Halo 5 Beta Remains on Schedule Amid Master Chief Collection Issues

Halo: The Master Chief Collection's launch issues have been so serious that developer 343 Industries needed to delay twin-stick shooter Halo: Spartan Strike to 2015 so it could prioritize fixing the game's bugs.

But don't expect other projects, such as the upcoming Halo 5: Guardians beta, to have their release windows impacted.

A Microsoft representative with the Halo team told GameSpot that Halo 5's multiplayer beta is in the final stages of testing, and remains on schedule to begin later this month as planned.

"The Halo 5: Guardians development team is currently going through final testing phases of the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta in preparation for the official launch," the representative said. "Everything currently remains on track for release on Dec. 29."

The Master Chief Collection stumbled out of the gate upon release in November, with players reporting painfully long matchmaking times and frequently uneven teams. Matchmaking times have improved since launch, and instances of uneven teams are far less prevalent. Still, the game is not out of the woods just yet, and 343 has pledged to continue to support it with further content updates.

The Halo 5 multiplayer beta will be available December 29 for people who bought The Master Chief Collection. The trial, which runs in 720p and ends January 19, will let players sample the game's many new player abilities, including ground pound and thrusters.

As for why 343 is releasing the beta so early--after all, Halo 5 doesn't launch until fall 2015--Microsoft says it's hoping to gather meaningful feedback. This is only possible with such an extended lead time, 343 executive producer Dan Ayoub said in a November interview.

You can see Halo 5's multiplayer in action through the video above.