Following the Halo Classic earlier this year, the Halo Championship Series Invitational will be present at SXSW Gaming. There will be a variety of Halo experiences and tournaments that will feature pro players and fans. The HCS Invitational will span all three days of SXSW Gaming starting on March 15-17.
Other Halo events happening during SXSW Gaming are as follows. On Friday, the Microsoft Store Tournament Halo 2v2 Throwdown will happen; and on Saturday, a 16-player Halo Big Team Battle Bonanza and Snip3down vs. Lethul Halo Rivals Show Match.
The top six teams from the Halo Classic were invited for a double elimination Halo 3 showdown for a $100,000 prize. The 2v2 Throwdown has hometown heroes competing with regional pros for a $5,000 prize.
The Big Team Battle Bonanza will feature pros, casters, content creators and fans competing alongside each other on the tournament stage. Attendees at the SXSW Gaming event will also have a chance to compete for a $5,000 prize in an open Free-For-All tournament.
Tahir “Tashi” Hasandjekic, the Lead Esports Producer at 343 Industries had this to say about the announcement. “Being at SXSW Gaming is a perfect fit for the HCS Invitational, and we’re excited to be a part of one of the largest cultural touchstone events in the world.” He also said that with the HCS Invitational, 343 Industries is “looking to bring new flavors of entertainment to Halo esports in unique and exciting ways.”
Recently revealed on this month’s Inside Xbox was the news that Halo: The Master Chief Collection will be coming to PC. In addition, Halo: Reach will be added to the collection, giving players every Halo game that was released in the past up until Halo 5: Guardians.
More Halo news is coming later in the year as well. It was confirmed that Halo: Infinite will be at E3 this year and that it will be released for the Xbox One and will not be next-gen title.
Lastly, an interactive Halo experience called Halo: Outpost Discovery will come to select cities in the summer. It will feature Halo history exhibits, laser tag battles, playable game experiences, and more.