Halo 3: ODSTwas released before its time. An interesting departure from franchise norms, it offered a semi-open world structure against a story that could be completed non-linearly. But instead of bringing along its own competitive multiplayer mode,Halo 3: ODSTsimply shipped with a separate disc containing the whole ofHalo 3’s multiplayer component, DLC maps and all. Looking back, it was ahuge miss for Bungie.
Part of what makesHalo 3: ODSTspecial is its origin. It was meant to hold fans over betweenHalo 3andHalo Reach,but its scope expanded into that of a full-fledged game. This time around, though, players were dropped into the boots of the Rookie, an ODST that didn’t have the same augmentations and armor that Master Chief or the other Spartans had. Players didn’t even have shields, withODSTinstead using “adrenaline” and health pick-ups.
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Halo 3: ODST’s Biggest Missed Opportunity
With a soundtrack influenced by Jazz, heavy emphasis on atmosphere, and a unique campaign,Halo 3: ODSTbrought a lot to the table. However, it’s impossible to not see the omission of its own competitive multiplayer mode as a missed opportunity. Yes,ODSTdid introduce Firefight, a wave-based horde mode that tasked players with surviving against increasingly difficult odds. And Firefight, to its credit, is enjoyable, returning in a few different entries sinceODST. But it simply doesn’t scratch the same itch that PvP does.
Halo 3multiplayer is often cited as the best in the franchise, and while that’s a matter of debate among fans,Halo 3: ODSTlikely could’ve surpassed it if it had its own multiplayer component. Not only did it feature much of the same weapon tuning thatHalo 3did, but the art direction was superior in almost every regard. That art direction could’ve shined in competitive multiplayer, as Bungie had a treasure trove of interesting locations in the campaign to pull inspiration from for multiplayer maps.
Not only was there plenty of inspiration for multiplayer maps, but the disparity ofhow strong Spartans are versus ODSTscould’ve fueled some interesting gameplay. With classicHalomovement mechanics but a perceived lower health pool, players undoubtedly would have approached it in a different, more strategic way. It’s not the perfect comparison, butHalo 3: ODSTmultiplayer could’ve been a blend ofHaloandRainbow Six Siegeyears beforeSiegeexisted.
Is It Too Late for Halo 3: ODST Competitive Multiplayer?
While it’s had its fair share of ups and downs across recent entries, theHalofranchise is in a pretty good place right now. While theservers for classicHalogames were recently shut down, fans are still able to play them throughHalo: The Master Chief Collection,including ODST. Considering that option exists, it seems incredibly unlikely thatHalo 3: ODSTwould receive its own competitive multiplayer, but not impossible.
If 343 Industries really wanted to, it could craft some form ofHalo 3: ODSTcompetitive multiplayer and drop it intoHalo: MCC.Of course, the studio’s resources are almost certainly focused onHalo Infiniteright now, as the team works to secure a player base for what it hopes will be a 10-year game.Halo: MCCis also finished receiving new content and there hasn’t been particularly loud cries forHalo 3: ODSTto get competitive multiplayer.
With all that in mind, fans shouldn’t hold their breath for any sort ofHalo 3: ODSTcompetitive multiplayer. History will likely simply remember it as a missed opportunity for an entry in the series that simply doesn’t get the respect it deserves.
Halo 3: ODSTis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
