Someone has been tweaking the release date for Halo: The Master Chief Collection overnight. At first the date changed to December 3rd; now, it's showing as November 14th, which is today. In fact, it's currently showing with a release time of 9pm UTC – right at the end of the Inside Xbox show scheduled for tonight. Although this is a release date for the Collection in general, these changes suggest that we could be seeing Halo Reach and its achievements dropped into the
Halo: The Master Chief Collection achievements list tonight. The PC version is listed as December 3rd now, too – so we'll likely get that announcement later as well. (Thanks to
OutlawedTorn for the clarification).
Though these release dates do change sometimes, often without fanfare, the fact that we're a handful of hours out from X019's Inside Xbox stream raises our suspicions that a surprise Halo launch is imminent – especially that launch time, which coincides with the end of the show. 343 Industries promised Halo Reach and the start of the MCC's launch on PC by the end of the year, so either of the tweaked dates would fulfil that promise. It would obviously be a straightforward positive PR move for Xbox to throw this new update out tonight, too.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One currently contains Halos 1 through 4, with spin-off Halo: ODST added as DLC later on. That isn't strictly a Master Chief related game, fuelling requests for the series' other major detour, Halo Reach, to be added to the collection. Fans have been clamouring for a PC version of the set as well, and 343 Industries promised a version of Halo MCC would arrive by the end of the year. The plan is to release each game of the Halo MCC on PC separately, in chronological order in terms of the game's narrative – therefore Halo Reach would be the first game to be released on PC. This is likely a logistical move too – players and developers alike would be testing Halo Reach for its inclusion on the Xbox One edition anyway, so it might as well be the first to arrive on PC.
We knew that Ninja Theory's
Bleeding Edge would take the stage at X019 tonight, but we weren't sure exactly what we would be finding out. According to a Microsoft Store listing that popped up this morning, the mechanized brawler will be released on
March 24th, with two Closed Betas available for pre-ordering players and Xbox Game Pass members in the weeks prior.
According to the listing, anyone who pre-orders the game or plays via Xbox Game Pass in the first week of launch (i.e. by the end of March 2020) will get the exclusive Punk Pack to use in game. This gives players exclusive fighter skins – Punk Rock Nidhoggr, Butterpunk Buttercup and Outrider ZeroCool. Players will also get the Rioter's Hoverboard, a "Make Your Mark" in-game sticker pack and three bonus taunts.
More importantly, players in Game Pass or who pre-order will have access to the game's two Closed Betas – one beginning on February 14th and one starting on March 13th.