14 DAY TRIAL // 343 Industries confirms that with the multiplayer mode in the upcoming Halo 5: Guardians first-person shooter, it wants to place a big emphasis on eSports competitions, by featuring a special spectator mode and various other mechanics.
Halo 5: Guardians launches in fall of 2015, but until then, developer 343 Industries is set to release a special multiplayer beta at the end of the month on the Xbox One platform so that fans can jump in and try out some of the new mechanics and features the studio plans for the final game.
Halo 5: Guardians focuses on eSports
Seeing as how the multiplayer trial will only feature competitive experiences, the studio wants to ensure that it can already get a fanbase surrounding Halo 5: Guardians as an eSports experience, in which professional players can be admired by others from around the world while playing against similarly skilled opponents.
According to 343 Industries' Josh Holmes, who has talked with IGN about the new title, the Halo franchise has always focused on competitive experiences, so eSports is a natural evolution.
"When you think about Halo, it’s such a tailor-made experience for eSports, especially with that competitive edge, getting back to the level playing field and everything. So we put a lot of focus on surrounding features," he explains.
The spectator mode in the beta allows for easy viewing
The Halo 5: Guardians beta is set to feature a special spectator mode through which players can watch their friends' matches and easily flip between first and third-person views. They can also start commentating on the match and stream it via Twitch using the built-in Xbox One support.
Professional players will also be highlighted not only on Twitch but also on the Halo Channel app on the Xbox One, so that fans can easily admire the performances of those people and pick up any tips that they might be sharing.
The system also allows to rewind and then fast-forward through a match, in order to examine more closely certain plays or situations.
Halo 5: Guardians has seven skill groups
Holmes has also confirmed that there are seven skill groups in the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer, and the top 200 players will be assigned the Pro status. The rest of the categories include Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Semi-Pro.
You can bet that more details about the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta are going to arrive as we get closer to its release on the Xbox One later this month.
