Xbox Game Studios and 343 Industries have announced they will be shutting the Xbox 360 multiplayer servers for multiple Halo titles.
In a news post on Halo Waypoint, 343 Industries detailed how the multiple Halo titles would be “sunset” (the closing of the game’s multiplayer servers over time). The upkeep of those servers requires more time and resources than ever, which is affecting future projects, while those using it continue to dwindle.
By December 2021, the online services for Halo titles on Xbox 360 (even when played on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S through backwards compatibility) will have been discontinued. The full list of these titles include Halo: Reach , Halo 4 , Halo 3 , Halo 3: ODST , Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary , Halo: Spartan Assault , and Halo Wars.
You can find the full rundown on each phase below.
“Phase One – Fall 2019
- One-time migration of over 6M pieces of Halo Xbox 360 Legacy UGC data to Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Phase Two – December 2020 (WE ARE HERE)
- Initial notification to players
- Digital sales of Halo Xbox 360 titles are halted
- *Halo Xbox 360 DLC can still be acquired at no cost
Phase Three – 2021
- Continued messaging and reminders throughout the year across Halo channels
Phase Four – December 2021 *(TBD, no sooner than 1 year from the date of today’s blog)
- Halo Xbox 360 legacy services are turned off”
343 Industries recommends users complete any online-based achievements before their server closes. Halo Wars: Definitive Edition will not be affected by the multiplayer servers being shut down. You can find the full FAQ here.
It should be noted that many of these titles are available in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, along with multiplayer. Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available on Windows PC (via Steam), Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
