Halo 4 Playlist Update Celebrates Community Creations

This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team.

Whenever one of those interminable "PC vs console" arguments flares up, it's only a matter of time before the PC side of the "debate" brings up mods and other user-generated content.

But user-generated content isn't the sole preserve of PC players, and hasn't been for a while -- it just doesn't seem to get talked about quite as much.

Say what you will about the story and setting of Halo's single-player offerings through the years -- good or bad -- but it's difficult to deny that the series has had a profoundly positive impact on how we think about console multiplayer games. From the first installment showing that it was very much possible to have sprawling, large-scale battles that played well with a console controller to the more recent offerings showing that you don't have to follow the Call of Duty model to the letter, Halo has provided online gamers with a wealth of options to truly customize their experiences to their liking.

With the more recent games in the series, there's been a strong focus on player-created content thanks to the Forge level creator, which allows you to place various objects to make your own custom map amid a predefined background landscape, and the ability to customize and share sets of game rules. Moreover, much of this player-created content has been picked up on by the Halo teams and highlighted in regular playlist updates, giving everyone the chance to try out new ways to play and new places in which to do it.

The most recent update, outlined on Halo Waypoint (via VG247) not only features some of the game's official DLC maps in special playlists, but also sees a number of custom game modes and maps created by community members getting the showcase treatment.

First up is the "Paintball" game type. Unlike the classic Paintball Mode in Goldeneye 007 on Nintendo 64, here Paintball is more akin to the "License to Kill" option from that game, with its one-hit kills and emphasis on outwitting rather than outgunning your opponent. Armed only with instakill plasma pistols, players must fight their way through a colorful custom Forge map by community member "petetheduck" and attempt to be the last player standing. Jump height is reduced, and you only have one life per round, so this mode changes the dynamic of Halo's multiplayer game completely.

Next up is Husky Raid, a take on Capture the Flag that gives two teams random weapons at their flag and then only gives one route in and out of the two bases. This leads to a fast-paced "tug of war" between the two opposing forces, as they push and pull against one another in an attempt to breach the enemy defenses and grab the flag. Husky Raid was a popular custom mode in past Halo installments, so longtime community members will doubtless enjoy seeing its return in Halo 4.

Finally, Clang of the Hill is a variation on King of the Hill that splits players into teams of four and then arms everyone with nothing but energy swords and thruster packs. This, naturally, leads to a lot of close-combat chaos, and is ideal for those who like to get up-close and personal with their opponents.

The strong support Halo has continually enjoyed from both its developers and community suggests that, as with PC gaming, user-generated content is a particularly effective way of keeping players engaged with a game over time -- perhaps even more so than official, premium-priced DLC packs. It's harder to monetize user-generated content, sure, but in the long term, the ability for players to take ownership of their game experience -- and have their creations showcased by the original game's creators, no less -- is almost certainly more valuable in terms of building brand loyalty.

It'll be interesting to see what Sony and Microsoft's plans for user-generated content are as we move into the next generation of consoles. Will it be embraced, or will it be an underappreciated aspect of a few titles like Halo and continue to be regarded as "a PC thing?"