At Gamescom 2015, Microsoft announced Halo Wars 2 is coming to Xbox One and Windows 10 in Fall 2016. Halo Wars, which was created by Ensemble Studios, was originally released in 2009.

Halo Wars 2 is an upcoming strategy game packed with fast-paced action, a new Halo story and new modes.

Halo Wars 2 dev teases new mode

During a PAX West panel in September, 343 Industries teased a new Halo Wars 2 footage and a new mode for the RTS.

The team showed off the first mission of the game’s single-player campaign. The UNSC crew has been in cryosleep for close to 28 years and have awoken in an unfamiliar place. Halo Wars 2 takes place after the events of Halo 5: Guardians. You can watch the gameplay video below, as posted by DualShockers on YouTube.

Studio head Dan Ayoub teased a new mode that offers a “completely new way to play” an RTS game. “It really takes standard RTS gameplay and turns it on its head. And that’s a mode that can be played in a shorter time frame as well, like five, six, seven minutes.”

Halo Wars 2 features new actors for the lead roles

In the Halo Wars 2 trailer from E3, you may have noticed that main characters Cutter and Anders look different than when you last saw them in the original Halo Wars. “Because they are different — for both casting and technical reasons,” developer 343 Industries said in a blog post. “The first Halo Wars game, for all its glitteringly wondrous CG, contained characters that {effects studio Blur] essentially made up.”

Gideon Emery (Battlefield 3) plays Cutter - who is seen to reflect the 28 years of time that has passed since Halo Wars. Fay Kingsley (Mirror’s Edge Catalyst) players Anders, and she nailed the role, said 343.

"You're going to love her performance," 343 said. "While respecting the original character, she's poured a lot of herself into this. And while we loved Kim Mai Guest as our previous actress for Anders, getting our schedules to jive was a challenge."

"We're really excited to have both Faye and Gideon join the Halo family, and we can't wait to show you more of the story and the amazing Blur cinematics in Halo Wars 2."

Halo Wars 2 introduced a new villain, Atriox

In Halo Wars 2, players will meet a new menacing villain - Atriox, the leader of a violent, mercenary force known as The Banished. The Banished brings classic weapons of war to the battlefield, making it as brutal as anything you’ve encountered battles with the Covenant.

Pre-order Halo Wars 2

Make sure you get your hands on Halo Wars 2 by pre-ordering the game from GameStop, Microsoft Store and Amazon.

Watch the official Halo Wars 2 trailer

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