'Halo 5' DLC release date news: 'Monitor's Bounty' comes with Arena update and Custom Games Browser

Big changes have come to the popular first-person shooter video game, "Halo 5: Guardians" as the "Monitor's Bounty" downloadable content (DLC) launches. Perhaps, the biggest change that fans can expect by availing this update involves the matchmaking system of the multiplayer mode, Arena.

According to a preview posted by Halo Waypoint, the "Monitor's Bounty" update provides an option between a Ranked and a Social playlist in the Arena mode. This means that players can now choose to either "lean forward" or "lean backward" when playing the game.

Quinn DelHoyo, design lead for the game developer 343 Industries, explained that the Ranked playlist offers a more challenging gaming experience for players who prefer to up the ante and face like-minded opponents in a highly competitive battlefield. On the other hand, the Social playlist offers a more relaxed gaming option for players who just want to cool down and take it easy in a less competitive environment.

343 Industries intends to keep both playlists alive and regularly updated to maintain the freshness and efficiency of the Arena mode's matchmaking system. DelHoyo added that they will be engaging more with the community, especially the ones in the social playlists, to stay updated on what the players like and don't like through various experimentations and close monitoring of player feedback.

In another preview article, Halo Waypoint also announced that the "Monitor's Bounty" DLC brings the highly anticipated Custom Games Browser to the Xbox One and Windows 10 versions of "Halo 5: Guardian." This new feature makes it easier for the more adventurous players to browse through in-progress games and jump right in for a more spontaneous experience.

Vincent Hui, User Experience (UX) Design Lead for 343 Industries, added that this new feature also enables players to search for in-progress custom games in a map or mode of their choosing. Joining an in-progress game depends on the said game's privacy setting.

These are just some of the major updates that comes with the "Monitor's Bounty" DLC. For more details on the newest additional content for "Halo 5: Guardian," visit Halo Waypoint, the game's official information hub.