Blood Gulch
A box canyon map central to Halo multiplayer and machinima.
Blood Gulch is a multiplayer map from the *Halo* first-person shooter series, first appearing in *Halo: Combat Evolved*. It was later remade for *Halo 2* as "Coagulation," for *Halo: Reach* as "Hemorrhage," and for *Halo: The Master Chief Collection* as "Bloodline." Spiritual successors include *Halo 3*'s "Valhalla," *Halo 4* and *Halo Wars*' "Ragnarok," and *Halo 5*'s "Basin." Set in a canyon on the Halo ringworld that evokes the American Southwest, the map was built for capture the flag but also supports other modes like deathmatch. It is widely regarded as one of the most critically acclaimed and influential multiplayer maps in the series, and it served as the primary setting for the machinima series *Red vs. Blue*.
The map is a box canyon enclosed by high natural walls, with a "vast expanse of undulating landscape and scattered pieces of natural cover" inside. A base sits at each end for the Red and Blue teams. Though balanced overall, the map is tactically asymmetrical: the Red team has access to a ridge, while the Blue team is near a tunnel system in the canyon wall. Each base features two entrances, an open ceiling, and sloping paths to the roof. A teleporter on top of each base can send players from either team into the valley's no man's land, where they become vulnerable to snipers. Warthog jeeps move easily across the terrain, making them ideal for flag escapes. In the *Halo 2* version, each base has a third, below-ground level containing a Banshee. When playing the Rocket Slayer gamemode, Warthogs are replaced with Scorpion tanks.
Jaime Griesemer, designer of *Halo: Combat Evolved*, said Blood Gulch's design was why the Scorpion tank stayed in the game. Developers had considered removing it because it was underused in the campaign, but found it fun enough to drive on Blood Gulch that they kept it. He also noted that the sniper rifle received a scope because of the distance between the two bases.
Wes Fenlon of *PC Gamer* wrote that "if there's anything truly and utterly timeless about *Halo*, it's that voice playing over the warm blue sky and dusty fields of Blood Gulch." IGN's Ryan McCaffrey called Coagulation the series' arguably most famous map, describing it as "the boxed desert canyon that's been home to countless CTF matches and *Red vs.
- Field
- Video game multiplayer map
- Known for
- Iconic Halo map, setting of Red vs. Blue
Lore & Background
Blood Gulch takes place in a box canyon on a Halo ring that is enclosed on all sides by high natural walls. The canyon's interior is a vast expanse of undulating landscape and scattered pieces of natural cover, with a base on each end for the Red and Blue teams. The map is balanced but asymmetrical in terms of tactical advantage, with the Red team having access to a ridge, while the Blue team is located near a tunnel system in the canyon wall. Each base is conducive to traditional FPS gameplay, with two entrances, an open ceiling, and sloping paths to the roof. On top of each base, a teleporter can transport players from either team to the midst of the valley's no man's land, leaving them vulnerable to snipers. Warthog jeeps can easily traverse the landscape, making them ideal for escaping with the flag. In the Halo 2 variant of the map, each base has a third, below ground level, in which a Banshee can be found. When playing the gamemode "Rocket Slayer", the Warthogs are replaced with Scorpion tanks.
Reader's Guide
Blood Gulch's design had a notable impact on Halo's development. Jaime Griesemer, the designer of Halo: Combat Evolved, stated that the design of Blood Gulch was responsible for the Scorpion tank remaining in the game, as the developers wanted to remove it due to lack of use in the campaign but found it fun enough to drive around Blood Gulch that it was left in. He also stated that the game's sniper rifle was given a scope due to the distance between Blood Gulch's two bases. The map was popularized in part due to it being the main setting of the first five seasons of Red vs. Blue, a web series that first aired in the early 2000s. It was later featured in the battle royale game Fortnite, with the addition announced by Ninja and several Red vs. Blue characters. A fan recreation of Blood Gulch was made for the game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Did You Know?
- Blood Gulch's design led to the Scorpion tank being kept in Halo: Combat Evolved.
- Blood Gulch was the main setting for the first five seasons of Red vs. Blue.
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