Season 5: Anvil is a season for Halo: The Master Chief Collection, released on January 27, 2021.[1] 343 Industries included previously-cut AKIS and Mariner helmets as part of this update,[5] after they were pushed back from Season 4 due to difficulties encountered during development.[6] Additionally, Season 5 sees the introduction of 12 armor sets from the cancelled game Halo Online into Halo 3.[7]
The season is named after ANVIL Station and Anvil Initiative; a space station known for testing the MJOLNIR armors introduced with the update and a the organization that runs the station, respectively.[8] The season's logo is the Anvil Initiative's logo: a Human and a Sangheili shaking hands.
Season unlocks[edit]
Season 5 added the following content to the game. Notably, the Halo: Reach and Halo 3 customization options were implemented into the game in the Season 4 December update, as available for preview in the game's menus. However, they are unable to be unlocked and used in-game without the use of modding.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection[edit]
Halo: Reach[edit]
- 2 new Halo: Reach helmets: AKIS, Mariner
- 3 Halo: Reach helmet attachments for AKIS: GRD, CBRN, GRD/CBRN
- 3 Halo: Reach helmet attachments for Mariner: Mister Chief, Defiant and OPTREX
- Six new Halo: Reach chest armors, five of which are new robot arm variants of existing chests and one new:
- Default [R]
- UA/Counterassault [R]
- Tactical/Recon [R]
- Tactical/Patrol [R]
- Collar/Grenadier [UA] [R]
- EXO/TSCS
For Halo 3, the existing "New Skins in Halo 3" toggle will be updated to include the new armor permutations mentioned below alongside weapon and vehicle skins. If the new cosmetics are turned off, any players using Halo Online-based armor will instead display as using the default Mark VI.[9]
- Techsuit customization for Halo 3[7]
- Two new techsuit options for Halo 3 (GEN2 and GEN2 Tinted)
- The game's original GEN1 techsuit has been replaced with an updated, slimmer techsuit based on the Halo 2: Anniversary design for compatibility with the new armour
- Forearm and leg armor customization for Halo 3
- Twelve new armor permutations for Halo 3, originally from Halo Online:[7]
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- 26 new weapon skins and 1 new vehicle skin for Halo 3
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| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 1 |
 1 |
AKIS helmet and Reach Metal nameplate |
|
| 2 |
1 |
Bullet nameplate |
|
| 3 |
1 |
Air Assault helmet |
|
| 4 |
1 |
SMG Scorpio skin |
|
| 5 |
1 |
Suture forearms |
|
| 6 |
1 |
Tanker chest |
|
| 7 |
1 |
Air Assault shoulders |
 
|
| 8 |
1 |
Tanker legs |
|
| 9 |
1 |
Aviator helmet |
|
| 10 |
1 |
Mariner helmet |
|
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 11 |
1 |
Aviator chest |
|
| 12 |
1 |
Air Assault forearms |
|
| 13 |
1 |
No Entry and Bullet Stack nameplates |
|
| 14 |
1 |
Warrior chest |
|
| 15 |
1 |
Air Assault chest |
|
| 16 |
1 |
Pioneer forearms |
|
| 17 |
1 |
Aviator shoulders |
 
|
| 18 |
1 |
Battle Rifle Desert skin |
|
| 19 |
1 |
Soldier helmet |
|
| 20 |
1 |
EXO/TSCS chest |
|
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 21 |
1 |
Battle Rifle Scarlet Thorn skin |
|
| 22 |
1 |
Rocket Launcher Hazard Pay skin |
|
| 23 |
1 |
Tanker shoulders |
 
|
| 24 |
1 |
Bandage nameplate |
|
| 25 |
1 |
Default [R] chest |
|
| 26 |
1 |
Demo chest |
|
| 27 |
1 |
Air Assault legs |
|
| 28 |
1 |
Needler schism skin |
|
| 29 |
1 |
Pioneer shoulders |
 
|
| 30 |
1 |
AKIS CBRN helmet attachment |
|
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 31 |
1 |
Plasma Pistol Schism skin |
|
| 32 |
1 |
Demo forearms |
|
| 33 |
1 |
Battle Rifle Hunter's Blood skin |
|
| 34 |
1 |
Pioneer chest |
|
| 35 |
1 |
Cowboy Shells nameplate |
|
| 36 |
1 |
Carbine Zealot skin |
|
| 37 |
1 |
Demo helmet |
|
| 38 |
1 |
Deadeye chest |
|
| 39 |
1 |
Demo shoulders |
 
|
| 40 |
1 |
Pistol Tech Camo Bravo skin |
|
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 41 |
1 |
Hivemind chest |
|
| 42 |
1 |
Magnum Blast nameplate |
|
| 43 |
1 |
Assault Rifle Hazard Pay skin |
|
| 44 |
1 |
Soldier legs |
|
| 45 |
1 |
Mariner Defiant helmet attachment |
|
| 46 |
1 |
Warrior legs |
|
| 47 |
1 |
Warrior shoulders |
 
|
| 48 |
1 |
Battle Rifle Hazard Pay skin |
|
| 49 |
1 |
Pioneer helmet |
|
| 50 |
1 |
Bullet Line nameplate |
|
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 51 |
1 |
Pioneer legs |
|
| 52 |
1 |
Suture legs |
|
| 53 |
1 |
Battle Rifle Golden skin |
|
| 54 |
1 |
Deadeye shoulders |
 
|
| 55 |
1 |
Grenadier [UA][R] chest |
|
| 56 |
1 |
Warrior helmet |
|
| 57 |
1 |
Pistol Hazard Pay skin |
|
| 58 |
1 |
Carbine Splendor skin |
|
| 59 |
1 |
Hivemind shoulders |
 
|
| 60 |
1 |
AKIS GRD helmet attachment |
|
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 61 |
1 |
Sniper Rifle Red Alert skin |
|
| 62 |
1 |
Compass shoulders |
 
|
| 63 |
1 |
Suture helmet |
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| 64 |
1 |
Hivemind helmet |
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| 65 |
1 |
Battle Rifle Grey Scales skin |
|
| 66 |
1 |
Demo legs |
|
| 67 |
1 |
Hivemind legs |
|
| 68 |
1 |
Sniper Rifle Hazard Pay skin |
|
| 69 |
1 |
Suture chest |
|
| 70 |
1 |
Tactical/Recon [R] chest |
|
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 71 |
1 |
Suture shoulders |
 
|
| 72 |
1 |
Navigator helmet |
|
| 73 |
1 |
Soldier shoulders |
 
|
| 74 |
1 |
Compass forearms |
|
| 75 |
1 |
Navigator legs |
|
| 76 |
1 |
Tactical/Patrol [R] chest |
|
| 77 |
1 |
SMG Art of War skin |
|
| 78 |
1 |
Deadeye helmet |
|
| 79 |
1 |
Carbine Schism skin |
|
| 80 |
1 |
Mariner OPTREX helmet attachment |
|
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 81 |
1 |
Navigator shoulders |
 
|
| 82 |
1 |
Compass helmet |
|
| 83 |
1 |
Battle Rifle Great Journey skin |
|
| 84 |
1 |
Tanker forearms |
|
| 85 |
1 |
Bullet Pile nameplate |
|
| 86 |
1 |
Assault Rifle Desert skin |
|
| 87 |
1 |
Tanker helmet |
|
| 88 |
1 |
Warrior forearms |
|
| 89 |
1 |
Compass legs |
|
| 90 |
1 |
UA/Counterassault [R] chest |
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Page 10[edit]
| Tier |
Unlock requirements |
Unlocks |
Images
|
| 91 |
1 |
Plasma Rifle Keeper skin |
|
| 92 |
1 |
Navigator chest |
|
| 93 |
1 |
SMG Golden skin |
|
| 94 |
1 |
Aviator legs |
|
| 95 |
1 |
Fuel Rod Gun Schism skin |
|
| 96 |
1 |
Compass chest |
|
| 97 |
1 |
Deadeye legs |
|
| 98 |
1 |
Soldier chest |
|
| 99 |
1 |
Soldier forearms |
|
| 100 |
1 |
AKIS GRD/CBRN helmet attchment and From The Beginning nameplate |
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Flights[edit]
- Main article: MCC Insider Program
No Flighting was conducted for Season 5, due to 343 Industries' staff being on leave for the 2020 Christmas period. However, Season 5 content (specifically, the new Halo Online armor sets) were added into the collection for preview purposes in a patch on December 16.
Marketing[edit]
Season 5 preview stream[edit]
On January 25, 2021, 343 Industries conducted a livestream on YouTube in which they showed off the new content for the season prior to release.[10] The stream can be found here.
Trailer[edit]
- Main article: Halo: The Master Chief Collection - Season 5 Trailer
To showcase the release of Season 5 and its new customisation content, a trailer for the update was released on January 27, 2021. Notably the trailer showcased some upcoming armor not included in the Season 5 patch including the Infiltrator, Nomdagro and Operator designs.
Season 5 fan kit[edit]
On January 28, 2021, a number of 4K wallpapers were released on Halo Waypoint for fans to use, showcasing some of the new content.[11] The fankit can be found here, and the images in the gallery section at the bottom of this article.
Patch notes[edit]
December patch[edit]
While Season 5 launched on January 27, 2021, the patch released in December of 2020 physically added the bugfixes and new content to the game. The patch notes for the December patch can be found here.
January 27 patch notes (Version 1.2094.0.0)[edit]
The Season 5 patch launched alongside the start of the season on January 27, 2021.[12]
Install Size by Version[edit]
- Steam
- Microsoft Store and Xbox Game Pass for PC
- Xbox
New Features[edit]
Season 5, “Anvil,” begins with this update. It includes a variety of new unlockable cosmetics for Halo 3 and Halo: Reach, including new skins for armor and weapons, new nameplates, and a new Mongoose skin.
The New Skins in Halo 3 toggle in settings has been expanded. Players who want to maintain a classic Halo 3 experience can flip this setting to “disabled” to avoid seeing any new cosmetic items while playing Halo 3, including weapon skins, vehicle skins, and armor. While cosmetics are disabled, any players in your game who are wearing new armor will appear with the default Mark VI.
Gallery[edit]
Promotional images[edit]
The Season 5 splash screen.
A promotional image for Season 5, used as a Message of the Day banner.
A promotional image for Season 5, seen in emails sent to Halo Waypoint users.
A wallpaper featuring a number of Spartans on Valhalla clad in new Halo Online-derived armor.
A wallpaper featuring an AKIS-clad Spartan on Highlands.
A wallpaper featuring a number of Halo: Reach Spartans clad in the new armor.
A wallpaper featuring a number of Halo: Reach Spartans clad in the new armor.
Sources[edit]
- ^ a b Twitter, @Halo: "Season 5 of MCC arrives for free in just one week! [...] All live on January 27th." (Retrieved on Jan 22, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, GRD is Here: MCC Season 5 Now Live (Retrieved on Jan 27, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Twitter, Halo (@Halo): "Ready yourselves, Spartans. Season 6 of MCC, Raven, arrives for free on April 7! 🛡️ 100 tiers to unlock in the Season Pass 🎒Brand new back accessories, skins, and armor 🍃 A fresh set of Seasonal Challenges with 3 unique rewards 🎮 Xbox Series X" (Retrieved on Mar 31, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Forums, MCC Development & Flighting Updates: "With it, players can look forward to all new customization options that you can unlock through Timed Seasonal Challenges, in-game events, and through the free 100 tier season pass." - Postums (Retrieved on Jan 22, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, News, MCC Development Update - November 2020 (Retrieved on Feb 28, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, News, MCC Development Update - October 2020 (Retrieved on Feb 28, 2021) [archive]
- ^ a b c Halo Waypoint, News, MCC Development Retrospective - December 2020 (Retrieved on Feb 28, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Armor Online (Retrieved on Feb 28, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint Forums, MCC Development & Flighting Updates: Page 4, post 63 "The team is currently working on a game update that expands the existing skin toggle in the settings menu to also apply to armor. If you prefer a true classic experience, you’ll be able to flip the “New Skins in Halo 3” toggle to “disabled” and you won’t see any new cosmetic items (weapon skins, vehicle skins, or armor) when you’re playing Halo 3. If you decide to turn off cosmetics, any players in your game who are wearing new armor will appear as default Mark VI." (Retrieved on Feb 28, 2021) [archive]
- ^ YouTube - Halo, Halo Season 5 Preview - Halo: The Master Chief Collection
- ^ Halo Waypoint Forums, Season 5: Anvil Wallpapers (Retrieved on Mar 18, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Halo Support, Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC) Patch Notes - January 2021 (Retrieved on Feb 28, 2021) [archive]
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