Halo: Waypoint update drops April 15

Halo Waypoint has had a presence on Xbox Live since the end of 2009, and the community-content service will soon be getting an upgrade. Today, Microsoft and 343 Industries announced a number of new features that will be available beginning April 15 in Halo: Waypoint, as well as a service overhaul designed to streamline and speed up the online hub.

Headlining the update will be a new motion-comic series, titled The Mona Lisa, due April 23. Based on the Halo Evolutions short story collection, The Mona Lisa is set shortly after the original Halo: Combat Evolved. It tells the story of the starship UNSC Red Horse, which was sent to explore the remnants of the destroyed Halo artifact, encountering along the way a marooned prison ship, the Mona Lisa. Convenant conflict ensues.

As for tweaks to the Halo: Waypoint hub itself, Microsoft will be fully incorporating Halo: Reach achievements, stats, and play history. This update includes a new "compare with friends" feature, which lets gamers line up their stats against those of others. Additionally, players can now launch the Games on Demand version of Reach directly from Waypoint.

New Avatar items are also coming as part of the Halo: Waypoint update. Gamers will be able to pick up a new collection of Spartan helmets, Red vs. Blue Avatar wear, and a Flood infection costume beginning April 14.