I wrote about the Halo 5 Guardians Beta Thing a couple weeks ago, and it's all still true. It may even be truer, now. There's some really neat new maps to look at, especially the ones that take place in some kind of simulated environment; it's similar to the vibe Titanfall was playing with in the DLC. Cool stuff. But at the end of these matches, for some reason, these war-hardened cyborgs get a little… whatever it is.

I find the problem they have very interesting. Is it a problem, even? Maybe not. I think if you can reliably sell millions of games maybe it's doesn't qualify as an apocalypse. But they have a sort of cerebral single player campaign and this brutal murder simulator which is very technical and therefore prized by those who venerate competition. And they're both the same product. I'd be surprised if the lore "concern" I'm raising matters to the latter camp at all. So, in some ways this dissonance is a function of the game's broad reach.

The brodowns are so insane to me at this point that I'm assuming they're right to do what they're doing; that it must simply reference a community I can't really claim. I'm carpetbagging here, clearly, but I can also say I don't know anyone who thinks Spartans should do that. Of course, this sample is from my completely self-selected cadre and also includes employees who know that disagreeing with me earns them some time in the Disagreement Hole. It's also possible I am just a jerk; I think I am the first person in history to advocate for fewer high fives.

PAX South is approaching even more rapidly than it had previously, increasing in velocity, until next weekend when it will pierce the sky and land fully formed in San Antonio, Texas. It's entirely possible you have never been to a PAX before, in which case, welcome. If you want to find myself or my cohort for any reason not involving the Big Three we'll be around. If you want to be more strategic than that, here is our basic schedule:

--- Friday: 11:30a - 12:30p, Gabe &Tycho Q&A (Immediately after the Storytime with Geoff Keighley. This is the only instance at PAX where theatres do NOT clear), Main Theatre
--- Friday: 1:30p - 3:30p, Autograph/Photo Session, Queue Room
--- Friday: 6:00p - 7:00p, Thornwatch Panel (Probably just Gabe on this one.)
--- Saturday: Make-a-strip Panel, 1:30p - 3:00p, Main Theatre
--- Saturday: 5:00p - 7:00p, Autograph/Photo Session, Queue Room
--- Saturday: 7:00p - 9:00p, Pinny Arcade Trading Session, Queue Room
--- Sunday: 10:30a - 12:30p, Autograph/Photo Session, Queue Room
--- Sunday: 1:30p - 2:30p, Gabe & Tycho Q&A #2, Main Theatre
--- Sunday: 5:30p - 6:30p, Omegathon Final Round! Main Theatre

If you don't have tickets yet, we have "some" left for Friday and Sunday and you can buy them. I might do so sooner than later. Oh! And Question Submissions for our Q&A Panel at PAX East just opened up also. Make us squirm.

(CW)TB out.