The year is 2021. Halo Infinite is about to be released. And now, Halo 3–a game originally released in 2007–is getting a new DLC map, its third in the past year for the 14-year-old game.
In a forum post, 343 Industries announced that a “new” map called Icebox is headed to Halo 3 in the next update (or at least that’s the tentative plan). This isn’t an entirely new map, as it’s a remake of the Halo 2 map Turf, but it is new for Halo 3. You can see a sneak peek at the map below.
Turf will be the third Halo 3 map added in the past year, following two maps from the canceled free-to-play Halo Online, Waterfall and Edge. In fact, Icebox is also from Halo Online and is now making its way to Halo 3 from inside The Master Chief Collection.
Halo 2’s Turf is coming to Halo 3 as Icebox
The release of new DLC maps for Halo 3 isn’t actually a surprise, as 343 developers said earlier this year that fans could look forward to more maps coming to the game.
Icebox could be released into Halo 3 through The Master Chief Collection as soon as the upcoming Season 8 update, but 343 can’t promise anything. As usual, Icebox and other Season 8 content is being tested through beta tests, or flights, before launching for everyone. Depending on how the tests go, some content might be held back, which is not unusual.
In addition to the new Halo 3 map, 343 is looking to roll out lots more features and updates to MCC in Season 8. This includes new customization options, new campaign collectibles, better player-reporting tools, and performance improvements for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.
You can see the full list below, but again, remember that not everything is guaranteed to release with Season 8 (which doesn’t have a release date).
Halo: MCC Season 8 Content
- Halo: Reach Firefight update to include Firefight voice previews, more granular body type and voice.
- Halo 3: ODST Firefight update to include per wave customization options bringing it up closer to Halo: Reach’s options.
- Custom Game Browser (CGB) for Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 3 as well as Phase 2 implementations which includes updates to filters, search options, and overall improvements to the Create, Browse, and Session Details page.
- Halo: Combat Evolved is seeing the return of the classic HUD with 4k support and a toggle in Settings.
- View model offsets for weapons across all games in MCC.
- Season 8 customization content which globally includes nameplates.
- Halo 3 content includes new armor, visors, back accessories, weapon and vehicles skins, and more.
- Halo: Reach content includes new helmets.
- All new Campaign collectibles in the Halo 3 campaign.
- Campaign customization for Halo: CE and Halo 3 to allow vehicle and weapon skins when selecting options.
- File Share now available for the PC platform with ability to set trust levels for saving files (official, friends, untrusted) and an option to report inappropriate files.
- Player Reporting has been added to additional areas including scoreboards post-match.
- Accessibility features including improved subtitles (subtitle size, color, shadow color, and background color) and all-new color blindness options.
- Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary has seen performance improvements in campaign in remastered visuals.
- A new map for Halo 3, called Icebox has been added which is a remake of the classic Halo 2 map, Turf.
- Steam account linking is now available on your player profile to see your Steam friends in-game.
Source: Gamespot
