Video game developer 343 Industries and publisher Microsoft have just launched the Hammer Storm free update for Halo 5: Guardians and the two companies are ready to reveal the fact that they will be introducing a long requested new mode to the title, called Warzone Firefight, before the end of 2016.



The coming content for the shooter will include Ghost of Meridian, Memories of Reach and Hog Wild, and if the pace of releases continues, the Player versus Environment experience is expected to arrive in June, although no date is officially mentioned.
On the Xbox Wire, 343 Industries explains that Warzone Firefight is designed to show what a powerful force of Spartans can do when they work together to take out a range of opponents while giving players a chance to show off their customized characters and use their unique REQ cards.
When it comes to the future of Halo 5: Guardians the studio adds, "There will be even more new maps, modes, vehicles, weapons, and REQs – an insane plethora of content. In addition, we’ll continue to listen to all of the valuable feedback provided by you, and will use it to help inform the addition of new content, refine the gameplay, and address issues or concerns raised by our incredible community."
According to 343 Industries, so far gamers have received no less than 11 new maps, 12 modes and 180 REQ cards that they can collect and use during matches.
Hammer Storm is the most recent of the pack, introducing Grifball, Assault and Fiesta, a Torque map designed for Arena and some weapons, including the pistol from Halo Combat Evolved, alongside a number of tweaks for the core mechanics.
Halo 5: Guardians might also get paid DLC When the new game launched, 343 Industries pledged that it would keep all new content free for an entire year, but it's unclear whether it has plans to continue to deliver new packs after that date for those willing to pay for them.
At the moment new work on Halo 5: Guardians is funded by sales of special REQ bundles, which has also increased the prize pool for the coming finals of the World Championship to 2.5 million dollars (2.2 million Euro).
16 of the best teams in the world will take place in the competition which will take place between March 18 and 20, with all the action streamed online, although the exact location for the event has not yet been revealed.
Halo 5: Guardians is the first title in the series to be created from the ground up for the Xbox One, and according to Microsoft there are no plans to offer any information about the future of Master Chief before the next installment in the franchise is announced, probably in 2017.
Until then fans will be able to get the announced extra DLC for Guardians and a range of other products associated with the franchise, including new toys from official partners and novels that expand the fiction in interesting ways.