With each month that passes, the Halo community continues to surprise us with the unique maps created in Halo 5’s Forge mode on both Xbox One and Windows 10. To celebrate the Halo World Championship, we’ve partnered with Paramount Pictures and the upcoming film Ghost in the Shell, and are excited to reveal the Forge community’s next challenge - the Ghost In the Shell Halo 5 Forge Contest!

At the Halo World Championship Finals next month in sunny Southern California, audience members will be able to go hands-on with an awesome new Ghost in the Shell experience built with Forge. This is where you come in. The winner of this contest will not only have their map played by everyone at the event, but will also be flown out as a special guest and enjoy the show live!

Based on creativity, originality, usability, and likeness to the ‘Ghost in the Shell’ description, a panel of judges – selected from the various Forge communities, the team here at 343 Industries, and Paramount Pictures – will choose the top three winners. The contest begins now and entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on March 12, 2017 here on the Halo Waypoint Forums. To learn how to submit your entry, head here.

The top 3 winners will receive:

1 st Prize – Paid trip to the Halo World Championship 2017 Finals in Burbank, California

– Paid trip to the Halo World Championship 2017 Finals in Burbank, California 2 nd Prize – Covenant Prize Pack – Replica Needler by NECA, Halo Wars 2 Brute Spike Rifle by BOOMco, Covenant Ghost

– Covenant Prize Pack – Replica Needler by NECA, Halo Wars 2 Brute Spike Rifle by BOOMco, Covenant Ghost 3rd Prize – Spartan Prize Pack – Athlon and Master Chief customizable Spartans, and Mark V and Mark VI Art FX packs by Kotobukiya

Design rules and guidelines

Maps created must at a bare minimum support Slayer game mode

Maps must support 2-8 players

Maps must use the Active Camo powerup (On map pickups or traits)

Maps will be judged in part by how closely they recreate the look and feel from the Ghost in the Shell universe based on the reference material and description provided below:

Scene description

Location: The Lawless Zone

Date: The Very Near Future

The battle takes place in a section of the city that was once grand but has been neglected for some time. The ground is littered with debris. There is an abandoned car and towering dilapidated buildings are visible in the distance.

A gnarled tree rises from the center of what might have been a busy traffic circle. Pillars surround the area and support a circular walkway/overpass 30 feet high that frames the arena.

The Spider Tank is formidable. Standing 15-20 feet high with 6 legs and 2 heavy machine gun turrets. It shrugs off gun fire. It emerges unexpectedly and ready to do major damage. The Major will need to find a way to get close undetected to succeed…

Additionally, you should feel free to use the Ghost In The Shell official trailers for extra inspiration. If you’re looking for a few more angles of this area specifically, you can find them at around the 2-minute mark in the trailer below.

To see the full contest rules, head here: aka.ms/Halo-GITS-Forge-Rules

We can’t wait to see how Forge and Ghost in the Shell collide for this contest, and don't forget to watch Ghost in the Shell in theaters on March 31. Best of luck to all Forgers!

*No Purchase Necessary. Open only to existing Xbox Live account holders with access to an Xbox One or Windows 10 PC and a copy of Halo 5: Guardians for Xbox One or Halo 5: Forge on Windows 10. Game ends 3/12/17. For details, see Official Rules.