Halo: MCC Is Testing Mouse-And-Keyboard Support For Consoles

Halo: The Master Chief Collection continues to get new content--both on consoles and PC--more than six years after its release, and that also applies to the "flighting" pre-release program that brings new features and updates to Halo Insider members before they go live in the public game. In the next flight, a number of big features are getting added, including mouse-and-keyboard support on console.

Yes, this would have seemed borderline sacrilegious in a Halo game just a few years ago, but times are changing. Around February 18, but possibly slightly later, the next public flight for Halo: The Master Chief Collection will add mouse-and-keyboard play on consoles. Other console-specific features include FOV slider support on Xbox One, as well as an unlocked FOV slider for Xbox Series X|S if you're running your devices at 120hz. This option was previously not available at this setting. Though 120hz displays are very common, they're only recently becoming more heavily used in gaming. You need HDMI 2.1 ports for that refresh rate to work with PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Other features coming with the flight include a new Halo 3 map originally seen in the Russian game Halo Online, which was lost after the game was shut down. Who would have thought that we'd get a new map for that game more than 13 years after it released? With the Forge available now in the Master Chief Collection, it's something that feasibly could have been created. It's a whole lot easier to have it simply added to the game, however.

Custom game browsers and more Season 6 content will also be available in the flight, as well as double keybindings and new audio options. 343 is certainly doing its best to keep players interested as we continue waiting for Halo Infinite. The game is expected to arrive later this year after being delayed from its original Xbox Series X|S launch day release date. No final new date has been set, but the team is working to address issues with art and low-quality textures and character models that will, hopefully, be fixed when we actually play it. The multiplayer will also be free for everyone.