Today during the Inside Xbox livestream Microsoft announced the Halo: Outpost Discovery, a roving Halo-themed experience that combines all the different aspects and appeals of the Halo franchise under one roof. From the games themselves to the cosplay, virtual reality, Mega Bloks, and physical versions of in-game items, all will be viewable and playable at this new experience platform.

The event space promises community meetups, 200 game stations, exclusive gear, an interactive museum, laser tag, and competitive VR. Cities that will have the Halo: Outpost Discovery coming to them include: Orlando (July 5-7), Philadelphia (July 19-21), Chicago (August 2-4), Houston (August 16-18) and Anaheim (August 30-September 1). Tickets are on sale now at their website and cost $55.00 for a general admission pass for a single day to $320.00 for a 3-day VIP ticket. VIP ticket holders get in an hour earlier and stay an hour later, a VIP gift bag, lounge access, Xbox Game Pass 3-month trial, and some Xbox Avatar costumes/apparel.

On their website the advertised attractions include:

• Hall of History: "...immerse yourself in the achievements and tribulations of humanity through a combination of informative graphics, artifacts, and tangible visuals pulled directly from the Halo franchise. Featuring everything from United Nations Space Command (UNSC) weapons and accessories, uniforms, an iconic to-scale Warthog vehicle, life-sized sculptures."
• The Ring Experience: "At the center of the Ring Experience is a visually immersive, multi-projector, dome-based theatrical experience, featuring a never-before-seen exploration of a Halo ring, giving fans a brand-new appreciation for the sheer scale and magnitude of these ancient installations."
• Covenant Escape: an escape-room-style experience taking palce within a Covenant ship.
• Combat Deck: Halo-themed laser tag with two teams of twenty players going head-to-head.
• Training Grounds: a virtual reality "Halo themed combat training environment."
• Pelican Training: A simulation that let's you, " get hands-on with some of the UNSC’s most battle-hardened hardware through teamwork and deft decision-making."
• UNSC Kiosk: Information booth.
• Target Range: Use BoomCo Halo weapons on a practice range to compare scores to others.
• Mega Construx: build and play with Mega Blocks Halo sets.
• Post Exchange & Marketplace: Buy merch.

Studio Head of Transmedia Kiki Wolfkill (what a great name) talked a bit about the experience. 343 Industries, currently behind everything Halo, wanted to bring all the different parts of Halo together. From those who love the story, the chracters, to cosplay, to play multiplayer, and more, they wanted to bring it under one roof and bring it to the fans. 343 has done some events in the past, such as the Holo-lens experience at E3 2015 or Halo Fest 2011, they also have their own Halo museum within the studio. However not everyone could make these events and not everyone can travel far, so instead of having it stay in one location they wanted to make an event that moved around the United States to give everyone an opportunity to participate.

The event is also focused on family and those who maybe aren't as into Halo. There are a lot of different activities you can pariticpate in during the three day experience. Gabriella is a new AI created for the Discovery and the event itself takes place after Halo 3. This fact, as well as the existence of the Hall of History, calls back to the Halo 3 Believe ad campaign. One which featured live action trailers set from the perspective of the veterans looking back on the war that almost wiped out humanity. Hopefully the diorama from the most famous of the ads makes its way to the event.

You can watch the announcement trailer below, and check out the site locations and tickets on the Halo: Outpost Discovery website.

Halo: Outpost Discovery is a travelling fan experience that brings the Halo video game universe to life. This family-friendly event lets you step into Halo’s beloved science fiction setting like never before, with immersive themed attractions, interactive in-universe encounters, the latest playable game releases, and so much more. Visit a Halo Ring, get up close and personal with a real-life Warthog, battle fellow recruits in an epic laser tag arena, experience thrilling in-universe encounters with the latest simulation technologies, and much more.

Whether you’re a Halo veteran or brand new to the franchise, Halo: Outpost Discovery offers experiences designed with everyone in mind. From deep dives into the Halo backstory and interactive museum components, to hands-on gameplay and unique, exclusive shopping opportunities, this fan experience is guaranteed to delight the whole family.