It’s becoming a trend

The troubled launch of 343 Industries’Halo: The Master Chief Collectionhas been well-documented. Ever since its November 11 release, players routinely experienced difficulties getting the multiplayer component of the game to work, as 343 scrambled to develop patch after patch hoping to rectify the situation.

While the situation is less than ideal, 343 and Microsoft are attempting to make amends. Over the weekend, it was revealed that anyone who playedMaster Chief Collectiononline between launch and December 19 would receive a remake ofHalo 3: ODSTfree sometime in the (presumably) near future. It wasn’t mentioned, but it’s also reasonable to assume thatODSTwill also be a paid add-on for everyone else sometime down the line.

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Microsoft and 343 are sweetening the pot a bit more beyond justODST. Other tokens of apology to be gifted to early adopters are theHalo 2anniversary map “Relic,” a free month of Xbox Live Gold, and an exclusive in-game avatar and nameplate.

This act isn’t necessarily unprecedented. Just last month, Ubisoft announced that allAssassin’s Creed Unityplayers would receive the first campaign DLC free of charge because of the game’s bungled launch.

The opening area of the Whisper mission, in a small grove.

The Divide in the Cosmodrome, where the Guardian was resurrected.

A holofoil Ribbontail, as seen in collections.

The Phoneutria Fera hand cannon, inspired by the Season of the Haunted armor set. It has a unique, galactic glow.

Three Fuses appear in a match of Apex Legends' Wild Card mode.

Mad Maggie opens a supply bin and an item with a symbol indicating infinite ammo appears.

Legends slide through a zipline in King’s Canyon in Apex Legends.

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The Yeartide Apex tex Mechanica SMG with a Holofoil glow.