During the Microsoft press conference during the E3 it was revealed by developer 343 Industries that "Halo Wars 2" will officially launch for the Windows 10 PC and Xbox One on Feb. 21 2017. The beta is already live as it is scheduled to run from June 13 to June 20. 

"Halo Wars 2" was initially unveiled during GamesCon 2015 and developed by Creative Assembly, the same team behind the "Total War" games. As stated in a report from The Verge, the game is set right after the events of "Halo 5: Guardians"  and will allow players to control the UNSC as they battle the alien race known as the Banished.

Just like the first game, which was released as far back as 2009, "Halo Wars 2" does not fall under the FPS (first-person shooter) genre and is instead an RTS (real-time strategy), which sees players managing resources, building bases and amassing armies that fight in real-time. 

The beta is stated to be 13GB in size and will allow Xbox One players to partake in multiplayer matches up to six players. It is further explained that the Windows 10 PC version will follow the same tenets although it may be more expansive given the flexibility of the PC platform.

According to the report, the full retail version of "Halo Wars 2" will also release with a complete remaster of the original "Halo Wars," continuing 343 Industries' trend of remastering all of the "Halo" games for the current generation of consoles. This is also speculated to be another means of marketing the newer versions of the Xbox One.

During E3 the developers also released a full CGI trailer showcasing the game's story and the fight between the UNSC and the Banished, particularly a skirmish against a Banished general, which resembles a large ape or monkey. No in-game footage has been shown in the trailer.

"Halo Wars 2" launches on Feb. 21, 2017.