More Halo 5 Details To Know With a Week To Go

Halo 5: Guardians is no longer this mysterious game that Microsoft hopes will boost sales of the Xbox One. Don’t get me wrong, the company does hope that Halo 5: Guardians will be the console’s coming out party, its chance to show fans who turned their back on Microsoft’s efforts that it listens to their feedback. If Microsoft’s plan goes right, millions will upgrade from Xbox 360 to Xbox One consoles this holiday season too.

What I mean to say is that Microsoft has revealed just about everything there is to know about Halo 5: Guardians and the Halo 5: Guardians release. We’ve known for months that the game would focus on the battle between two characters instead of one. We know about Spartan Locke’s motivations and about ONI’s decision to fake the Master Chief’s death. Microsoft revealed all the different Halo 5 pre-orders and extras this summer.

With a week left until the Halo 5 release date, we’re left to ponder the finer details. The big reveals are out-of-the-way, but the tiny ones aren’t. In the last week Microsoft has discussed its Halo 5 release launch festivities and given players a little more to prepare for before the game arrives.

Read: 5 Things To Do Before the Halo 5 Release Date

Halo 5 Guardians  Release Date is and You Can Still Pre-Order

For as much as Microsoft has revealed, the Halo 5: Guardians release date hasn’t changed. Anyone who pre-ordered or decides not to pre-order can expect Halo 5: Guardians to arrive on store shelves and at their front door on October 27th. You can find out more about the different versions of the game and pre-order bonuses and participating retailers here. Every retailer is still taking Halo 5: Guardians pre-orders. Best Buy and GameStop will be open at midnight to let users pick up their purchases.

Get Halo 5: Guardians Characters in Minecraft Today

Microsoft keeps finding impressive new ways to build Halo 5 release hype. The company began this week with a small tease. People can actually become Spartan 117 and Spartan Locke this Friday – provided they have Minecraft.

Microsoft announced an update to the $3.99 Halo content pack for Minecraft that adds in Master Chief, Spartan Locke and more on Xbox Wire this week.. The pack also includes some textures from the new game. The pack already came with large worlds taken directly from the Minecraft universe. Also included in the pack are Spartan’s Buck, Tanaka, Vale, Kelly, Linda and Frederic. They’re the Spartan’s that plays will be able to give orders to in Halo 5: Guardians.

Customize Your Spartan for Arena & Warzone Now

Halo Waypoint has long been the online destination for everything related to Microsoft’s premier first-person shooter franchise. This week the site got some crucial updates ahead of the Halo 5 release.

As of yesterday, Halo 5: Guardians buyers can customize the Spartan they’ll be using in Warzone multiplayer and Arena multiplayer. Customizations include the right chest pieces, helmets and more. Additionally, any REQ Packs that users have gotten for pre-ordering the game can be opened online.

Create or Join a Spartan Company to Participate in Warzone in for Extra REQ Cards

While you’re opening the REQ Packs that you were given when you pre-ordered the game, you can also earn a new one specifically for joining or creating something called a Spartan Company.

Read: Spartan Companies Revealed as Halo 5 Release Looms

Spartan Companies are really just clans made specifically for Halo. Anyone is able to create a Spartan Company complete with its own emblem, color scheme and more. Spartan Companies have up to 100 different players and makes it easier to manage large groups of friends that you play with on a regular basis. Create or join a Spartan Company now to get a special REQ Pack.

Pre-Load the Halo 5: Guardians Release Day Update This Thursday

Last week Microsoft confirmed that Halo 5: Guardians would need to download a 9GB update to their game before they could participate in multiplayer. At the time, the company encouraged users who’d pre-ordered to download the update as soon as possible and save themselves from having to download it on release night.

https://twitter.com/JoshingtonState/status/656204301426139136

343 Industries’ Josh Holmes confirmed on Twitter this week that anyone who has pre-ordered a digital copy of Halo 5: Guardians can download the upgrade beginning October 22nd. This gives users plenty of time to get the update before launch night. Unfortunately, users who purchase physical copies will still have to do that update on release night. There’s no way around that.

Read: 5 More Things To DO Before the Halo 5 Release Date

All told, the Halo 5: Guardians release date still looks to be the most exciting launch on Xbox One or any living room gaming console this year. Users who pre-ordered the Limited Collector’s Edition Halo 5 Bundle should expect to receive their package today. Those buying other versions of the game will have to wait until the night of October 26th to pick those up.