Summary
A fan project has brought the originalHalo 2’s multiplayer back to life, 14 years after its servers closed down for the last time. WhileHalo 2’s multiplayer did receive a re-release alongsideHalo: The Master Chief Collection, this project aims to bring back the original servers, exactly how they were back in 2004.
For many players,Halo 2is one of the most nostalgic games of all time. Bungie’s 2004 FPS was one of the big reasons that Xbox Live became a roaring success, giving gamers memories to cherish for years to come. However, the servers were shut down back in 2010 alongside the original Xbox Live services, much to the dismay of the community. During its original run,Halo 2cemented itself as one of thebest sci-fi shootersever made, which is why one set of gamers was so keen to see it return.
Insignia is a fan project that touts itself as “a replacement for the Xbox Live functionality on Original Xbox consoles.” As part of this, the project has now managed to relaunchHalo 2’s multiplayer with 10 classic playlists, including Rumble Pit, Team Swat, and Big Team Battle.Halo 2went live on Insignia on March 15, and while the project doesn’t have too many players at the moment, it’s fascinating to see one of thebest exclusives on the original Xboxcome to life all over again.
At the moment, it isn’t clear how long it will take for all titles on the original Xbox to become supported by Insignia. Some games already supported includeFar Cry: Instincts,Burnout 2: Point of Impact, andStar Wars: Battlefront 1and2, so there’s a decent library available for those wanting to jump in. Hopefully, it isn’t too long before all thebest Xbox-exclusive franchisesare able to play online once again, and right now, the project certainly seems to be making extremely good progress.Halo 2is by far the biggest game added to Insignia, and it’s amazing to see it playable again.
It’s a strange time to be a fan of theHaloseries. At this point,Halo Infiniteis a few years old and in great shape, although it struggled to fully retain players' attention after a rocky launch period. 343 Industries has done a great job updating the game over the years, bringing it up to the standard expected of aHalogame, and the same can be said ofThe Master Chief Collection. However, onenew report is bad news forHalo: The Master Chief Collectionplayers, confirming that development on the title may be halted for the time being. Considering how disastrous its launch was in 2014, it’s hard to believe how beloved it has become in the years since due to the efforts of 343 Industries.
Halo 2
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Following the destruction of Halo, humankind experiences a short-lived victory. Eager for revenge, the Covenant launches a surprise attack on Earth, but they find themselves ill-prepared to defeat the UNSC’s home fleet and are forced to flee into slipspace. When the Master Chief pursues his overzealous enemies, they discover yet another Halo ring, uncovering long-buried secrets, including an unlikely ally, that will dramatically alter the course of the Human-Covenant Conflict forever.
