Halo Reveals Team Partnership Program for Halo Championship Series

Halo Infinite will have esports organizations linked to the title starting Day 1, including their very own team-designed in-game content. 343 Industries’ upcoming title will feature esports organizations that are officially partnered with the HCS when the game releases this Fall.

In the latest blog post in the Designing the Halo Esports Ecosystem on Halo Waypoint, 343 Industries’ Halo Esports Lead ‘Tashi’ announced the HCS Team Partnership Program. Through this union, select esports organizations will have team-themed bundles available for purchase on launch day, among various other perks.

The post details how 343i vetted teams from across North America and Europe over the last year to join the program. The goal was to create foundational organizations that would be pillars in the competitive Halo scene for years to come. In previous Halo games during the HCS, teams often appeared and disappeared at a moment’s notice, making it hard for fans and organizations alike to stay invested in the esport.

Tashi further explained how the program allows exclusive access to partnered teams for the purpose of producing content to help grow Halo esports. These teams will have full access to broadcast VODs and footage captured at events, as well as allowing teams to film their own content during tournaments when their players are on the mainstage and backstage. The rosters and coach will benefit from having their travel covered for every event they’re eligible for. Partnered teams will also be able to include their own sponsors directly in broadcasts, as long as they don’t conflict with HCS sponsors.

Having solidified teams in the HCS will help with consistent viewership and financial stability for competing players. After failing to have direct relationships with teams in Halo 5: Guardians, 343i is hoping this approach ensures organizations remain for the long haul.

The partnered teams were not announced in the post, though the biggest esport organizations who have already established Halo Infinite rosters are likely to be among them, including Sentinels, Cloud 9, and Envy. No new teams will be added prior to launch, but 343 stresses that there will be plenty of opportunities for new teams to join the program after Infinite releases.

There is no requirement to be a partner in order to compete in the upcoming HCS for Halo Infinite, as the live events will be in an open bracket format, allowing for any teams and players a chance to battle for event prizes.

According to Tashi, an announcement on the teams that will be in the inaugural Partnership Program will come later this summer.

Originally published at https://kurtiskendall.com.