ARCADE WATCH
Keeping an eye on the coin-op gaming scene
We didn’t see this coming, and neither did those who tuned in to Microsoft’s recent Inside Xbox stream for some promised Halo news. The result was not a new console game, but Halo: Fireteam Raven, a ludicrously high-spec arcade cabinet developed by Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix, in close consultation with current Halo steward 343 Industries.
The game itself is, predictably, an on-rails shooter, casting up to four players as an ODST squad supporting Master Chief during the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. Familiar Covenant enemies, classic weapons such as the Needler, and vehicles including the Warthog help elevate the action to an extent, but fundamentally this is the same kind of game we were playing in arcades decades ago.
Instead, it’s the production values that make it stand out. The cabinet itself is an 11-foot cube; inside are four mounted gun turrets, and two 4k screens joined together to form a 130-inch display. Play Mechanix’s new engine – together, presumably, with more powerful hardware than you’d expect to find in a typical arcade shooter – ease the burden of running a game across twin 4k displays.
A QR code system will link to Halo Waypoint, allowing players to keep track of their stats. You’ll also be able to sync up to an Xbox Live account for unspecified rewards. On test now at Dave & Busters locations ocations across the US and Canada, Fireteam Raven will ill begin rolling out worldwide dwide this autumn, giving arcade owners everywhere ere a few months nths to work out t where the heck k they can fit it in.