Halo 5 Ghosts of Meridian Launched, Firefight Beta Set

March was the first month since Halo 5's launch that went without a content update, so here we are early in April with a batch of new weapons, maps, and upgrades known as Ghosts of Meridian. After patching the game, players will have access to two new official maps in matchmaking. Arena gets Tyrant, which mixes things up from the standard industrial theming with a space vibe. Warzone gets Skirmish at Darkstar, which has a unique opening gambit that has both teams arrive at the same base and wrestle for control in the opening minutes.

As far as new REQs go, Ghosts of Meridian brings a trio of alternate Gravity Hammers and two new Suppressors to try out, including the rare Razor's Edge variant that turns the Forerunner Assault Rifle's projectiles into Needler-like shards that supercombine. There are also a pair of legendary vehicles (a Mantis and a Scorpion) that have laser weapons replacing their usual armaments. We also get a standard assortment of new armors, assassinations, weapon skins, and visors to add to the pile. Forgers will be delighted to see weather effects added into the map editor, as well as a collection of new parts to play around with there.

What's next for Halo 5? Two new modes are on the horizon, and you'll get to try out one of them sooner rather than later. Starting on April 14th and going for one week, 343 Industries will be beta testing Warzone Firefight. You'll be able to jump into the Escape from A.R.C. map with a squad of seven other Spartans to face off against A.I. waves of the best resistance that the Covenant and Forerunner forces can put up against you. This mode focuses on cooperative PvE play, making for a change of pace from Halo's predominantly PvP multiplayer experience.

Also, you'll probably want to keep your Shotguns close as hand, because the zombified Infection mode has been teased to be coming in the near future.

Are you ready for Ghosts of Meridian? Will the inclusion of Firefight and Infection bring you back into the Halo 5 fold? What exactly does "Ghosts of Meridian" mean anyway? Let us know in the comments below!