Cut Halo 4 levels

During the development of Halo 4, a number of maps were concepted and partially-developed though cut from the game for various reasons. Many of these maps were concepted by company Digital Extremes, contracted by 343 Industries to help with the production of the game's DLC map packs. A number of map ideas and concepts were pitched to 343 but went unused, and have since been released online.

Multiplayer maps

Dish

An original map design developed by Certain Affinity and referred to as "Dish" can be found in the tags build. The map takes the form of a long canyon, with multiple levels. The map is complete with vehicle and turret spawns, alongside respawn points for players - though appears not to have progressed beyond the early blockout stages. Interestingly, this map contains spawn points for the Revenant design which was intended to appear in the game.^[1]^[2] The relatively late cutting of the Revenant from the game indicates that Dish may have been in development relatively late in Halo 4's development cycle.

A top-down look at the layout of Dish.
A screenshot of the map - note the presence of the Revenant at the bottom.
A screenshot of the map.
A screenshot of the map.
The Revenant on Dish.

Z01_Fortress

Known only in the files of the Halo 4 tags build as Z01_Fortress, this map appears to have a layout similar to that of Sandtrap - featuring the same Shrine defender towers as Sandtrap and Sandbox. The map has spawns laid out for vehicles including the Halo 4 cut iteration of the Revenant, though the map as a whole has no textures.^[3]^[4]

A screenshot of Z01_Fortress.
A screenshot of Z01_Fortress, showcasing a crashed D79-TC Pelican.
A screenshot of Z01_Fortress.
A screenshot of Z01_Fortress.

Other cut levels

Other cut levels present in the tags build of the game include Z06_pillars, Z07_island, Z08_experimental alongside maps Z02, Z03 and Z04.^[5]^[6]

DLC maps

Arrowhead

"Arrowhead" was one potential DLC map concepted, and evidently would have taken place in or around a UNSC facility embedded in a cliffside, though no other details are known.^[7]

Concept art of Arrowhead.
Sketches of the UNSC cliffside facility.

Covenant underwater technology

This potential DLC map was designed to focus on underwater Covenant technology.^[8]

Visual exploration for DLC, focusing on an underwater map with Covenant technology.
Visual exploration for DLC, focusing on an underwater map with Covenant technology.
Visual exploration for DLC, focusing on an underwater map with Covenant technology.

Genessis

Identified in a series of concept art uploads all titled genessis, this map has a similar theme to the release map Vortex, set in a crashed Forerunner ship in a desert wasteland, turned into a makeshift base by the UNSC. In the distance, a Forerunner Keyship can be seen.^[9] It is unknown if this pitch has any relation to the planet Genesis featured in Halo 5: Guardians.

Concept art for this map featuring a Keyship.

Last Resort remake

Main article: Last Resort

One map concept shown involves a paintover of the sniper tower area of the Halo 3 map Last Resort. Its filename, lastr-paintover, suggests it was intended to be a Last Resort remake.^[10] Notably, the map was later realised in Halo 2: Anniversary's multiplayer as Stonetown.

The only concept art released of this map.

Narrows remake

Main article: Narrows

One concept pitched to 343^[11] involved a remake of the Halo 3 multiplayer map Narrows, redressed in a human architectural aesthetic.^[12]^[13]^[14]

Concept of one of the bases, reimagined as a hangar for Pelican dropships.
Concept art for the 'underpass' segment of the map, under the main bridge.
A sketch of the underpass section.
Structural study of a UNSC-themed Narrows remake.
More structural study.
Painted concept art of the base at one end of the bridge.
Another concept of the base.
Concept art of the side of the base areas, where a gravity lift would be.
Concept art of the bridge area of the map.

ONI Bog

Concept art for the map suggests it would have had a similar theme and tone to the map Abandon, though it is unknown if the two maps are one and the same, or simply similar.^[15]^[16]^[17]

Concept art.
Concept art.
Structural study for the base.

Standoff remake

Present in the Halo 4 tags build, this map was in development by Certain Affinity. The map was a remake of Halo 3's Heroic map Standoff.^[18]

A screenshot of the Standoff remake.
A screenshot of the Standoff remake.
A screenshot of the Standoff remake.
A screenshot of the Standoff remake.

Other DLC map concepts

Some callout sheets for individual map props have been posted online, of which tie to no particular known map.

Concept art for a map which would have had players fight beneath a large railgun.
Concept art of a pillar for a cut map.
Concept art of a generator for a cut map.

Development and testing levels

Lighting reference test maps

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These maps, an interior and an exterior space, were employed by Bungie through the productions of Halo 3, ODST and Reach - and were used by 343 Industries in the production of Halo 4.

Sandtrap

While never considered for official inclusion in the final game, the Halo 3 multiplayer map Sandtrap was used in development for testing the vehicle sandbox of Halo 4.^[19]

Sandtrap in the Halo 4 tags build.

"Stripy room"

First referred to as such in the Halo: Reach Legendary Edition developer commentary by Martin O'Donnell, the so-called "Stripey Room" or sound.map is an audio testing level utilised by Bungie throughout the production of Halo 3 through Halo: Reach, and 343 Industries during the production of Halo 4. The map is almost identical to its Reach incarnation, with the exception of labelled terrain types and water.^[20]

A screenshot of the level.

VFX test map