If you are a Halo fan and own an Xbox One, the holiday season of 2014 will be very merry indeed. Microsoft has confirmed that the beta test for the Xbox One exclusive first person shooter Halo 5: Guardians will officially begin on December 27.
The beta will last for about three weeks, according to Microsoft's 343 Industries leader Bonnie Ross, and will end January 17, 2015. Specifics about what content will be included in the beta have yet to be announced, although we would think that some kind of multiplayer gameplay modes would be involved. The full version of Halo 5: Guardians will be released later in 2015.
The only way to access the Halo 5: Guardians beta test, at least at the moment, is by purchasing Halo: The Master Chief Collection for the Xbox One. It's due for release on November 11 and it will contain all of the content of Halo 1, 2, 3 and 4. It will also have the graphically enhanced version of Halo: Anniversary, previously released for the Xbox 360, and the all new Halo 2: Anniversary which will get its own visual improvements.
We are also still learning more about the new Halo game collection. 343 Industries Franchise Development Director Frank O'Connor has confirmed that Forge Mode, which allowed players to create new structures inside empty multiplayer maps in Halo 3 and 4, will be a part of the Master Chief Collection. It will also support saved films in Halo 3 and 4 as well, and will be added for the first time to Halo 2.
Microsoft is still discussing how they will allow players to store and share screenshots, videos and Forge creations from the new Halo collection, although O'Connor did state, "We're going to have it. It's just a matter of deciding where it goes. We're still evaluating."
Source: Joystiq