'Halo Wars 2' release date, news: Blitz mode beta arriving this week

Microsoft is giving players the chance to try out the Blitz mode for its highly anticipated real-time strategy (RTS) game, "Halo Wars 2," this week.

From Jan. 20 to 30, a beta of the exciting new mode will be available to play on the Xbox One and the Windows 10, where the final game will also be released next month.

The Blitz mode is entirely new for the "Halo Wars" franchise. It contains all the elements of an RTS, but seamlessly merges all of them with a card game-based experience.

In a teaser for the "Halo Wars 2" Blitz mode's arrival this week, it was described as the fusion of tactical combat and card-based strategy.

It is all about outsmarting the opponent with quick response and strategy. The mode starts with assembling a deck of cards and air, ground and infantry units.

"Blitz is our new twist on RTS gameplay that combines the deck building and split-second decision making of card-based strategy play with explosive tactical combat in the Halo universe," Microsoft describes it.

The company has spoken in detail about the "Halo Wars 2" Blitz mode and how it was inspired by eSports. The tech giant says that the mode will simply give fans the best of both worlds.

In an interview with Red Bull, 343 Industries studio head of strategy games development Dan Ayoub said that matches in the "Halo Wars 2" Blitz mode last minutes, unlike deathmatches that can last for hours.

"Imagine my team plays your team and then there's a break, and then all of the teams rejigger their decks, and then they go back in. There's just that added element to it," he explained.

"When we think of eSports, we definitely think of Blitz, because that's the mode we expect to see take off," he went on to say of the new "Halo Wars 2" mode.

"Halo Wars 2" releases to the Windows 10 and Xbox One on Feb. 21. It will be the first "Halo" game to hit the PC.