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The main menu is a series of menus and lobbies that players interact with in all Halo games.

The main menu is reached after a series of logos for the companies that produced the game and a splash screen. Sometimes the music of this sequence leads into the music of main menu itself. Examples of this are in Halo 2 and Halo Wars 2.

Upon reaching the menus and lobbies, one can access a number of gamemodes, settings and options, and view the Message of the Day (MotD). The Season is also often shown in the menu too. In the options section, one can change their control schemes.

The gamemodes that can be accessed through the menu include campaign, multiplayer, firefight, Spartan Ops, Warzone, Big Team Battle, Custom games, Theater, Forge, and File Share. Downloadable content such as new campaigns, Battle Passes, the Store, and The Exchange are often directly accessed through their respective lobbies or areas of the menu.

A player's service record, which includes Commendations and Achievements, is usually also seen somewhere in the main menu.

Customization[edit]

In most games, the ability to change one's Armor permutations and armor effects is accessed through the main menu in some form. So to for Skins for weapons and vehicles as well. In Halo: The Master Chief Collection, The Exchange is only accessed through the main menu.

One's Loadout, Avatars, Stance, multiplayer emblem, service tag, and nameplate are also all changed through the main menu.

Seeing one's unlocked REQs or unlocked Blitz cards can be found here too; on top of purchasing the related packs.

By game[edit]

Halo: Combat Evolved[edit]

Main article: Halo: Combat Evolved

The Halo: Combat Evolved menu is set in orbit of Installation 04, with the camera rotating and moving about it showing its interior, the exterior shell, and Threshold. The music heard is Halo Theme and the final part of Brothers in Arms.

Custom games menu

Halo 2[edit]

Main article: Halo 2

Pre-release[edit]

Pre-release campaign lobby showing a cut Halo 2 level
A pre-release multiplayer lobby with various player names coming from characters from the Halo universe.

Release[edit]

The menu of Halo 2 features a background of the Solemn Penance, next to the Mombasa Tether in Mombasa, East African Protectorate. The music heard is the Gregorian chant in Prologue, Ghosts of Reach, Heavy Price Paid, the last minute of The Last Spartan, and Unforgotten.

The custom games menu from Halo 2 for Windows Vista.
Behind the scenes image of the menu version of Mombasa.
Behind the scenes image of the menu version of Mombasa.

Halo 3[edit]

Main article: Halo 3

The main menu of Halo 3 features an animated view of a cliff at the edge of the Portal at Voi with several Covenant starships circling it, and Banshees patrolling over it. Movement, Never Forget, Choose Wisely, the beginning of Honorable Intentions and an unidentified choir track will rotate as the backing music.

Halo 3 Mythic menu

Halo 3: ODST[edit]

Main article: Halo 3: ODST

Halo 3: ODST's main menu is set in the UNSC Say My Name, with Jonathan Doherty sleeping in his pod. Overture accompanies it.

Halo Wars[edit]

Main article: Halo Wars

In the background, scenes from the Halo Wars announcement trailer as well as cutscenes from the campaign will play. Spirit of Fire is the music that accompanies it.

Halo: Reach[edit]

Main article: Halo: Reach

Pre-release[edit]

Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta menu

Release[edit]

Halo: Reach has a variety of lobbies all using their own artwork(s). The music used in the lobbies is Overture, though sometimes no music at all will play and instead, the sounds of distant gunfire and other fighting will play.

Illustrations[edit]

Most of the artwork used in the various menus and lobbies of Reach were actually pieces of concept art created by Isaac Hannaford. Depending on the lobby, the artwork would be different. As well, the artwork on the main menu would be different depending on which campaign level(s) were last played.

Start screen image, and menu art until the player reaches the level Nightfall.
Main menu art upon reaching the level Tip of the Spear.
Main menu art upon reaching the level New Alexandria.
Main menu art upon reaching the level The Package.
Menu art for the multiplayer lobby as well as for the Beta.
Menu art in the Firefight lobby.
Menu art in the Forge lobby.
Menu art in the Matchmaking lobby.
Menu art in the Theater lobby.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary[edit]

Main article: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

The main menu for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was designed very similarly to the original Halo: Combat Evolved menu. When selecting multiplayer however, the menu was change to one more designed like and using from Halo: Reach.

Multiplayer menu
Main menu for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

Illustrations[edit]

Multiplayer menu art, reused from the Halo: Reach forge lobby.

Halo 4[edit]

Main article: Halo 4

Pre-release[edit]

In an alpha menu, the background was to be the broken planet around Installation 03. Two versions of To Galaxy were to play; one of just the strings used in the song and the other of the background electronic "drums" as well as an unknown track that was later used in the Halo 4 epilogue, Halo 4 lobbies in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and at the beginning of the track Blue Team in Halo 5: Guardians.

Pre-release menu.
Early build of the armor selection menu.
An early design for the Spartan Ops menu.
An early version of the Spartan Ops menu.
An early version of the Spartan Ops menu.

Release[edit]

The released main menu is of a debris field around Requiem. When reaching the title screen and for a time in the main menu, Atonement will play. It will change to Wreckage then the first minute or so of Green and Blue and rotate through all three while on the menu. When Infinity multiplayer lobby is selected, the image will move into the bridge of the UNSC Infinity where the first minute of To Galaxy will play on repeat.

Release armor selection menu.
The Spartan Ops menu.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection[edit]

Main article: Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Uniquely, depending on the lobby for which game that will be played, the menu music for that game will be played. Uniquely, for Halo 4 lobbies a new track was added. This being the unnamed Epilogue track (used in the early Halo 4 menu and the opening for Blue Team).

The old launch main menu.
Custom games menu from 2019.
Halo 3: ODST Firefight settings menu in 2020.
Cross-campaign playlist menu in 2014.

Illustrations[edit]

Prior to the August 2022 Update, the Season and certain lobbies used to determine menu backgrounds. Following the update, players were allowed to directly customize the art themselves.^[1]

The original menu background until 2018.
Menu background of Season 1: Noble.
Menu background of Series 3: Recon.
Menu background of Series 4: Reclaimer.
2018 Christmas menu background.
2018 Christmas splash screen.
The Yappening splash screen.
The Yappening menu background.
Artwork used in some Halo 4 lobbies.
Artwork used in some Halo 3 lobbies.
Artwork used in some Halo: Combat Evolved lobbies
Artwork used in some Halo 2 lobbies
Artwork used in some Halo 3: ODST lobbies
A previously cut menu background.

Halo 5: Guardians[edit]

Main article: Halo 5: Guardians

Pre-release[edit]

In the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta, the menu was set in an orbital facility of some kind (the skybox of which is used on Breakout Arena) with SPARTAN-IVs, Naval personnel, and scientists at various computer and hologram stations.

Musically, the menu opens with parts of Osiris Suite, Act 1, then moves into On Deck, before finally playing parts of Osiris Suite, Act 4. The music will repeat in that order.

Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta menu

Release[edit]

The menu consists of a profile shot of the UNSC Infinity in orbit of planet Kamchatka. Various UNSC starships and dropships will fly by, dock or move about the Infinity. These include Anlace-class light frigates, Winter-class prowlers and D79-TC Pelicans.

When getting to the start screen and for a time afterward, Halo Canticles will play. The music will then rotate through Rock and Ice, about a minute of Blue Team, Dominion, the first minute of Jameson Locke, about a minute of Osiris Suite, Act 3, and two minutes of Osiris Suite, Act 4. After returning to the menu from playing a multiplayer match, On Deck will play.

If sat on the main menu for long enough, the Floating Grunt Easter egg will play out.

Halo Wars 2[edit]

Main article: Halo Wars 2

Pre-release[edit]

The splash screen for the Halo Wars 2 Open Beta.

Release[edit]

The menu is composed of a tableau scene of several units from either the Banished or UNSC. The menu background is chosen at random upon the game's launch. The music heard in the background is Cratered. After purchasing Awakening the Nightmare, the menu can also be Voridus or Pavium themed.

SPARTAN-II focused menu, with two M12B Warthogs and an M808S Scorpion in the background.
Close look at the SPARTAN-II.
Assorted UNSC units; HRUNTING Mark III (B) Cyclops', an M9 Wolverine and a few snipers.
Assorted UNSC units; an M121 Jackrabbit, an M400 Kodiak, and several Hellbringers.
Decimus focused menu, with a Eklon'Dal Workshop Marauder in the background and some Grunts off to one side.
A Zaagokelu Workshop Ghost with a Eklon'Dal Workshop Wraith in the back.
Elite Ranger focused menu, with a Barug'qel Workshop Chopper and Barukaza Workshop Locust in the background.
A Jiralhanae Warlord with his Paegaas Workshop gravity hammer.
Voridus with his Paegaas Workshop gravity hammer.
A Pavium focused menu, with a Zaagokelu Workshop Ghost in the background.

Halo Infinite[edit]

Main article: Halo Infinite

Pre-release[edit]

During the Halo Infinite gameplay demo, the menu was set in grasslands on Installation 07 with the title placed in the middle of a ring-like Forerunner machine. The accompanying music is Reverie.

Menu from the 2020 Halo Infinite gameplay demo.

Release[edit]

Season 01: Heroes of Reach multiplayer menu.
Halo Infinite store menu.
Tactical Ops battle pass menu.

Sources[edit]

^ Halo Waypoint, MCC - August Update (Retrieved on Sep 8, 2022) [archive]

[1] Halo Waypoint, MCC - August Update (Retrieved on Sep 8, 2022) [archive]

[1]

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 Upon reaching the menus and lobbies, one can access a number of gamemodes, settings and options, and view the Message of the Day (MotD). The [[Season]] is also often shown in the menu too. In the options section, one can change their [[control schemes]].
-The gamemodes that can be accessed through the menu include [[campaign]], [[multiplayer]], [[firefight]], [[Spartan Ops]], [[Warzone]], [[Custom game]]s, [[Theater]], [[Forge]], and [[File Share]]. [[Downloadable content]] such as new campaigns are often directly accessed through their respective lobbies or areas of the menu.
+The gamemodes that can be accessed through the menu include [[campaign]], [[multiplayer]], [[firefight]], [[Spartan Ops]], [[Warzone]], [[Big Team Battle]], [[Custom game]]s, [[Theater]], [[Forge]], and [[File Share]]. [[Downloadable content]] such as new campaigns, [[Battle Pass]]es, the Store, and [[The Exchange]] are often directly accessed through their respective lobbies or areas of the menu.
 A player's service record, which includes [[Commendations]] and [[Achievement]]s, is usually also seen somewhere in the main menu.
@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 </gallery>
-=====Artwork=====
+=====Illustrations=====
 Most of the artwork used in the various menus and lobbies of ''Reach'' were actually pieces of concept art created by [[Isaac Hannaford]]. Depending on the lobby, the artwork would be different. As well, the artwork on the main menu would be different depending on which campaign level(s) were last played.
@@ Line 106: / Line 106: @@
 </gallery>
-====Artwork====
+====Illustrations====
 <gallery>
 File:HR ForgeWorld Concept 2.jpeg|Multiplayer menu art, reused from the ''Halo: Reach'' forge lobby.
@@ Line 140: / Line 140: @@
 File:H2A CustomGamesMenu.png|Custom games menu from [[2019]].
 File:HTMCC-H3ODST Firefight settings.jpg|''Halo 3: ODST'' Firefight settings menu in [[2020]].
+File:HMCC - Mission selection menu.png|Cross-campaign playlist menu in [[2014]].
 </gallery>
-====Artwork====
+====Illustrations====
-Similar to ''Halo: Reach'' the background artwork will change in various lobbies depending on the selected game. On top of this, depending on the [[Season]] currently going in game, the main menu background will be different.
+Prior to the August 2022 Update, the [[Season]] and certain lobbies used to determine menu backgrounds. Following the update, players were allowed to directly customize the art themselves.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-mcc-august-update|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=MCC - August Update|D=8|M=9|Y=2022}}
-=====Defunct=====
 <gallery>
 File:MCC Planet Background.png|The original menu background until [[2018]].
 File:HR-MCCMenuHelmets.png|Menu background of [[Season 1: Noble]].
-File:H3ODST-MCCODSTmenu.png|Menu background of [[Season 3: Recon]].
+File:H3ODST-MCCODSTmenu.png|Menu background of [[Series 3: Recon]].
-File:H4-MCCMarkVIMODmenu.jpg|Menu background of [[Season 4: Reclaimer]].
+File:H4-MCCMarkVIMODmenu.jpg|Menu background of [[Series 4: Reclaimer]].
 File:MCC Winter Background.jpg|2018 Christmas menu background.
 File:MCC Winter Splashscreen.jpg|2018 Christmas splash screen.
-File:MCC Yapyap splash.png|[[The Yappening]] splash screen.
+File:MCC Yapyap splash.png|[[The Yappening (Halo: The Master Chief Collection)|The Yappening]] splash screen.
-File:MCC Yapyap desktop.png|[[The Yappening]] menu background.
+File:MCC Yapyap desktop.png|The Yappening menu background.
 File:MCC Flood Background.png
 File:MCC - HCEA main menu preview.jpg
 File:HCEA-MCCCryomenu.jpg
 File:H2A-MCCM46Vulcanmenu.png
-</gallery>
-=====Currently used=====
-<gallery>
 File:MCC H4 Background.png|Artwork used in some ''Halo 4'' lobbies.
 File:MCC H3 Background.png|Artwork used in some ''Halo 3'' lobbies.
@@ Line 168: / Line 163: @@
 File:MCC H2A Background.png|Artwork used in some ''Halo 2'' lobbies
 File:MCC H3ODST Background 2.png|Artwork used in some ''Halo 3: ODST'' lobbies
-</gallery>
+File:MCC Reach Background.png|A previously cut menu background.
-====Cut====
-<gallery>
-File:MCC Reach Background.png
 </gallery>
@@ Line 187: / Line 178: @@
 ====Release====
-The menu consists of a profile shot of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} in orbit of an unknown [[planet]]. Various [[UNSC starship]]s and [[dropship]]s will fly by, dock or move about the ''Infinity''. These include {{Class|Anlace|light frigate}}s, {{Class|Winter|prowler}}s and [[D79-TC Pelican]]s.
+The menu consists of a profile shot of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} in orbit of [[planet]] [[Kamchatka]]. Various [[UNSC starship]]s and [[dropship]]s will fly by, dock or move about the ''Infinity''. These include {{Class|Anlace|light frigate}}s, {{Class|Winter|prowler}}s and [[D79-TC Pelican]]s.
 When getting to the start screen and for a time afterward, [[Halo Canticles]] will play. The music will then rotate through [[Rock and Ice]], about a minute of [[Blue Team]], [[Dominion (music)|Dominion]], the first minute of [[Jameson Locke (music)|Jameson Locke]], about a minute of [[Osiris Suite, Act 3]], and two minutes of [[Osiris Suite, Act 4]]. After returning to the menu from playing a multiplayer match, [[On Deck]] will play.
@@ Line 194: / Line 185: @@
 <gallery>
+File:H5G MainMenu Fleet.jpg
 File:H5G - Armor customization - Final.png
 File:H5G CustomGamesMenu.png
@@ Line 206: / Line 198: @@
 ====Release====
-The menu is composed of a tableau scene of several units from either the [[Banished]] or [[UNSC]]. The menu background is chosen at random upon the game's launch. The music heard in the background is [[Cratered]].
+The menu is composed of a tableau scene of several units from either the [[Banished]] or [[UNSC]]. The menu background is chosen at random upon the game's launch. The music heard in the background is [[Cratered]]. After purchasing ''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare|Awakening the Nightmare]]'', the menu can also be [[Voridus]] or [[Pavium]] themed.
 <gallery>
@@ Line 214: / Line 206: @@
 File:HW2-Kodiakmenu.jpg|Assorted UNSC units; an [[M121 Jackrabbit]], an [[M400 Kodiak]], and several [[Hellbringers]].
 File:HW2-Decimusmenu.jpg|[[Decimus]] focused menu, with a [[Eklon'Dal Workshop Marauder]] in the background and some [[Grunt]]s off to one side.
-File:HW2-Ghost&Wraith.jpg|A [[Banished Ghost]] with a [[Banished Wraith]] in the back.
+File:HW2-Ghost&Wraith.jpg|A [[Zaagokelu Workshop Ghost]] with a [[Eklon'Dal Workshop Wraith]] in the back.
-File:HW2-Locust&Rangers.jpg|[[Elite Ranger]] focused menu, with a [[Banished Chopper]] and [[Barukaza Workshop Locust]] in the background.
+File:HW2-Locust&Rangers.jpg|[[Elite Ranger]] focused menu, with a [[Barug'qel Workshop Chopper]] and [[Barukaza Workshop Locust]] in the background.
+File:HW2-MenuWarlord.png|A [[Jiralhanae Warlord]] with his [[Paegaas Workshop gravity hammer]].
+File:HW2-MenuVoridus.png|[[Voridus]] with his Paegaas Workshop gravity hammer.
+File:HW2-MenuPavium.png|A [[Pavium]] focused menu, with a [[Zaagokelu Workshop Ghost]] in the background.
 </gallery>
@@ Line 225: / Line 220: @@
 <gallery>
 File:HINF XGS2020 Start Demo Screen.png|Menu from the [[2020]] [[Halo Infinite Campaign Gameplay Premiere|''Halo Infinite'' gameplay demo]].
+</gallery>
+====Release====
+<gallery>
+HINF-Season01multiplayermenu.png|[[Season 01: Heroes of Reach]] multiplayer menu.
+File:HINF Shop.png|''Halo Infinite'' store menu.
+File:HINF - Event - Tac Ops - 00004.png|[[Tactical Ops]] battle pass menu.
 </gallery>

Main menu: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 18:50, September 9, 2023

Contents

Customization[edit]

By game[edit]

Halo: Combat Evolved[edit]

Halo 2[edit]

Pre-release[edit]

Release[edit]

Halo 3[edit]

Halo 3: ODST[edit]

Halo Wars[edit]

Halo: Reach[edit]

Pre-release[edit]

Release[edit]

Illustrations[edit]

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary[edit]

Illustrations[edit]

Halo 4[edit]

Pre-release[edit]

Release[edit]

Halo: The Master Chief Collection[edit]

Illustrations[edit]

Halo 5: Guardians[edit]

Pre-release[edit]

Release[edit]

Halo Wars 2[edit]

Pre-release[edit]

Release[edit]

Halo Infinite[edit]

Pre-release[edit]

Release[edit]

Sources[edit]

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