) and Japan (November 13).<ref name="gold">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/halo-the-master-chief-collection-we-are-golden '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection - We are Golden'']</ref> ''[[Halo 4]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s ''[[Spartan Ops]]'' component was added to the collection via a content update on December 12, 2014.<ref>[http://www.windowscentral.com/new-content-update-halo-master-chief-collection-adds-spartan-ops-and-improves-matchmaking '''Windows Central''': ''New content update for Master Chief Collection adds Spartan Ops and improves matchmaking'']</ref> ''The Master Chief Collection'' received a day-one update that included an additional fifty [[achievements]], with a total of 500 [[Gamerscore]].<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/the-next-50-achievements '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Next 50 Achievements'']</ref>

''The Master Chief Collection'' shipped with a significant amount of bugs, many of which had an impact on playability particularly in multiplayer. Among these flaws were atypically long matchmaking times, sporadic unattainability of achievements and glitches in the user interface. 343 Industries applied multiple patches to the title over the weeks after its release in an effort to fix these problems.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/11-20-14-halo-the-master-chief-collection-content-update-notes 11.20.14 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection Content Update Notes'']</ref> On November 24, 2014, 343 Industries general manager [[Bonnie Ross]] issued a formal apology for the debacle, assuring that the studio would continue their work on amending the issues with the collection.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/a-status-update-from-bonnie-ross-on-halo-the-master-chief-collection '''Halo Waypoint''': ''A Status Update From Bonnie Ross on Halo: The Master Chief Collection'']</ref> On December 19, Ross announced that 343 Industries would be offering players a series of exclusive items and new features—most notably ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''—as compensation for the issues with the game.<ref name="thanks"/>

The game generally received positive reviews upon its release. Nathan Ditum of [[Wikipedia:Eurogamer|Eurogamer]] applauded ''The Master Chief Collection'' for including each game's original multiplayer and every map ever released; one of the largest criticisms of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' was the lack of multiplayer. Ditum also expressed "constant astonishment" at increased resolution of the older games, claiming he spent several minutes at a time staring at battlefields, ancient structures, and walls.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-11-10-halo-the-master-chief-collection-review '''Eurogamer''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection review'']</ref> [[Wikipedia:IGN|IGN]] reviewer Ryan McCaffrey criticized the multiplayer, calling it "unacceptably unreliable and bug-ridden performance". However, he praised the remastered audio, the game-unifying interface, and the smoother framerate. Despite his criticism of multiplayer, McCaffrey commended the new six ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' remade maps, and the nostalgia ''The Master Chief Collection'' was able to deliver.<ref>[http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/11/06/halo-the-master-chief-collection-review '''IGN''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection Review'']</ref> [[Wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]]'s Chris Watters delivered a more critical review of the game, also condemning the multiplayer's issues and bugs, citing that it "barely works". However, he enjoyed the engaging combat formula and claimed that the remastered ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' [[cutscene]]s by [[Blur Studio]] to be fantastic.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-the-master-chief-collection-review/1900-6415958/ '''GameSpot''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection Review'']</ref> Kyle Hilliard of [[Wikipedia:Game Informer|Game Informer]] gave ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' a "Gold Rating", lauding the game's concept and improved graphics. He complimented that the game "is massive and intimidating, but none of it is crammed in or hastily included". Hilliard also praised Blur's cinematics, claiming that the [[Gravemind]] is now a terrifying monster, instead of a "huge muppet". Finally, he stated that ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' has risen a high bar for other video game remastered collections.<ref>[http://www.gameinformer.com/games/halo_master_chief_collection/b/xboxone/archive/2014/11/09/halo-the-master-chief-collection-game-informer-review.aspx '''Game Informer''': ''Halo: Master Chief Collection'']</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Master Chief collection.png|Original box art depicting ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' through to ''Halo 4''.
File:MCC Boxart New.jpg|New cover art featured on the Microsoft Store showing the inclusion of ''ODST'' and ''Reach''.
File:Halo MCC.png|Promotional wallpaper.
File:HMCC-Wallpaper-2.jpeg|A wallpaper based on the box art.
File:HMCC_Keyart_Updated.jpg|Updated keyart for the game following the addition of ''Reach'' and ''ODST''.
File:HMCC Keyart Reach.jpg|A wallpaper for the ''Reach'' announcement.
File:The Master Chief Collection - Keyart - CEA.jpg|A wallpaper for ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary's'' announcement.
File:The Master Chief Collection - Keyart - H2A.png|A wallpaper for ''Halo 2: Anniversary's'' announcement.
File:MCC Poster 01.jpg|The two main characters of ''Halo 2: Anniversary'', the Arbiter and the Master Chief.
File:H2A - Master Chief colored.jpg|Artwork for ''Halo 2: Anniversary''.
File:HMCC-Main Menu.jpg|The main menu.
File:HMCC - Mission selection menu.png|The cross-game campaign playlist menu.
File:H2A-CustomGameScreen.jpg|The Custom Game lobby.
File:MCCAvatars.jpg|Avatars in the collection.
File:MCCEmblems.jpg|Various emblems in the collection.
File:MCC - game assets - raw.png|Difficulty and rank icons.
File:Master_Chief_Collection_-_Mark_VI_helmet.png|A coloured version of the helmet found on the cover of the game.
</gallery>

===Logos===
<GALLERY>
File:The Master Chief Collection - Logo - Original.png|Original logo for ''The Master Chief Collection''. (2014-2019)
File:The Master Chief Collection - Logo - Grayscale.png|Original logo for ''The Master Chief Collection'' in grayscale.
File:Halo The Master Chief Collection Logo.png|The new logo. (2019–Present)
</GALLERY>

===Concept art===
<gallery>
File:MCC CEA Background Concept 1.jpg|Initial concept sketch for the ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' menu background.
File:MCC CEA Background Concept 2.jpg|Early paintover for the ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' menu background.
File:MCC CEA Background Concept 3.jpg|Near-final paintover for the ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' menu background.
File:MCC H2A Background Concept 1.jpg|Initial concept sketch for the ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' menu background, featuring the ''[[Solemn Penance]]''.
File:MCC H2A Background Concept 2.jpg|3D blockout for the ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' menu background.
File:MCC H2A Background Concept 3.jpg|Near-final paintover for the ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' menu background.
File:MCC H4 Background Concept 1.jpg|Initial concept sketch for the ''Halo 4'' menu background.
File:MCC H4 Background Concept 2.jpg|Paintover for the ''Halo 4'' menu background.
</gallery>

===Main menu background art and splash screens===
<gallery>
File:MCC_Planet_Background.png|The original main menu background, featuring a planet and an asteroid belt. As of the September 2018 update, this background is no longer viewable in-game.
File:MCC_CEA_Background.png|The background for the ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' campaign menu.
File:MCC_H2A_Background.png|The background for the ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' campaign menu.
File:MCC_H3_Background.png|The background for the ''Halo 3'' campaign menu.
File:MCC_H3ODST_Background_1.png|The ''Halo 3: ODST'' campaign menu.
File:MCC_H3ODST_Background_2.png|The ''Halo 3: ODST'' background when a phantom flies in.
File:MCC_H4_Background.png|The background for the ''Halo 4'' campaign menu.
File:MCC_Halo_Background.jpg|The redesigned splash screen for the September 2018 update.
File:MCC Generic Background.png|The redesigned background for the September 2018 update.
File:MCC_Halo_Splashscreen.jpg|A splashcreen created for the September update.
File:MCC_Flood_Background.png|The Flood-themed background for Halloween 2018.
File:MCC_Flood_Splashscreen.jpg|An "infected" version of the new splashscreen.
File:MCC_Winter_Background.jpg|The Christmas 2018 winter-themed menu background created by [[Jeremy Cook]].
File:MCC_Winter_Splashscreen.jpg|The winter-themed splashscreen.
File:MCC BHM.jpeg|The splashscreen after a decal was added to celebrate Black History Month.
File:MCC Yapyap splash.png|April 2019 Yappening splash screen.
File:MCC Yapyap desktop.png|April 2019 Yappening background.
File:MCC Noble Team Wallpaper.jpg|The splashscreen created for ''Halo: Reach'''s release on ''The Master Chief Collection'' in December, 2019.
File:MCC_Reach_Background.png|Wallpaper of Reach.
File:The Master Chief Collection - CEA splash screen.jpg|The splashscreen created for ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary's'' release on PC in March, 2020.
File:MCC - HCEA main menu preview.jpg|Preview for the main menu screen for ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''.
</gallery>

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources|2}}

==External links==
*[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-the-master-chief-collection/xbox-one ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' on '''Halo Waypoint''']
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo:_The_Master_Chief_Collection ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' on '''Wikipedia''']

{{Navbox/Media/Games}}

[[Category:Halo: The Master Chief Collection| ]]