Halo 5 on the Xbox Series X will have faster loading times but no dedicated upgrade

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Halo 5 won't be getting the same Xbox Series X optimizations as The Master Chief Collection

Halo 5
(Image credit: 343 Industries)

Halo 5 won't be getting a fully optimized upgrade for the Xbox Series X, but it will have faster loading times and "consistently higher resolution gameplay."

In a recent Halo Waypoint update, 343 Industries confirmed that Halo 5 won't be getting the same optimizations on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The Master Chief Collection is set to come to Microsoft's next-gen consoles with an enhanced upgrade that will see it running at 4K at 120fps on the Xbox Series X and 1080p at 120fps on the Xbox Series S. It will also feature cross-generation play, improved split-screen, and faster loading times.

"After we announced the enhancements that MCC would be getting on the Xbox Series X / S, we did see questions rolling in about how Halo 5 would play on the new consoles," Halo community manager John 'Unyshek' Junyszek writes. "While Halo 5 is not getting the same optimizations for Xbox Series X and Series S as MCC, owners of the next-gen hardware are still going to see the benefits of faster load times and consistently higher resolution gameplay."

Plenty of upcoming releases and current-gen games are counted among the Xbox Series X upgrade games, with free updates set to take the titles to the next-generation with optimized graphics. A number of titles will also be making use of the hardware's Smart Delivery feature, which enables you to play the games on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X. 

While Halo 5 won't have enhanced graphics, faster loading times is a welcome benefit. The upcoming Halo Infinite is set to launch sometime in 2021, with no set release date just yet. After the game was pushed from its initial holiday 2020 window, news recently suggests that the main campaign and multiplayer could still launch separately.  

Gearing up for the next generation? Check out our roundup of all of the Xbox Series X launch games, or watch the video below. 

Heather Wald
Heather Wald
Evergreen Editor, Games

Heather Wald is the Evergreen Editor, Games at GamesRadar+. Her writing career began on a student-led magazine at Bath Spa University, where she earned a BA (Hons) in English literature. Heather landed her first role writing about tech and games for Stuff Magazine shortly after graduating with an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University. Now with almost seven years of experience working with GamesRadar+ on the features team, Heather helps to develop, maintain, and expand the evergreen features that exist on the site for games, as well as spearhead the Indie Spotlight series. You'll also see her contribute op-eds, interview-led features, and more. In her spare time, you'll likely find Heather tucking into RPGs and indie games, reading romance novels, and drinking lots of tea.