Halo Online gameplay video leaks

HaloCE

Revealed to the world last week, Halo Online is a PC-exclusive, which is good, but also a Russia-exclusive, which is somewhat less so, at least for those of us who aren't Russian. But even if you can't play it, you can at least see what's in store thanks to a YouTuber by the name of Noble, who's posted 17 minutes of gameplay on YouTube.

There's no actual combat in the video because it was created with a loader rather than from an online session, but Noble manages to show off various weapons and vehicles across several maps. One thing he can't access is the main menu, so there's no way to see how the microtransactions will work, but he expressed concerns that the game will be "pay-to-win," as some high-priced weapons are apparently extremely powerful. He also said that weapons are "rented" rather than purchased outright, and are thus taken away after a certain period of time.

There's not a whole lot to see here, since it's essentially the equivalent of running around on an empty server shooting at trees and walls, but if you're interested in how Microsoft plans to finally bring some "new" Halo to the PC, it's definitely worth a few minutes of your time. Halo Online is expected to enter closed beta (in Russia) this spring.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.