The March Update for Halo 3's playlist sees Bungie taking some steps to end the dominance of COD4 and, if they have any luck, return Halo 3 to the top of the charts. The major change implemented by the playlist would be the creation of what are being called "DoubleXP Weekend Playlists" that are just like they sound, and which will start for the first time this Thursday at midnight (or thereabouts) with the playlist Grifball. In addition, the playlist for the those players who have the DLC has also been updated to give a choice between objective and slayer games. The update also includes a multitude of smaller changes that mainly have to do with in-game exploits, and the full list can be found after the break. Will twice the XP in "flavored" playlists be enough to bring back the masses who seem to have migrated elsewhere? Doubtful, only the DLC eventually being free has the potential to do that.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Full list of update changes after the break.
Changes Live Now:
- Fixed map exploit on The Pit
- Fixed map exploit on Construct
- Fixed map exploit on Epitaph
- Reduced Ranked Big Team Battle "Large party" size to six players and increased Big Team threshold to two
- Fixed Spartan Laser falling through map
- Fixes to matchmaking to allow more even leveling for players
- Disabled Mixed Skill restrictions for RBTB and Team Slayer
- Grifball, the game created by Burnie Burns of Red vs. Blue will be an unranked, weekend-long social playlist awarding DoubleXP to winning teams. We've slightly adjusted some of the rules for Grifball (unlimited round times make for unlimited griefing potential), but kept the game's core intact. You'll be able to go in with party configurations ranging from one to eight people. This playlist will be available from Thursday, March 6 at midnight until March 10 at midnight (all times Pacific Standard). I apparently forgot to mention that the Grifball hopper is being treated like a Tournament hopper -- a hopper where there will be prizes. Tournament prizes.
- Beginning March 20 at midnight will be the return of Team SWAT in the Social, DoubleXP variety. Team SWAT is an old Halo 2 gametype where players have no shields, increased body health and do not have the luxury of radar. This eight-player maximum hopper will be completely Team Slayer focused with the SWAT ruleset. This weekend playlist will be available from March 20 at midnight until March 23 at midnight (all times Pacific Standard).
