A common complaint among competitive players of "Halo: The Master Chief Collection" is that PC players have a huge advantage over console players. This is because PC players are more precise and customizable, both in terms of controllers and mouse and keyboard setups, with the latter being more precise and customizable. Starting this week, however, console players will have to come up with an excuse if they lose a game. The latest patch for the Master Chief Collection adds official mouse and keyboard support.

Information comes from the Support section of the Halo Waypoint website, a post detailing the April 2021 patch for Halo: The Master Chief Collection. There are no special tricks. Once you download the patch (especially if you try to play online), simply connect a wired USB keyboard and mouse to your Xbox One, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S, and use them to control the Master Chief Collection. You can also change key bindings in the game's settings menu.

USB mice and keyboards work with almost all modern Xbox consoles, but wireless models are a bit erratic; the Razer Turret is a good, if expensive, choice. Otherwise, each model should be checked on a model-by-model basis. Gaming mouse and keyboard manufacturers are pretty good at listing which devices are compatible with Xbox systems.

Mouse and keyboard controls are not the only accessibility enhancements to the Master Chief Collection in the April 2021 patch. Players can now also enable text-to-speech and text-to-speech functions, as well as enable and disable menu narration. These features should make it easier for players with visual and hearing impairments to control the game.

In terms of gameplay, the April 2021 patch will offer two notable new features: the Halo 3 "Waterfall" map and the "Escalation Slayer" for Halo: Reach, Halo 4, and Halo 2: Anniversary. The former, as the name suggests, is a multiplayer map where players play against each other in a futuristic facility near a waterfall. The latter offers better weapons depending on the number of kills.

The patch also highlights the Season 6 "Raven" multiplayer challenge, which will allow players to unlock new customization options in multiplayer. There is a more detailed blog post on the Raven options. However, if you are interested in the ongoing multiplayer challenges of the Master Chief Collection, you will probably be satisfied to know that Raven is underway.

There are a few other small changes, but the bottom line is this: PC and console players in The Master Chief Collection should be on equal footing when it comes to input devices. If you're looking for peripherals to get you off on the right foot, check out our list of the best gaming mice and best gaming keyboards.