Scratch up some of that fuzzy math, because we’re back into the thick of it with 343 Industries and the Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
This time, we’re talking about the next up in the series, the long-awaiting Halo 3: ODST that proved to be the arguable testing for what would eventually become Bungie’s Destiny IP.
While other Halo iterations had a generally straightforward progression through the campaign, Halo 3: ODST hit a bit different by having an ODST member drop into a city called New Mombasa that has been taken control of by Covenant forces.
Slipping quietly through the streets while avoiding (or taking head-on) patrols while attempting to piece together what happened to the previous strike team brought a whole level of oppressive atmosphere into the Microsoft-exclusive titan that marked a turning point in the series.
It showed that Bungie wasn’t afraid with pushing out something different; in a campaign where the hero was for all intents and purposes immortal, ODST toyed with the idea of death and loss, and how absurdly quick everything can change in life.
This should all be coming within the month; 343i has announced that flighting for ODST has begun yesterday for select members of Halo Waypoint, which empirically means that we have less than a month before it ships out and becomes available for everyone on Steam and Xbox.
Prepare to drop. Halo 3: ODST Flighting kicks off now for both PC and Xbox One! Check https://t.co/SPefehh2zu to see if you've been invited and for instructions. For info on the flight, current known issues, ticket submissions, and more, head over to https://t.co/RNoYlRa8Gy! pic.twitter.com/dKkPLYpgip
— Halo Support (@HaloSupport) August 17, 2020
Note that this isn’t a guarantee: ODST could absolutely be in a messy state with bugs and issues prior to 343i pushing it to flight; there’s no empirical data of them doing this, but the flighting could arguably fall flat on its face and result in a few additional months of incubation and development.
The gamble with design ended up paying off in dividends for both Bungie and Microsoft; ODST is widely considered to be one of the greatest iterations of the Halo franchise, and it shows: multiple members who managed to get into the Halo 3: ODST are attempting to sell access to the title on Twitter, with prices ranging over $100 for access into the flighting which should last from now until release.
If you’ve received access yet can’t launch the title, try turning off your Xbox (or PC), and then turning it back on again; the reset has proved to work on multiple accounts that were otherwise apparently locked out of the flighting after receiving access.
If you didn’t get access, don’t fret; the mournful soliloquy that surrounds the ODST will soon be available for everyone to dive into.