Halo Wars 2 was first announced in August 2015, and its first beta arrived in June 2016. The game will focus on UNSC leader Captain Cutter, who will now face a new faction named The Banished, and is set for release on February 21, 2017.
Since then, Microsoft has already teased users with a Halo Wars 2 documentary and some trailers (here and here). And yesterday, the company announced one final large-scale multiplayer beta to test a new game mode named Blitz.
Blitz is a card-based game mode that will be available for both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC through the Xbox Play Anywhere program. According to the press release:
"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."
This new game mode will allow the user to assemble an army featuring air, ground and infantry units making use of a card deck and a faction leader, as stated by Microsoft.
The beta will launch on Friday, January 20, and will run through January 30, 2017. It will offer 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 gameplay via matchmaking on both Windows 10 PC and Xbox One. Also, all the Faction Leaders and Blitz cards will be readily available for test during this beta.
Unfortunately, Microsoft has confirmed that none of the cards or progress achieved by the players during the Blitz Beta will be kept for the full retail version of the game. Nonetheless, all the players who participate will receive up to two free in-game Blitz card packs in the final retail version when it ships in February.
Source and images: Xbox Wire