Halo: The Master Chief Collection gets 73GB update as it arrives on Games Pass

News by Shabana Arif Contributor

Published on Aug. 28, 2018

343 has announced a massive update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection ahead of its release on Games Pass.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection's stonking great update is live in preparation of the game's addition to Games Pass on September 1. The update includes "new features and improvements," including visual enhancements for Xbox One X, which will also be applied to the Master Chief Collection's premium add-on, Halo 3: ODST.

"Today’s update, which will automatically begin downloading the next time you log in to MCC, is the culmination of months of work by the team here at 343 in close partnership with the MCC Insider community," reads the Halo Waypoint blog post.

The patch also updates matchmaking to provide a "significantly more stable" experience across multiplayer and co-op.

"MCC also now utilizes dedicated servers housed in Microsoft global datacenters for all Matchmaking game sessions to provide further stability, reliability, and consistency. Within the game you’ll now see what your average ping time is to each of the data centers."

Players can now selectively install the individual elements of the MCC with Intelligent Delivery, which allows you to "opt out" of installing particular titles when installing. This will come in handy to free up some space, especially in light of the huge update.

You can also expect faster load times, and an updated menu and UI.

You can read the full patch notes below.

New features

Visual enhancements – up to 4K UHD w/ HDR on an Xbox One X with compatible TV
Intelligent Delivery – Customize game component and language installation
Offline LAN – Play MCC with minimal latency over a local network

Networking updates

All Matchmade games now run on dedicated servers
Updated network transport layer
Round-to-round Matchmaking
Improved party stability & host migration
Updated Ranked Matchmaking logic
“Join in progress” for Custom Games
Dedicated Server optimizations
LAN enabled

Menu and UI updates

Title Screen / update to background video
Main Menu UI refresh / vertical design
Options refresh / layout update
Networking settings
Audio settings / main menu volume slider
Controller settings
Message of the Day (MOTD) update
HDR / SDR settings

Global updates

Load time & texture streaming optimizations
Campaign playlist / save bug fixes

Bug fixes

Campaign
- Fixed crashes when playing various Remix Playlists in Xbox Live co-op
- Fixed issues with earning Achievements for completing levels in Playlists in Halo: CE & Halo 2
- Fixed incorrect Mission being displayed as Next Mission in cross-game playlists
- Competitive Score & Time now correctly reset when Restarting during Playlists
- Split screen Co-op Framerate improvements throughout Halo 1 & 2
- Fixed Kills appropriately populating on leaderboards in Campaign missions
- Fixed time penalty issues when saving and quitting various missions
- Fixed issues resuming missions from a suspended state
- Fixed global stats not incrementing properly when completing missions in both singlepayer and co-op
- Fixed improper scoring calculations and persistence in stat-history
- Fixed multiple co-op related crashes across all Campaigns
- Fixed issues displaying duplicate PGCRs when completing a Playlist with Scoring/Timing on
Multiplayer
- Matched lobbies can now continue playing together after their match ends
- Players now begin another search instead of being returned to the Main Menu after games
- Parties are now maintained after changing the Game Session Leader
- Matchmaking Games no longer continue if entire team quits before a match starts
- Fixed players being assigned to the wrong teams from roster changes before match starts.
- Fixed win/loss conditions when an entire team quits in both Halo 3 & Halo 4
- Improved Betrayal Booting messaging
- Fixed multiple maps and conditions that caused performance issues for frames rendered
- Fixed issues with players being unable to join each other
- Fixed multiple soft locks when joining players in various states
- Fixed host migration in lobbies and peer-to-peer games
- Fixed crashes and instances where a soft lock can occur when accepting invites
- Fixed host being placed in solo game after leaving session
- Fixed Oddball issues after host quits game
- Fixed scoring disparity issues when host migration occurs
- Fixed games not ending appropriately if there is no opposing team on launch of match
- Fixed PGCR so it now reports correctly for all gametypes
- Fixed multiple medals not appearing in PGCR appropriately
- Optimized Voice chat networking to have reduced requirements
- Fixed various instances where Achievements wouldn’t appropriately unlock
- Fixed crashes when game is suspended during various MP game scenarios
- Fixed issues where guests and silver accounts were incorrectly named
- Fixed soft lock when removing players from parties
- Fixed silver accounts being able to/unable to matchmake with/without a gold profile signed in
- Fixed issues where players were kicked out of matchmaking while others in roster continued
- Fixed issues related to ranks altering after closing the title just after ranking up
Custom games, forge, and films
- Fixed issue where Xbox One X players would be removed from lobby at end of custom game
- Revert gametype settings now functions more reliably across all games
- Fixed several Custom Game stats to now correctly update for sessions where player was a client
- Enabled Host Migration in Forge for all games
- Fixed error where Temporary Gametype Files did not always list original author
- All: Added Settings to Pause Menu in Films for all supported games
- All: Fixed Dynamic Lighting not rendering in Films of Forge Maps
- H3: Fixed issue with Forge objects missing when first loading into a Forge Session
- H3: Adjusted object list window to better reflect Halo 3 assets
- H3: Adjusted Damage Modifier text to match 360 descriptions
- H4: Fixed Bumpers & Triggers not swapping correctly
- Physics have been corrected for multiple Forge related items
Global
- Correct Player Emblem now displays on Scoreboards in-game
- Improved Roster refresh & response time
- Improved Host Migration support throughout supported games
- Fixed issues with 0’s appearing for Time & Score in Leaderboards
- Fixed various medals earned not displaying in the PGCR
- Fixed issue where Guest Player’s 4 controller settings were not respected
- Fixed various crashes when returning to gameplay after the Xbox is suspended
- Voice Chat & Team Chat improvements & fixes
- Improved Leaderboard response time
- Reorganized Controller Settings Order to place most commonly changed at the top
- Fixed Error Message telling players they do not have Xbox LIVE Gold during Xbox LIVE service outage conditions
- Fixed error when a Gold Profile player with a Guest profile on the same console attempts to Join other players from an Invite.
- Parties now merge more gracefully when another Party’s host accepts an Invite
- Fixed multiple issues associated with resuming game from suspended state
- Fixed many different situations that would result in crashes
- Fixed players getting disconnected from squads in many different situations
- Fixed various issues caused with multiple controllers connected during and after gameplay
- Fixed incorrect and/or missing callout for Rosters
- Fixed issues using ‘Save As’ to create new map variants in Forge not working in all scenarios
- Fixed sorting of temporary Gametypes
- Fixed improper hero image displaying in next mission for Campaign playlists
- Fixed load time increases when local files storage is full
- Fixed issues where players in parties would lose audio in various loading situations
- Fixed multiple instances of debug text being present across the title
Halo: CE
- Fixed being returned to Main Menu after completing a Halo 1 Level in Cross-Game Playlists
- Various Text & HUD fixes
- Improved FOV for Split screen
- Fixed rare mission progress loss when player selects Save & Quit during Halo 1 Playlists
- Fixed various Halo 1 map weapon spawns not matching Xbox Retail
- Improved Magnum shot registration issues in networked matches
- Fixed bullet magnetism being incorrectly applied to teammates in Matchmaking
- Fixed a Host/Client score discrepancy on PGCR for King of the Hill matches
- Fixed enemy placement varying when restarting checkpoints
- Fixed Score & Time UI disappearing if Captain Keyes dies in Truth & Reconciliation
- Fixed double Halos appearing in Halo: CE Pillar of Autumn outro cinematic
Halo 2
- Fixed weapon fire rates not matching H2 for original Xbox
- Beating the Prophet of Regret to death with your fists now grants Campaign Scoring points
- Fixed FOVs to match original Xbox setting for both single player and split screen
- Returned original Xbox Connection & Host Migration screens for nostalgia
- Fixed rare issue with matches starting before all players have joined
- Fixed Steaktacular medal for H2C Matchmaking
- Campaign no longer resumes in Legacy graphics if player is set to Remastered graphics
- H2: Fixed invalid Team Color options appearing as selectable in various custom game modes
Halo 2 Anniversary
- Enabled Host Migration for H2A Custom Games
- Fixed Blood Thirsty! Achievement not unlocking when blasted in Matchmaking
- Fixed issues with Kill Feed not updating for every kill
- Fixed control mapping for Banshee tricks when using Universal Bump & Jump
- Fixed Kill camera in Custom Games on large-budget Forge maps
- Ninja Redux Achievement can now be earned during FFA games
- Blast Resort gametype now respects player’s Rounds to Win settings in Custom Games
- Fixed issue with incorrect HUD displaying for clients in Monitor Mode
- Fixed object misalignment issue when snapping to coordinates
- Fixed Pause Menu navigation controlling Films menus at the same time
- Fixed players being taken to the Custom Game menu when exiting Forge sessions
- Fixed numerous issues with Halo 2 Anniversary Campaign Co-op
Halo 3
- Fixed Halo 3 default Gamma/Contrast settings
- Improved lighting bloom to better reflect the Xbox 360 version’s presentation
- Re-ordered Custom Gametypes so Slayer appears first
- Guerilla Achievement unlock conditions improved
- King of Crows Achievement unlock conditions improved
- Who Needs Them? Achievement unlock conditions improved
- Reduced time for post-credit cinematics to play after completing final mission
- Fixed issues with Suicide Penalty not applying in certain gametypes
- Fixed several option descriptions to match Xbox 360 text in custom games
Halo 4
- Fixed incorrect button prompt on screen during final Didact quick time event
- Weapon Skins can now be selected independently per loadout
- Fixed bullet refunding issues when playing matches on dedicated servers
- Adjusted default Gamma settings to better match original presentation
- Fixed Tutorial prompts for Mantis melee button for various control layouts
- Fixed grenade button prompt during final Didact encounter
- Corrected Score values for various vehicles (Phantoms, Pelicans)
- Fixed stereo playback for various language audio
- Improved rubber banding during Broadsword sequence for co-op
- Fixed rare respawn issue on Ravine
- Various Achievement unlock condition improvements
- SPOPS: Skulls now have names & descriptions displayed in menu
ODST
- Theater Improvements

Known Issues

The team is aware of and actively working on/investigating the following issues for future MCC updates:
- Campaign and playlist progress counters may read as 0s across the board on initial launch
- Intelligent Delivery prioritization can be lost if console enters Connected Standby during install
- Halo 4 Forge objects exposed to the global light source may appear incorrectly
- Some career stats do not update until the title is relaunched
- Corrupted installation can occur through Intelligent Delivery installation
- Aim sensitivity feels faster in update compared to previous MCC retail
- Players idling in match are not always automatically removed from the game
- Elites are not dual wielding in various Campaign missions
- Players with high ping times may be unable to find a game
- Objects will pop-in during the Halo 4 Campaign
- Players can go out-of-sync when moving from mission to mission in Halo 2 co-op Campaign when there is an original Xbox One hosting and an Xbox One X client
- Players may need to reacquire previously collected ODST audio logs before receiving Achievements related to them

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