It’s the end of an era. On Thursday, Microsoft and 343 Industries all matchmaking servers for classic games shut down Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo Range, and Halo 4. And while you can still play versions of these games online via the fantastic Master Chief Collection, many players took time out in the last few days leading up to January 13th to log in and mourn the end of the online multiplayer of the original games. Some helped other players get last-minute achievements while others orchestrated truces, and some just played one last game before it all ended.
The shutdown of the Xbox 360 era gloriole Server, while sad for many, came as no surprise. 343 and Microsoft announced the news back in December 2020
A popular activity over the past few days has been for players to help others unlock multiplayer-only achievements. Many players have helped others achieve the Two for One achievement halo 3, considered one of the hardest in the game. To get it you need to kill two players in one hit with the Spartan Laser. Other players have helped people “Maybe next time, buddy” award which is unlocked after stealing someone’s vehicle in less than 10 seconds, which can usually be difficult to get. But in the last days of halo 3, people were open to helping each other snag those last minute prizes and shared their plans via the game’s voice chat.
Another common occurrence in the old-school closing hours gloriole Games were players Stop games to hang out and chat. Some fired their guns in the air Simulation of a gun salute with 21 guns. Just others sat around and chatted about halo 3, her fondest memories and what made the game so special to her. It reminded me of them Armistice on Christmas Day that happened in the early days of World War I, where Soldiers from both sides left their trenches to stop fighting in the name of the holidays.
I also saw another player during a CTF match took a moment to praise halo 3 just before the flag is cut for the last time.
“Everybody, it’s been some of the greatest moments of my life,” said Halo 3 player Xxminiman15xX. “I’m very, very sad to see this ending. But there is no end, because we will always have our memories. We will always have our moments. And… we can still play on that Master Chief Collection.”
After that, the flag was cut, the match ended, and shortly after, the servers started shutting down. Players on Reddit and YouTube shared videos from Moments when the servers gave up the ghost. Other players took screenshots of the Halo 3 matchmaking screen. Normally, the globe in the lower left corner of the map would be illuminated, representing the different players around the world. But with the servers officially dead for the first time since halo 3 appeared in 2007, all the lights were off. The world was shrouded in darkness. it was over
Watch as players come together to celebrate the ending Halo 3′
To me, halo 3 was probably the last gloriole Game I really, absolutely loved. I’ve spent so much time on this Hello Reach and older games, but none of them (not even the youngest and very good infinity) ever captured the same feeling halo 3. Part of that was of course because I was younger, but also because it was one of the first online video games that I really sunk weeks of my life into.
boot up halo 3 was special, like connecting with a wild and beautiful community. The servers were full of community-made modes and maps – like the wild and crazy “speed halo” in Reach or custom parkour and racing map in halo 3. Participating in this creativity made the games feel like something actually alive and evolving. I’ve celebrated birthdays in this game. Escaped to his online action when high school got too crappy. It was a haven and a place where I met cool people. (And some racists and assholes.) That helped too halo 3 was a damn good shot too.
And while it’s true that you can still play halo 3 online about the excellent Master Chief Collection, it’s not the same. That era is now over. The fight is over. And like a good Spartan, halo 3 didn’t go quiet.
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