Firefight, the Halo mode where a squad holds out against wave after wave of enemies, is coming to Halo: Campaign Evolved as a free update this winter. It supports four players, and it is a co-op fight against the computer rather than against other people.
Halo Studios announced the update on 12 November. The XBOX FanFest event that evening gave attendees the first hands-on time, on new maps and with a range of weapons to pick from. No release date has been given beyond “this winter”.
More details are promised at Halo Fest, which takes place December 12-13 in Seattle. Fans at the event will be able to play Firefight throughout the weekend. Halo Studios said in its Xbox Wire post that the update is part of celebrating 25 years of Halo and XBOX together.
The mode has a long history with the series. Halo Studios describes Firefight as a fan favourite for nearly two decades, built around teaming up, holding a position and surviving round after round of attackers. Adding it to a remake of the first game’s campaign gives owners a reason to return after finishing the story, and playing with friends does not depend on anyone else’s schedule or ranking.
Players who already own the game will not pay for it, as the studio calls it a free update. How many maps ship, which platforms get it on day one and whether it needs a separate download were not part of the announcement, so those details are likely to come at Halo Fest.
