Microsoft has confirmed the Halo 5 Beta release date for this year! Halo 5: Guardians may not be hitting until the fall of 2015, but if you buy the Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One from November 11th, 2014, then you’ll gain access to the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta when it launches on Saturday, December 27th 29th, 2014. It’s a Limited Time Beta that ends on Thursday, January 22nd 18th, 2015.

Watch the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta announcement video:

Halo 5 Beta Release Date

Tip: Gear up for the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta by unlocking exclusive content in The Master Chief Collection and Halo: Nightfall. These exclusive items will carry over into Halo 5: Guardians (sold separately).

The Master Chief Collection includes Halo: Combat Evolved in HD, Halo 2 in HD, Halo 3, and Halo 4 on a single disc or download for $60, and will additionally give fans an actual taste of what it’s like to play the first next-gen Halo FPS with access to the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta being included. Welcoming fans this December, the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta offers a taste of the new multiplayer gameplay and features coming next year with the game’s full release.

Whether you’re a new Xbox One owner wondering what the fuss is about, or a seasoned Spartan looking to revisit gaming’s signature sci-fi epic, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a must-have that will keep you locked, loaded, and littering the landscape with Covenant corpses until Halo 5: Guardians lands next year.

Take a look at the Halo: The Master Chief Collection trailer:

Did you really need the Halo 5 Beta as an excuse to get Halo: The Master Chief Collection? 😀