Chronique:Halo Bulletin 06/08/2014

Just before flying home from San Diego Comic-Con less than two weeks ago, I remember looking down at my mobile device and reading “Seattle –> Cologne: 10 Days Until Check-in,” which meant we had just over a week to put the finishing touches on our presence at the world’s largest gaming event: gamescom in Cologne (Köln), Germany. There were new builds to test, videos with never-before-seen (and in some cases, not-yet-recorded) footage to finish, and much more as we prepared to show you new experiences. We are nearly ready to give you your first hands-on experience with Halo 2: Anniversary, and we are nearly ready to show you new things that you haven’t yet seen.

With each late night, we get closer to showing you more of what’s to come. With each build of Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer, we come nearer to the version of the game that will be playable on the gamescom floor in just seven days. Next week, we’ll hand the controller to you for the first time, and you’ll hear from fellow Halo fans as they share their impressions of Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer with the world. But that’s not all - in the coming week, you’ll get a first look at brand-new upcoming experiences, have a chance to see the world’s first Halo: The Master Chief Collection eSports event, and more.

We’re incredibly excited to share all of this with you, and if you aren’t one of the 350,000+ gaming fans heading to Cologne, don’t worry - we’ll be bringing you the latest on Waypoint, Twitter, and Twitch.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what to look out for at this year’s show:

Gamescom 2014 Xbox Press Briefing

Tuesday, August 12, 2:00 PM CEST (5:00AM PDT), Twitch.tv/Xbox

Next Tuesday, we’re excited to join the Xbox team in the annual press briefing, where we’ll share some new announcements with you in our portion of the show. The show will be streamed at www.Twitch.tv/Xbox, so you’ve got no excuses. We’ll see you there.

Halo 2: Anniversary Multiplayer Hands-On

Halo 2: Anniversary will be playable for the first time on the gamescom show floor. We’ll be running 4v4 gameplay on Ascension and a yet-to-be-announced map, with multiple game types available for your enjoyment. Swing by the Xbox booth in Hall 6, where we’ll have a bunch of consoles and controllers waiting for you. We’re excited to watch you play and hear your thoughts on the anniversary treatment we’ve given to Halo 2 multiplayer. If you're at the show, you will have a chance to play Wednesday through Sunday.

Halo Stream From the Xbox Booth

Wednesday, Aug 13, 11:00 AM CEST (2:00 AM PDT), www.Twitch.tv/Xbox

Live from the gamescom Xbox booth, we’ll have our very own Bonnie Ross, Dan Ayoub, and Kiki Wolfkill live streaming content we’re only showing behind-closed-doors via www.Twitch.tv/Xbox. Be sure to tune in for insider access and sneak peeks at what’s to come.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection - gamescom Showdown

Not only will gamescom be the first opportunity to get hands-on with Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer, but we’re also working with ESL and Twitch to bring you a legendary 4v4 tournament. Open to all gamescom attendees, the tournament will feature $10,000 USD in prizing, four days of qualification on the gamescom show floor, and culminate with the grand finals on Sunday, August 17. Our friends at Twitch will be broadcasting the finals for all the world to see at www.Twitch.tv/Halo.

To qualify for the finals, swing by the ESL Arena in Hall 9, where ESL will have a dedicated area for Halo: The Master Chief Collection competition. On these stations, we’ll be featuring “winner stays” 4v4 gameplay, so grab three teammates (or form a team on the spot) and come compete on Ascension and one other unannounced map. The rules are simple: If your team wins 10 matches in a row, you’ll take the top spot on the daily leaderboard, and if another team tops your score (and wins 11 in a row), you’ll need to swing back and reclaim your spot. At the end of each day, the top teams will advance to the Sunday finals, where they’ll compete for a prize pool of $10,000 USD on the eSports main stage. If you qualify, but don’t have Sunday passes to gamescom, we’ve got you covered - all qualified teams will receive complimentary Sunday access courtesy of ESL.

The Sunday finals will kick off with a Free-For-All exhibition at 10:30 CEST, and conclude with the 4v4 finals, where the bracket will be whittled down until only one team remains. The broadcast will feature commentary from yours truly and Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez, and run from 10:30 to 17:00 CEST (4:30AM – 11:00AM EDT) at www.Twitch.tv/Halo. We hope you’ll join us.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection - gamescom Showdown Schedule

• Wednesday, August 13 – ESL Arena, Hall 9

Qualifier tournament – 14:00 to 19:30 CEST

• Thursday, August 14 - ESL Arena, Hall 9

Qualifier tournament - 10:00 to 19:30 CEST

• Friday, August 15 - ESL Arena, Hall 9

Qualifier tournament - 10:00 to 19:30 CEST

• Saturday, August 16 - ESL Arena, Hall 9

Qualifier tournament - 09:00 to 19:30 CEST

• Sunday, 17th August – ESL Arena Main Stage, Hall 9 (Watch the finals on Twitch.tv/Halo!)

Pre-tournament Free-for-All - 10:30 to 11:15 CEST (1:30 to 2:15 AM PDT)

4v4 Tournament Final - 11:30 to 17:00 CEST (2:30 AM to 8:00 AM PDT)

ESL Gamescom Showdown Finals Prize Breakdown:

Total Prize Money: $10,000 USD

1st Place: $5,000 USD
2nd Place: $1,500 USD
3rd/4th Place: $750 USD
5th-8th Place: $500 USD

We’ll be covering the tournament on Waypoint and Twitter, so stop by next week for the latest each day, and be sure to join us for the finals live stream. We hope to see you there as we kick off the first ever Halo: The Master Chief Collection eSports event!

Lastly, for general gamescom coverage and announcements, be sure to stay tuned to the above channels before, during, and after the event - we’ll be bringing you the latest from the show floor on all things Halo.

Screenshot Spotlight: Race

Last week, we turned the spotlight on Landscape. Take a gander at the following Race screenshots, and maybe even find inspiration to make your own.

In preparation for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and our upcoming gamescom announcements (which includes a new Halo 2: Anniversary map reveal), we’re dedicating next week’s Screenshot Spotlight to classic Halo map remakes. For your chance at being in the next spotlight, take a screenshot of or on your favorite classic Forge remake from Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, or Halo 3, and tag it with “Classic” and “Halo Waypoint,” and maybe, just maybe, yours will be featured in the next Halo Bulletin!

With that, this week’s Bulletin comes to a close. While we will not have a Bulletin next week, we’ll have plenty of coverage from gamescom. Prepare yourself.

We’ll see you soon, Germany. We’re looking forward to hanging out and playing some Halo with you.

Bravo