Born as a console experience, the Halo series has always attempted to include some kind of split-screen option. Be it the entire campaign cooperatively or just the multitude of multiplayer options (as with Halo 5), you can usually boot up each new installment of Halo and play on the same console. It's one of the defining features of the series.

Sadly, that experience does not translate to PC. As with the previously released PC ports (the original Halo and Halo 2 from last decade), the newly released Halo: Reach port does not have any split-screen options on PC. It's a real missed opportunity, especially with the power that PCs have.

If you're an Xbox One player, you won't need to worry. As with the rest of the games in the Master Chief Collection, Reach features the same split-screen modes they do. It's basically a straight port from the Xbox 360, just with a higher framerate, crappier audio, and obviously a boost in resolution.

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Halo multiplayer match with banshees

The PC has all of that, too, just no split-screen. There isn't even cross-play support, though that makes sense. Playing Halo with a mouse and keyboard is a transformative experience. Headshots are so much easier to make and the game feels buttery smooth. Trying to mix and match that with people playing on gamepads would be ridiculously unfair.

At least Reach allows for play between people buying from the Windows Store and Steam. That comes down to the game requiring users to sign in to an Xbox Live account, but you can make one for free and not miss out on features. Online play for PC users has never been gated behind Xbox Live Gold. It's just a shame you won't be able to invite some friends over and play like the good old days.

There's a chance that Reach will eventually get a mod that offers the option. 343 Industries might even officially include it after fan requests. If that isn't soon enough, though, you can always subscribe to Xbox Game Pass and play competitive matches on PC while getting your friends together on Xbox One. That's some form of consolation.

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