Bungie Announce New Halo 3 Multiplayer Changes

[Xbox 360 News]

In a constant effort to make the Halo 3 online multiplayer experience the best it can be, Bungie have recently announced a number of changes to improve the service.

One new feature is the addition of DoubleXP weekends and a number of tweaks to the matchmaking and DLC playlists.

According to Bungie:

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 6th at noon until March 10th at 12:01 AM. (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 20th at noon 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 20th at noon until March 24th at 12:01 AM (all times Pacific).

Other changes include matchmaking and several multiplayer maps:

• * 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 occasionally falling through map on Sandtrap
• * Fixes to matchmaking to allow more even leveling for players
• * Disabled Mixed Skill restrictions for RBTB and Team Slayer

These changes have been live for the last few days, what do you think of them? Still room for improvement?

[via Bungie]

[surfinrach90]

Think there's room for improvement yeah, I mean these are only like weekend things to draw people in so..

[johnfive5]

when is the map pack going to be free

[TTR Dr Payne]

I think it comes free around the time the next map pack comes out(think its called the Legendary Map pack?)

[IllBashU]

Originally Posted by johnfive5

when is the map pack going to be free

Originally Posted by Bungie

All three maps will become available for free download via Xbox LIVE Marketplace in Spring 2008, just prior to the next wave of new Halo 3 multiplayer maps.

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[TTR Dr Payne]

lol well thats what you get for not reading the article..

[Tearo]

I feel like playing some Free For All halo 3..Lol