LA Chargers hired expert Halo Forgers to build their viral 2026 schedule release

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The Los Angeles Chargers revealed their 2026 schedule in a unique way: a five-minute video created entirely within the Halo Infinite game using its Forge mode. The video, a collaboration with Microsoft, proved very popular, gaining 17 million views and 101,000 likes on social media.

The video showcases Jeff Steitzer, the famous voice of Halo multiplayer, enthusiastically announcing game dates. It playfully pokes fun at each team on the schedule with hidden surprises – called Easter eggs – cleverly built into specially designed maps.

The Chargers continue their tradition of unique schedule releases with this latest reveal, which follows previous announcements made within the worlds of Anime, The Sims 2, and Minecraft.

Three experts, two countries, one Forge mode

The Chargers recently shared a video showing how they created unique in-game maps. They flew in three Halo experts from Canada and Mexico to build the maps using the game’s Forge mode, and then added fun on-screen graphics and jokes using video editing software.

There’s a lot of enthusiastic agreement about filming the schedule release video in Halo! Everyone seems very excited and in favor of the idea.

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 14, 2026

The creation also involved using code to automate tasks and recording actual gameplay footage, which was then put together in the final video.

Since Forge mode doesn’t let creators add their own textures or 3D models, the design team had to get creative. They built new structures by combining and modifying existing in-game objects in unexpected ways – a technique called kit bashing.

Creating a life-size ship for one of the scenes meant first building the main framework, and then adding the visual effects and smaller details over many hours.

One person shared that building the initial framework took about 15 hours, and then they spent an additional 5 to 6 hours on visual effects and finishing touches.

Honestly, I’m really excited whenever sports and gaming start to connect. As a designer, it’s awesome to see familiar things used in totally new ways – it opens up a lot of cool possibilities!

The end result is a video that doubles as a hit list for every team on the schedule:

  • The Patriots segment mocks the Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini drama with a sign reading “Next Photo Dump 1 Mile” and a prompt to “Press X to skip this checkpoint”
  • The Broncos map features a plasma grenade arcing into a Spartan’s ankle, a direct nod to Bo Nix’s playoff injury
  • The 49ers matchup takes place inside an electrical substation referencing Bay Area power outage conspiracy theories
  • The Chiefs segment hides a scannable QR code that redirects to a direct jab at the team
  • The Bills map references Cam Newton’s viral “I love cookies” rant about receiver Keon Coleman

As a huge NFL and Pixar fan, I was absolutely blown away by what the league did last year! They actually broadcasted a live game inside the world of Toy Story! It wasn’t just a visual thing either – they used real-time animation and tracked the players so it felt like they were actually playing on Andy’s carpet. It’s amazing how the NFL is blending with gaming and pop culture now – it’s not just about when the schedule comes out anymore!

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2026-05-17 00:19