I think we're just getting started
Over the past few days, babies were born, presidents were elected, and games were released—one of which just happened to be Halo 4.
To say we’ve been overwhelmed by the response to our game would an understatement. We’re humbled by your feedback and blown away by how many of you are spending significant amounts of time traversing our virtual battlefields. Here is a teeny-tiny peek into our day one numbers:
More people played Halo 4 in the first 24 hours than any other Halo launch day in history.
We’ll be sharing more details on Monday, but that should whet your appetite for the hard stats that are coming. Thank you for playing our game and stay tuned for additional updates,
because we have some amazing things planned for the future of Halo 4.
Next Week's Matchmaking Playlist Update
As you read the above title, you’re probably thinking, “We get a Matchmaking update already?!” and the answer is yes, you do indeed get a Matchmaking update already. Welcome to Halo 4, Spartans!
Halo 4 Matchmaking updates will occur on a more frequent basis than what you’re accustomed to with Reach. Instead of monthly updates, we will be providing weekly updates, with the goal being to provide fresh content on a regular basis. We will maintain a static set of playlists and feature one or two “rotational” playlists on top of that. We will be monitoring trends and statistics closely so we can react accordingly to your preferences and likes. For instance, if one of our rotational playlists consistently holds a higher population than one of our static playlists, we will consider swapping them out based on player demand. The process will be fluid and based on numbers, and we’re extremely excited about the benefits of our new approach.
So, what brand new playlist do you get next week? You get everybody’s favorite “Boom, headshot!” game type. Oh yes, it’s time for
SWAT! By the way, please excuse the sobbing you might be hearing right now. It’s Frankie, weeping his man-tears of joy.
Now, on to the nitty-gritty of SWAT in Halo 4.
We’ve carefully balanced the damage resistance to allow both the Battle Rifle and the DMR to compete against each other in SWAT. Another change is that we’ve removed the shield HUD; so combined with disabled radar and no ordnance, you get even more visibility during a match.
Below are the exact number of shots it takes for each weapon to kill.
• DMR – 3 bullets to the chest, 1 bullet to the head
• Magnum – 3 bullets to the chest, 1 bullet to the head
• BR – 7 bullets to the chest (this gun shoots three bullets in a burst, so the first bullet of the third burst will kill the player), 1 bullet to the head
These are the maps that will appear in the SWAT playlist.
• Haven
• Adrift
• Complex
• Abandon
• Solace
Here are some strategies for those unfamiliar with the SWAT game type.
• Aim for the head!
• Use a DMR for long range encounters and a BR to sweep hallways.
• A Magnum is more effective than melee at very close range because of its incredibly fast fire speed.
• Use callouts with your teammates; communication allows you to work more efficiently as a team.
• Pick up a DMR or BR off of an enemy. Having both weapons is a big advantage.
• Learn the maps to keep your reticle at headshot level.
And finally, here’s a preview of our planned settings.
Mode
SWAT
Teams
4v4
Score to Win
600 [60 Kills]
Loadout 1
DMR, Magnum
Loadout 2
BR, Magnum
Grenades
Disabled
Shields
Disabled
Damage Resistance
.8 – Headshot = Instant kill
Motion Tracker
Off
Infinite Ammo
On
Shield HUD
Disabled
Ordnance
Disabled
We hope you love SWAT in Halo 4. After you’ve had a chance to play it, be sure to visit the Matchmaking section of our forums to leave your feedback about this particular game type.
See you next week, and thanks again for joining us on this amazing journey. We appreciate your support, more than you know.
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