Insignia restores Halo 2’s multiplayer servers

It’s time to dust off your Xbox, plug in that CRT TV you had stashed away, and refuel on some Mountain Dew and Doritos because Halo 2’s multiplayer servers for the original Xbox are back online, all thanks to the folks working on the project Insignia.

Since 2010, Microsoft has shut down all multiplayer servers for the original Xbox, marking the end of an era for many gamers. However, the folks at Insignia have been working tirelessly to pick up the slack.

Insignia is a free alternative to Microsoft’s servers for the first-generation Xbox console, enabling the restoration of online features for the first time since their discontinuation in 2010. Thanks to Insignia, many multiplayer games for the original Xbox have been given a new lease on life. Beloved multiplayer titles such as Star Wars: Battlefront I & II, Steel Batallion, Phantasy Star Online and many more are all playable via Insignia. Halo 2 now joins that extensive list.

On March 15th, Insignia announced the release of the public beta for their Halo 2 multiplayer servers via X (formerly Twitter). To access these servers, players will need to install Insignia and sign up for a gamertag. The setup guide can be found here.

Insignia’s release of the public beta for Halo 2 servers will include the following matchmaking playlists

• Rumble Pit
• Double Team
• Team Slayer
• Team Skirmish
• Team Training
• Team Snipers
• Team Hardcore
• Team Swat
• Big Team Battle
• H2 Challenge

All these classic game modes will no doubt keep many fans hooked for some time.

Halo 2 was debatably the Xbox’s premiere multiplayer experience, and Insignia could not have picked a better time to release their public beta, as later this year marks the 20th anniversary of Halo 2’s release. The ability to play Halo 2’s multiplayer component on the original hardware and with the original peripherals is not only a nostalgic treat but a monumental gift for video game preservation.!