‘Halo: The Master Chief Collection’ Tournament Cancelled Because The Game Is Still Broken
The first leg in the official Halo: The Master Chief Collection tournament has been canceled, but not because of any issues with the tournament itself. The tournament was canceled because the game, which launched last November, is still broken by all estimation.
Announced via the official Twitter account for Halo, the tweet stated that it was a “joinability” issue that caused the Halo: The Master Chief Collection tournament to be cancelled.
We're aware of and investigating party joinability issues. As a result, we'll be canceling HCS Cup #1, and apologize for the inconvenience.
— Halo (@Halo) April 26, 2015
The HCS, or Halo Championship Series, is a partnered tournament with the ESL and has been for a couple of months now. This tournament was the first of many to come leading up to the Season 2 Finals in Burbank, California, this July 26. No word yet on whether the delay with the recent cancellation will cause any issues going forward towards the finals.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection has faced a myriad of issues since launching in November 2014. Matchmaking issues, dropped games, and the exclusion of promised playlists because of those issues plagued the Master Chief Collection launch. Even today, six months later, there are still issues that plague the multiplayer modes in Halo.
Many fans were understandably not happy with this development:
@Halo oh wow, multiplayer is broken again. What a shock.
— Eli (@its3li) April 26, 2015
@Halo You guys still haven't fixed this game yet? LOL
— BRAD HOLMES ENJOYER (@BigTheTank) April 26, 2015
@Halo You had one job 343 and you done messed it up!
— Kev (@GloriousKev) April 27, 2015
Halo rose to popularity not just for its story but its matchmaking modes and extremely addicting multiplayer, which made the issue of broken matchmaking all the more egregious to some fans. To have a sanctioned tournament cancelled because of those very issues is bad for both 343 Industries and Microsoft, who are looking to build momentum for Halo 5: Guardians this fall. Recently, the Inquisitrunveiled the box art and speculated as to the meaning behind the images.
ESL Gaming’s Halo Championship Series pits teams of four Spartans against each other in Halo 2:Anniversary. While the cancellation shouldn’t put the tournament as a whole in jeopardy, it doesn’t bode well for Microsoft, especially to have its flagship game facing so many issues. No official word from Microsoft as to whether the issues that caused the cancellation were widespread, or simply a local issue they couldn’t work out in time for the tournament.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection features the four major Halo games from the previous eras: Halo CE: Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, and Halo 4. With the issues that the multiplayer has had, they have unfortunately, but rightly, overshadowed the incredible job 343 Industries did to bring the games over to the Xbox One.
What are your thoughts on Halo: The Master Chief Collection issues causing the cancellation of the first Season 2 tournament in the Halo Championship Series? Sound off in the comments below.
[Images via ESL Gaming]
