Halo 5: Forge custom game browser is launching on PC this week

When Halo 5: Forge launched for PC earlier this year, it kinda felt like PC players were expected to create map content for the Xbox One community, rather than enjoy the multiplayer component for themselves. That's going to change this week, with the long promised custom game browser launching on December 8.

 As part of a massive new update to the Xbox version of the game called Monitor's Bounty, PC players will get full access to the Arena and Forge modes. There's no matchmaking, but with the custom browser you'll be able to find a match easily enough, or simply create your own.

"We know getting a full fireteam together to run customs isn’t always easy, and while Looking For Group is great for appointment gaming, sometimes you just want to jump in and discover something new," UX design lead Vincent Hui said. "The new Custom Games Browser enables you to search for in-progress games from the main menu."

Meanwhile, the content browser will let you browse matches that suit your taste. Here are some screenshots of the UI:

When Forge first hit the Windows Store back in August, Wes predicted that once the custom game browser launched, Halo 5 on PC would explode. Whether that proves the case or not, the F2P shooter is good news for anyone desperate for Halo MP on PC, and that's clearly a lot of people.

For the full patch notes you can click over here, but they're mostly focused on the core Xbox One game.

Shaun Prescott

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.