Some of you remember that game series called HALO right? Well, there is a new one coming out this year! This weekend is the first Flight (or Tech Test). It's multiplayer-focused and will allow players to try out the Academy (think firing range and general area to practice fundamentals) and matches against bots (yes you read that right). Teams of 4 will be able to play against a team of bots!

Here's the very long and detailed look at many customizable features, battle-pass, and gameplay info (for example assassinations aren't in the game a launch but will probably come back in the future):

Or if you just want to see a multiplayer match (no bots):

I did get an invite (you can sign up for future Flights over at Halo Waypoint) I'll be streaming over the course of the weekend at twitch.tv/whatthefanboy if you want to see what it's all about.

If anyone else here got in and wants to squad up to take down some bots, hit me up!

Too bad Red vs Blue isn’t around still to make some bot jokes. The possibilities.

Too bad Red vs Blue isn’t around still to make some bot jokes. The possibilities.

It is though...

Sounds cool.

Unfortunately I’m out for an unknown amount of time.

Might not meet Cody’s standards anymore. RvB has been dead to some people for a while

They went way fucking overboard with the AI sidekick and the announcer. I don’t need literally every action performed shoutcasted. I don’t need to be told I picked up a weapon, I know, I’m the one who just picked it up.

That none of the several steps necessary were detailed beforehand to spread out the collective tidal wave that the playerbase has hit their servers with is Bungie-levels of terrible decision making.

Step 1: Why was it not a download code in the invitation email?
Step 2: Why did we have to accept a Waypoint notification for the code that simply redirects us? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 3: Why tie the access to the Xbox Insider program without telling anyone beforehand? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 4: If the Xbox Insider program automatically acknowledges your account's access to the flight, why did we even need Steps 1-3!?
Step 4. Why do we have to accept a Marketplace redirect through Insider Hub? Why not link it to Joining the Flight in the first place? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 5. If we were going to be redirected to the MS Store anyway for the download, why wasn't the Insider permission a simple acknowledgement click? Most players spent hours waiting for the MS Store redirect to even load, since, you guessed it, the Insider servers were slammed.

Anyway, it's a free chance to sample the new Halo early this year, so I guess we can't complain. :P

Might not meet Cody’s standards anymore. RvB has been dead to some people for a while

No, I honestly just didn't know!

That none of the several steps necessary were detailed beforehand to spread out the collective tidal wave that the playerbase has hit their servers with is Bungie-levels of terrible decision making.

Step 1: Why was it not a download code in the invitation email?
Step 2: Why did we have to accept a Waypoint notification for the code that simply redirects us? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 3: Why tie the access to the Xbox Insider program without telling anyone beforehand? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 4: If the Xbox Insider program automatically acknowledges your account's access to the flight, why did we even need Steps 1-3!?
Step 4. Why do we have to accept a Marketplace redirect through Insider Hub? Why not link it to Joining the Flight in the first place? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 5. If we were going to be redirected to the MS Store anyway for the download, why wasn't the Insider permission a simple acknowledgement click? Most players spent hours waiting for the MS Store redirect to even load, since, you guessed it, the Insider servers were slammed.

Anyway, it's a free chance to sample the new Halo early this year, so I guess we can't complain. :P

But... but you are

They went way fucking overboard with the AI sidekick and the announcer. I don’t need literally every action performed shoutcasted.

Yeah I hope there are some options there.

I don’t need to be told I picked up a weapon, I know, I’m the one who just picked it up.

I like having implicit callouts from other players, maybe they just should mute it for the player "saying" it

That none of the several steps necessary were detailed beforehand to spread out the collective tidal wave that the playerbase has hit their servers with is Bungie-levels of terrible decision making.

Step 1: Why was it not a download code in the invitation email?
Step 2: Why did we have to accept a Waypoint notification for the code that simply redirects us? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 3: Why tie the access to the Xbox Insider program without telling anyone beforehand? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 4: If the Xbox Insider program automatically acknowledges your account's access to the flight, why did we even need Steps 1-3!?
Step 4. Why do we have to accept a Marketplace redirect through Insider Hub? Why not link it to Joining the Flight in the first place? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 5. If we were going to be redirected to the MS Store anyway for the download, why wasn't the Insider permission a simple acknowledgement click? Most players spent hours waiting for the MS Store redirect to even load, since, you guessed it, the Insider servers were slammed.

Anyway, it's a free chance to sample the new Halo early this year, so I guess we can't complain. :P

But... but you are

lol - that was literally my internal response to his last sentence. :) Ellipses and everything. :)

if you're looking for an invite.

I was frustrated at not getting one. I've been signed up forever for both Halo insider and Xbox Insider, yet I never got an email about this flight in my personal email box. On the halowaypoint site, though, I'd gotten a message, and was able to follow instructions from there to do some kind of linking between the insider app and my account. Now I've installed Infinite. Pretty stoked.

- No text -

Turns out my invite was in the junk folder.

Hey folks, heads up: we unintentionally included a small number of #HaloInfinite campaign files in the tech preview build. Unfortunately, these files contain spoilers. 1/2

— Joseph Staten (@joestaten) July 30, 2021

Sweet, now to see if I can find them spelled out somewhere.

Edit: Found them. I know discussing leaks is probably a bad look here, but I’ll just say it’s easy to find, and I think the game sounds potentially very interesting.

Step 1: Why was it not a download code in the invitation email?
Step 2: Why did we have to accept a Waypoint notification for the code that simply redirects us? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.

Well, those two are the same step.

Step 3: Why tie the access to the Xbox Insider program without telling anyone beforehand? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.

It always has been. Flights aren't a new thing.

Step 4: If the Xbox Insider program automatically acknowledges your account's access to the flight, why did we even need Steps 1-3!?

It works differently for people who want to test out flights on Steam, so they have a 'global' path that both can do.

Step 4. Why do we have to accept a Marketplace redirect through Insider Hub? Why not link it to Joining the Flight in the first place? Something players couldn't do because servers were slammed.
Step 5. If we were going to be redirected to the MS Store anyway for the download, why wasn't the Insider permission a simple acknowledgement click? Most players spent hours waiting for the MS Store redirect to even load, since, you guessed it, the Insider servers were slammed.

This is literally part of what they want to test. This isn't some free demo, it's a tech test. Servers included.

Let’s play!

I know I said this is the last game I’m buying, but I’m still pulling my hair out…

I usually shy away from playing multiplayer with friends because I’m so embarrassingly bad, but playing with breitzen last night was a good time.