Skip to main content

'Halo Wars 2' PC disc release canceled in U.S., will be available digitally

Microsoft canceled plans for a physical release of the PC version of Halo Wars 2, developer 343 Industries announced on Monday. The PC version will still be available in physical form in Europe, where another studio, THQ Nordic, is releasing both a “standard” and an “ultimate” edition of the game. Halo Wars 2 will still be available on PC as a digital download when the game releases on February 21.

Developer 343 announced the change on the Halo Waypoint blog. “Earlier this month, you may have heard that we were partnering with our friends at THQ Nordic for worldwide availability of a physical retail version of Halo Wars 2 for Windows 10 PC,” wrote Halo community manager Brian Jarrard, who goes by SKE7CH. “Since then, our retail plans have shifted and Microsoft has made the decision to focus the release of the physical retail version to Europe only. THQ Nordic is a great partner and they are working with us to ensure this transition remains smooth for our customers.”

Recommended Videos

“We apologize to any customers affected by the change in our retail plans, and thank everyone for the continued support,” the statement continued.

The ultimate edition of Halo Wars 2 includes the game’s DLC season pass, an “enhanced” copy of the original Halo Wars with “Play Anywhere” support (meaning you can buy it once and play it on both Windows and Xbox, which HW2 also supports), and some nice-looking packaging.

Halo Wars 2 is a sequel to the 2009 real-time strategy game Halo Wars. Unlike the original, which was developed by Ensemble Studios, Halo Wars 2 is a joint effort between 343 Industries and experienced strategy game developer Creative Assembly. Halo Wars 2 will be out February 21 on Xbox One and PC.

The Ultimate Edition was also supposed to grant players early access to the game four days before its release, on February 17, but Halo Waypoint’s post only mentioned February 21, so it seems that plan may have changed. Customers who pre-ordered the game should contact the retailer from which they ordered it for more information.

Michael Rougeau
Former Contributor
Mike Rougeau is a journalist and writer who lives in Los Angeles with his girlfriend and two dogs. He specializes in video…
Halo Wars 2 tips, tricks, and strategies
halo wars 2 beginners guide 15

It may have taken a couple years short of a decade, but Microsoft did eventually release Halo Wars 2. Although the sequel improves on the original in a number of ways, it's more of a showcase of the new blood handling the Halo franchise. Developed by 343i and Creative Assembly, Halo Wars 2 certainly has some talent behind it. No matter how fun the game is, though, it's still tough. Like most real-time strategy games, Halo Wars 2 isn't beginner-friendly. That's why we rounded up all the tips, tricks, and strategies you need to know before entering the battlefield.

From properly controlling the game to getting involved with the community, we have everything you need to get started in Halo Wars 2. By the end, you'll have enough of an understanding to jump into Skirmish matches with high-difficulty artificial intelligence (A.I.). To compete with real opponents, however, you'll need practice.
The pause button is F10

Read more
This Alienware x16 R2 gaming laptop with RTX 4080 is $700 off today
The Alienware x16 R2 gaming laptop with Evil Dead The Game on the screen.

You need to be ready to spend a lot of money if you want a powerful gaming laptop, but you should also be on the lookout for opportunities at huge savings from gaming laptop deals. Here's an offer that serious gamers should consider: the Alienware x16 R2 with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card at $700 off from Dell, bringing its price down from $3,200 to $2,500. It's still pretty expensive, but you can't ignore that massive discount. This is a clearance sale though, so you need to hurry with your purchase because stocks of the gaming laptop may already be running low.

Why you should buy the Alienware x16 R2 gaming laptop

Read more
This compact HP Omen gaming PC is on sale at 39% off today
The HP Omen 16L gaming desktop sitting on a desk.

For those who want a proper gaming desktop but don't have enough space for a big and bulky machine, the HP Omen 16L could be what you need. You're in luck because it's on sale from the gaming PC deals of HP right now, with this configuration featuring the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card available at 39% off. You'll only have to pay $800 instead of its original price of $1,330, but you need to push through with your purchase immediately if you want to make sure you pocket the savings of $530.

Why you should buy the HP Omen 16L gaming PC

Read more