Microsoft officially announced the next downloadable expansion pack for Halo Wars 2 during its Daily Show at E3 2017, and it certainly introduces a significant change to gameplay. Entitled Awakening the Nightmare, the upcoming Halo Wars 2 expansion will not only put players in the shoes of The Banished, but also re-introduces the infamous and oft-requested Flood back into the fold. The downloadable content will also introduce two new multiplayer maps, complimented by a duo of new multiplayer leaders.

The new content was revealed with a slick cutscene that showed the rapid demise of a few unfortunate Banished soldiers, who were presumably the first to discover the Flood's return. Gamers who buy into the DLC should expect more slick visuals from the campaign's cutscenes as well. These scenes are being developed by Blur, an effects studio that previously provided the cutscenes for Halo 2: Anniversary.

Interested gamers can take a look at the Halo Wars 2: Awakening The Nightmare trailer below:

Players will be able to construct all-new defensive structures like spiked floors and barricades, which should do well to compliment the RTS game's existing catalog of structures. New units will also be added, though Microsoft hasn't revealed what these will be for the time being. The downloadable content also introduces a new horde-like game mode called Terminus Firefight, wherein teams of up to three players face wave after wave of increasing difficult enemies. The official description for the new content describes it as "tower defense-style twist to the beloved wave-based Halo mode," something that sounds like the perfect compliment for the new Flood adversaries.

We don't know why the DLC wasn't shown during Microsoft's 90+ minute press conference yesterday, but the new content is sure to make fans of Halo Wars 2 happy. 343 Industries also chimed in with an update for Halo 6, stating that although progress was good, the game wasn't at a state where it was ready to be announced yet.

Awakening The Nightmare won't be included as part of the Halo Wars 2 season pass, so gamers will have to shell out $20 to pick up the title on Xbox One or PC.

The Awakening The Nightmare expansion for Halo Wars 2 is due out this fall for Xbox One and PC.

Source: YouTube