Halo 5: Forge will have a custom game browser on PC

The excitement around Halo 5: Forge has been a little bit muted, you might say, because it's really more of an editor for Halo 5: Guardians on the Xbox One than it is a full-blown game. But NeoGAF user Stinkles, aka Halo franchise development director Frank O'Connor, dropped a bombshell today when he revealed that it will (at some point after launch) include a custom game browser, essentially turning it into a full-blown, free online shooter. 

The comment came in this NeoGAF thread, in which O'Connor remarked on his improving mouse/keyboard skills and then added, “Once the custom game browser is available I think the community might get crazy legit.” In a follow-up, he added, “Won't be there at launch. But it's comin'.” 

That's a big bit of news (and kind of an odd thing to just drop casually on GAF), because the presence of a game browser takes Forge from a “make stuff for our real audience” tool to a real and proper game in its own right: A free online shooter with potentially unlimited maps and modes. We don't know exactly how it will work yet, but a 343 Industries spokesperson confirmed that the post on GAF is legit. 

“Yes, a join-in-progress custom games browser is currently in development for Halo 5: Forge (Win10) and Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox One) and is planned for release in a future content update,” the rep said. 

That changes things, doesn't it? Halo 5: Forge will be out on September 8. The system requirements were revealed last week.

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Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

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