Halo 3 Comes to Counter Strike 2… Then Disappears
A hugely popular Counter Strike 2 mod that recreated the feel of Halo 3 multiplayer has been pulled from Steam after a DMCA takedown from Microsoft. The project, called Project Misriah: Halo Ports, was not just a simple map pack. It was a full on attempt to bring Halo 3 style gameplay into Valve’s modern shooter.
The mod delivered classic Halo flavor inside Counter Strike 2. It featured remade Halo 3 multiplayer maps, tweaked movement and gravity to match Halo’s floatier feel, and even reworked ballistics to better mimic how weapons behaved in Bungie’s classic. On top of that, the modders added authentic Halo sound effects and announcer lines, making the whole experience feel like a proper Halo 3 throwback running on Source 2.
For PC players who grew up with Halo or never had access to the original console versions, it was a rare chance to experience that style of arena combat inside a modern PC shooter. Unfortunately, its run has been cut short.
Why Microsoft Issued a DMCA Takedown
Project Misriah’s co creator, known online as Froddoyo, shared an image of the DMCA notice he received via Valve. According to the notice, Microsoft claims that the mod uses "Halo game content" without authorization. In other words, the project appears to include actual assets from the Halo games, rather than just being loosely inspired by them.
That detail matters a lot from a legal perspective. Mods that copy or directly import copyrighted assets like models, textures, audio, or voice lines from a commercial game are on much thinner ice than projects that build original art and sounds that only evoke a similar style.
The notice led Valve to temporarily remove the mod from Steam. In theory, the modders could file a counterclaim and argue that their project does not infringe Microsoft’s rights. But Froddoyo has already signaled that this is the end of the road. In his post, he announced that Project Misriah is done and thanked the community for enjoying it while it lasted, adding a pointed "Make sure you give your thanks to Microsoft."
That frustration is understandable. From a player’s point of view, this was a fan made love letter that made Counter Strike 2 more fun and showed off what the Source 2 engine is capable of. But from the publisher’s side, it is still an unauthorized use of their IP inside a game and ecosystem they do not control.
What This Means for Modders and PC Players
The removal of Project Misriah has triggered concern across the wider modding community, especially among creators who use Steam Workshop. Fellow Halo modder Valkyries733 pointed out that the precedent here could affect other long running mod scenes, including Left 4 Dead 2 and Garry’s Mod. Both games have massive amounts of content that pull from all kinds of franchises, sometimes in ways that clearly use copyrighted assets.
The core worry is this: if Microsoft is willing to issue DMCA takedowns for Halo content used inside another game’s workshop, other rights holders might follow suit for their own properties. That could put many fan made packs, ports, and crossovers at risk, particularly those that lift models, textures, or sounds directly from commercial games.
There is a potential path forward, but it comes at a cost. As Valkyries733 notes, creators can avoid some of these problems by building their own original assets instead of ripping or porting them from existing titles. That means creating fresh 3D models, textures, animations, and audio that are only inspired by a well known universe rather than copying it outright.
For hobby modders, that is often too much work. High quality assets take serious time and skill to make, especially if a team is small and working for free. This is why so many fan mods lean on direct asset ports: it lets them focus on scripting, level design, and gameplay.
From the player side, this situation underlines how fragile some of the coolest PC experiences can be. Project Misriah was praised as a surprisingly accurate take on Halo style multiplayer inside Counter Strike 2. It showed how well Halo’s classic map design, power weapon control, and vertical combat could coexist with modern PC shooter tech.
PC Gamer’s Morgan Park called it delightful and legitimately fun, pointing out how easily Halo’s old school philosophy translated into 2025. For many PC players, it was a glimpse of the kind of experiments and mashups that only the mod scene can deliver.
But as game IP becomes more tightly managed and more value is tied to recognizable franchises, large companies are increasingly protective of how and where their content is used. Cloud gaming, live service platforms, and cross platform ecosystems all give publishers more direct control, and they are more likely to act when content appears in places they have not approved.
For modders and PC gamers, the takeaway is mixed. On one hand, creativity on PC is still thriving, and engines like Source 2, Unreal, and Unity give fans more power than ever to remix and reimagine games. On the other hand, if a project leans on direct use of copyrighted assets, it is always vulnerable to being removed, no matter how much the community loves it.
Looking ahead, we are likely to see more original IP mods that capture the feel of classic games without directly copying them, and more care from creators about what they upload to Steam Workshop and similar platforms. For anyone building or downloading mods, it is a reminder that the safest fan projects are the ones that borrow ideas, not assets.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/microsoft-nukes-popular-halo-3-mod-for-counter-strike-2-from-orbit-it-was-fun-while-it-lasted/
