- "Assorted games for full teams of 8 on 8. Work together, or die in a great big pile."
- — In-game description for Halo 3's ranked Big Team Battle playlist
Big Team Battle is a matchmaking playlist intended for games of 8 versus 8. These games are either objective based or kill based. The maximum number of players per game is 16 (minimum is 12) while the maximum number of players who can join Big Team Battle together is 8. The maximum allowable imbalance between teams is 1 player. It is the largest playlist in terms of number of players in each game. As such, it is only played on the largest maps.
Big Team Battle exists in both Halo 2 and Halo 3 matchmaking. In Halo 2, it is an unranked playlist, although it had previously been ranked. Ranked and unranked Big Team Battle playlists exist in Halo 3; the ranked list is known as Ranked Big Team and the unranked list is known as Big Team Social.
Halo 2
- Assault - Headlong, Terminal, Zanzibar
- Multi Bomb - Containment, Waterworks
- Multi Bomb BR - Coagulation
- Neutral Bomb - Containment, Waterworks
- Neutral Bomb BR - Coagulation
- One Flag CTF - Headlong, Relic, Terminal, Zanzibar
- One Flag CTF BR - Burial Mounds
- Multi Flag CTF - Containment, Waterworks
- Multi Flag CTF BR - Coagulation
- Flag Wars - Waterworks
- 3 Plots - Terminal, Turf
- Land Grab - Containment, Headlong, Relic
- Team Duals XTRA - Beaver Creek, Lockout, Midship, Sanctuary
- Gulch Wars - Coagulation, Containment
- Team Slayer Rockets - Ascension, Sanctuary
- Team Slayer - Beaver Creek, Elongation, Foundation, Gemini, Ivory Tower, Lockout, Midship, Turf, Warlock
- Team Slayer BR - Burial Mounds, Colossus, Headlong, Relic, Terminal, Waterworks, Zanzibar
Halo 3
- Multi Bomb - Avalanche, Rat's Nest, Valhalla.
- Neutral Bomb - Avalanche, Rat's Nest, Sandtrap, Standoff, Valhalla.
- One Flag CTF - Avalanche, High Ground, Rat's Nest, Valhalla.
- Multi Flag CTF - Avalanche, Rat's Nest, Valhalla.
- Territories - Last Resort, Sandtrap, Valhalla.
- Big Team Slayer - Avalanche, Last Resort, Rat's Nest, Sandtrap, Valhalla.
- 1 Sided VIP - Last Resort.
- VIP - Avalanche, Rat's Nest, Sandtrap, Valhalla.
"Gambling"
Ranked Big Team in Halo 3 is much more of a gamble to play, gambling experience and rank. It's a 50/50 shot. You'll either win or lose. It all depends on how good you and your teammates are, and your opponents as well. That's why lots of people opt out of this playlist, choosing something much easier to win, such as Team Slayer, or even Lone Wolves.