Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta

A promotional image for the beta

The Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta also known as the Halo 5: Guardians Arena Multiplayer Beta was a phase in the development of Halo 5: Guardians, produced by 343 Industries and organized by Microsoft. Purchasing Halo: The Master Chief Collection gave players access to the beta,^[1] which was made available on December 29, 2014^[2] and ended on January 18, 2015.^[3] It was first revealed with a teaser trailer shown at Microsoft's E3 2014 media briefing.

The focus of the beta was on small maps with 4v4 arena gameplay. A notable difference to Halo 4 was the absence of custom loadouts; every player started with identical equipment.^[3] A notable addition in the beta were the new Spartan abilities, which will replace the armor abilities from the previous games in Halo 5: Guardians. 343 Industries described the beta as traditional in that it would be used for the intended purpose of beta testing and gathering feedback for a game still in progress, as opposed to merely showcasing a largely finished product for marketing reasons.^[4]

Included features

The beta featured eight maps, three game modes, eleven weapons and thirteen sets of armor.^[3] The beta also allowed users to offer feedback on things like power weapons, maps, and game modes in the Halo Channel.^[5]

Weapons

Armor

MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor
- MJOLNIR [GEN1]
  - Mark VI
    - Original
    - Scarred
- MJOLNIR [GEN2]
  - Air Assault variant
  - Athlon variant
  - Aviator variant
  - Centurion variant
  - Defender variant
  - Helioskrill variant
  - Nightfall variant
  - Recon variant
  - Recruit variant
  - Scout variant (Helmet only)
  - Soldier variant
  - Warrior variant

Maps

Game modes

List of permutations

During the Halo 5 beta, the player could unlock armor permutations for their Spartan. Most armor was unlocked by ranking up with the beta's XP system, however, four sets of armor were unlocked through achievements in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and by watching Halo: Nightfall on the Halo Channel. Barring Mark VI Gen1, Mark VI Gen1 - Scarred, Nightfall, and Helioskrill, no armor from the beta transferred to Guardians' final release.

Armor

Armor	Unlock requirement	Manufacturer	Description
Recruit	Unlocked by default.	Hannibal Weapon Systems	Helmet description: Decades of combat experience with Mjolnir suits informed the design and electronics hardware architecture of the RECRUIT helmet. Body description: Personalized RECRUIT armor suits the needs of a diverse segment of Spartan combatants.
Air Assault	Reach SR-2 (Helmet) Reach SR-3 (Armor)	Naphtali Contractor Corporation	Helmet description: The AIR ASSAULT helmet's long-range comm system makes it popular with Spartan fireteam leaders, but Naphtali also markets this helmet to Army special forces. Body description: AIR ASSAULT spin-offs were considered for adoption by unaugmented Delta-Six operators, but each suit costs as much as a dropship.
Recon	Reach SR-4 (Helmet) Reach SR-5 (Armor)	Imbrium Machine Complex	Helmet description: The heavily classified Auspex battlenet uplink in the RECON helmet contains the latest counter-cyberintrusion and firewall routines from ONI. Body description: RECON armor is fitted with emissions baffling and passive electronic support activity sensors for observation missions behind enemy lines.
Aviator	Reach SR-9 (Helmet) Reach SR-10 (Armor)	Hannibal Weapon Systems	Helmet description: Usable only by augmented personnel, the AVIATOR helmet's ultrawideband machine interlink gives Spartan-IV pilots unparalleled control over their aircraft. Body description: The AVIATOR suite includes integral gravity compensators and hardware-accelerated flight combat interlinks.
Recruit (BRN)	Reach SR-14 (Helmet) Reach SR-15 (Armor)	Hannibal Weapon Systems	Helmet description: Though largely confined to War Games, custom patterns can be applied to RECRUIT armor before fitting. Body description: Personalized RECRUIT armor suits the needs of a diverse segment of Spartan combatants.
Athlon	Reach SR-19 (Helmet) Reach SR-20 (Armor)	Misriah Armory	Helmet description: The ATHLON helmet's inner layer uses a magnetorheological dampening system perfectly tuned to the peculiarities of the Spartan physiology. Body description: Multiply redundant safety systems in the ATHLON significantly reduce the chance of major injury during live War Games.
Warrior	Reach SR-23 (Helmet) Reach SR-24 (Armor)	Materials Group	Helmet description: The WARRIOR helmet's robust design protects an elegant combination of sensors and computing clusters that are fully interoperable with all Mjolnir derivatives. Body description: The WARRIOR's dual channel gel layer can disperse kinetic and thermal energy quickly and efficiently, while still preserving mobility.
Scout	Reach SR-25 (Helmet)	Materials Group	Helmet description: Materials Group tested various form factors of the SCOUT helmet, before settling on a sleek shape reminiscent of the MARK VI [GEN1] model.
Defender	Reach SR-26 (Helmet) Reach SR-27 (Armor)	Imbrium Machine Complex	Helmet description: It has not escaped notice that the observation and communication features of the DEFENDER helmet are well-suited for combat actuation in urban environments. Body description: The placid DEFENDER faceplate is a symbol of both UNSC oppression and protection, due to use by Spartan anti-Insurrectionist units.
Air Assault (DPT)	Reach SR-29 (Helmet) Reach SR-30 (Armor)	Naphtali Contractor Corporation	Helmet description: This coating incorporates impregnated metamaterials that mask the AIR ASSAULT armor's signature in both the near-infrared and near-ultraviolet spectrum. Body description: AIR ASSAULT users take advantage of even the smallest tactical advantage to avoid being spotted in transit to the combat zone.
Soldier	Reach SR-33 (Helmet) SR-34 (Armor)	Materials Group	Helmet description: Low power consumption, comfort, and obsessive attention paid in ergonomics distinguish the SOLDIER helmet design from other Mjolnir patterns. Body description: The SOLDIER armor system has proven so adaptable that design features have been integrated into the latest ODST combat ensembles.
Centurion	Reach SR-37 (Helmet) Reach SR-38 (Armor)	The Watershed Division	Helmet description: The CENTURION's C4I2SR technology combined with Spartan warfighting talent is a game-changer for UNSC operational planning and battlespace shaping doctrine. Body description: The CENTURION threat management system incorporates the latest situational awareness tacsofts and cognition enhancing neural interlinks.
Mark VI Gen1	Get the "Your Journey Begins" achievement in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.	Materials Group	Helmet description: The distinctive silhouette of the MARK VI GEN1 helmet remains one the most powerful symbols of the Human-Covenant War. Body description: Technically obsolete, the Mark VI[GEN1] Mjolnir armor maintains a legendary luster among Spartans and the general public.
Mark VI Gen1 - Scarred	Get the "Cairo Station" achievement in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.	Materials Group	Helmet description: Constructed with the utmost care and multiply redundant subsystems, MARK VI helmets can remain functional even after horrendous damage. Body description: The MARK VI was able to remain functional until all of its triply-redundant auto-repair and bypass nodes failed.
Nightfall armor	Watch episode 1 of Halo: Nightfall (Helmet) Watch every episode of Halo: Nightfall (Armor)	Cascade Stronghold Technology	Helmet description: Lessons learned on far-flung hellscapes have shaped the NIGHTFALL into the best multi-environmental helmet available. Body description: Spartans with Marine experience prefer NIGHTFALL armor when stationed on inhospitable worlds due to its best-of-class life support.
Helioskrill	Get the "Legend" achievement in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.	Kolaar Manufactorum	Helmet description: Such is the skill of the HELIOSKRILL's artisan-armorer designer that even the heavily classified and encrypted Mjolnir neural interface protocols were reverse engineered. Body description: The HELIOSKRILL is a work of art crafted by a Sangheili prodigy inspired to test her skill against the best that humanity could muster.

Visors

Visor	Unlock requirement	Manufacturer	Description
Recruit	Default	Hannibal Weapon Systems	Visual Intelligence System, Reconnaissance (VISR) software manages the Spartan's disparate sensor feeds, battlenet links, and suit diagnostic messages.
Cyan	Reach SR-7	Hannibal Weapon Systems	Too expensive to be universally deployed, VISR 4.03 hardware is protected against electromagnetic interference, shock, and corrosive atmospheres.
Frost	Reach SR-12	Lethbridge Industrial	With its integral climate module and multi-layer insulation the VISR 4.05 assembly can function in extreme temperatures and exotic cryogenic atmospheres.
Blindside	Reach SR-17	Imbrium Machine Complex	Frowned upon by UNSC staff officers, VISR 4.05 sacrifices strategic situational awareness for improved performance in small-unit actions.
Sunspot	Reach SR-22	Acheron Security	The VISR 4.06 system utilizes a dedicated deconfiction agent which effectively curates the deluge of information competing for the Spartan's attention.
Solar	Reach SR-28	Materials Group	VISR 4.02 upgrades focus specifically on target acquisition speed, combat identification, and interoperability with UEG law enforcement networks.
Verdant	Reach SR-32	Naphtali Contractor Corporation	VISR 4.07 has been updated to comply with the latest industrial cyberlink standards, as well as expanded support for legacy interfaces.
Midnight	Reach SR-35	Materials Group	Materials Group uses VISR 4.08 as the basis for their next-generation battlespace management software, but proper use requires technical expertise.

Trivia

Despite appearing in multiple promotional images and screenshots for the beta, the Technician armor was not available in the beta.
During the game's final stretch of development, from the beta to release, some descriptions were altered:
- The VISRs changed from having their VISR numbers in the description. This was replaced with their name.
- The armor skins lost their descriptions, opting to use the base armor's description.
- Recruit's body armor description changed.
- The Blindside visor's description had an error in which it said it was "VISR 4.05", while Halo 4 had it under "VISR 4.04".
- The final version of Halo 5: Guardians removed the manufacturer names for each item in the customisation menu.