Halo 5’s Forge level editor has been added to the Microsoft Store this morning, in preparation of its release tomorrow. The free editor, which was first announced this past May, allows Windows 10 users across the globe to create maps for Halo 5 that can be played on both Xbox One and PC.
According to the official Microsoft Store, Halo 5: Forge features mouse and keyboard support and optimizations for PC players, with support added for 4K resolution setups. It also lets users play custom content in both Halo 5: Forge and Halo 5: Guardians. Levels created on PC can later be played on Xbox One and vice-versa, with up to 16 players supported in custom matches. Sadly, no matchmaking options exist for PC users, but a server browser is planned for Halo 5: Forge later on down the road according to NeoGAF posts by Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor under his username Stinkles.
There’s a catch, of course, to Halo 5: Forge‘s Windows 10 release: The system requirements are quite hefty. At the bare minimum, players must have DirectX 12 support, an Intel i5 at 2.3 GHz or better and a GeForce 650 Ti or AMD R7 260x. For recommended specs, 4 GBs of RAM is ideal, as well as a GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 380. While pretty standard for most PC setups, players with integrated laptop graphics cards probably won’t be able to make use of Halo 5: Forge any time soon. Oh, and you need to have Windows 10 installed before you begin playing. Sorry Windows 7, Vista and XP users.
Users on /r/games reported that they were already able to begin downloading Halo 5: Forge this morning, but the ability was later greyed out. With the launch planned for September 8th, the rest of us will have to wait an extra day to sink their level editing and fragging skills into Microsoft’s Halo 5 PC foray. Why not reinstall Halo: Combat Evolved and play a few rounds in the meantime for nostalgia’s sake?
