{"id":385112,"date":"2025-10-28T21:28:53","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T21:28:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/everything-we-know-about-halo-infinite\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T21:28:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T21:28:53","slug":"everything-we-know-about-halo-infinite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/everything-we-know-about-halo-infinite\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything We Know About Halo Infinite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Microsoft fans are ending 2021 with a bang: the release of Halo Infinite<\/a>, the culmination of the Master Chief\u2019s journey of self-discovery, as well as his mission to rescue Cortana from herself. Recent Infinite test flights have showcased several new weapons, but if you\u2019re here, you\u2019re looking for a more comprehensive account of the important information surrounding the game\u2019s release. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about Halo Infinite to prepare for your space-opera themed December:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The Developer<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n
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Since the Combat Evolved remake, 343 Industries has built upon Bungie\u2019s framework and vision. We\u2019ve got the original creators to thank for some of the best FPS titles ever made, but 343 made the narrative and gameplay mechanics their own by focusing on what makes\/continues to make Halo so great: its characters and innovative multiplayer<\/a>. Master Chief, and his tragic relationship with Cortana, is\u00a0more powerful than ever. The addition of large-scale modes, like Halo 5\u2019s Warzone, has created enthralling new ways to experience the space opera\u2019s frenetic action with friends.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Story So Far<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n
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In the final chapter of the Reclaimer Saga, John-117 is back, discovered adrift (and dormant) in the cold vastness of space. Chief will go head-to-head with a new threat, the Banished, as he explores another Halo Array. The survival of humanity is on the line, and Chief must find a way to thwart his enemies\u2019 plans (likely by destroying the halo ring), escape the ring itself, and find a way to save Cortana from her own \u201crampancy.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Halo franchise development director Frank O\u2019Connor, in a candid interview with Time<\/a>, stated that Infinite, as opposed to the previous numbered entry, will focus more on our favorite green-armored soldier and his bombastic escapades:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWithout giving away too much, at the end of Halo 5, as you well know, the universe has changed so fundamentally that we have no choice but to tell what I would call a much more human story in the next game. Will it be an ensemble game? I think certainly we feel great internal success with the cooperative play in Halo 5, so I think it\u2019s something we\u2019re heavily invested in and we won\u2019t simply abandon.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The World <\/div>\n<\/h2>\n
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We\u2019ve seen and\/or traveled to four halo rings (otherwise known as installations). Installation 07, Zeta Halo, is the primary location to traverse in Halo Infinite. Zeta is the oldest ring and sits on the fringes of common knowledge. Because of this, it\u2019s the perfect setting for Chief\u2019s next adventure as there\u2019s little to no information about the place within the Halo game-verse; although, you can flip through the novel adaptations for some historical lore. Based on last year\u2019s gameplay reveal as well as Infinite\u2019s first teaser trailer<\/a>, Zeta contains various biomes \u2013 from lush forests to dusty oases.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Heroes & Villains<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n
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This time around, Chief is joined by the \u201cEcho-216 Pilot.\u201d His real name will likely be uncovered over the course of the game. Still, if the \u201cDiscover Hope<\/a>\u201d cinematic is any indication, the Pilot has emotional stakes of his own to overcome. Lightyears away from family and isolated after the UNSC is defeated by the Banished, the Pilot wants nothing more than to get away from Zeta Halo. Too bad he ran into the most Spartan-laser-focused supersoldier in the universe.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll be fighting The Banished, led by Escharum, the mentor of Halo Wars 2\u2019s antagonist, Atriox. Escharum and his troops single-handedly decimated the UNSC forces on Zeta Halo, establishing the ring as a base of operations.\u00a0Escharum appears to be a well-spoken, charismatic brute, challenging the Master Chief to brutal combat, \u201cSet a fire in your heart, Spartan! Bare your fangs! Fight hard! Die well.\u201d The Banished have allied themselves with an entity called \u201cThe Harbinger\u201d \u2013 it\u2019s safe to assume that we\u2019re on the brink of another doomsday scenario.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, 343 confirmed that Cortana would be returning. What she could be doing with her malicious army of Guardians and whether or not Spartan Locke\/Fireteam Osiris or Blue Team will be involved in the narrative remains to be seen. Don\u2019t hold your breath if you\u2019re anticipating a surprise appearance from The Arbiter, but only time will tell.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Single-Player Loop<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n
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Zeta Halo is the most expansive world in the Halo franchise. Unlike past installments, which showcased linear routes that seldom led to larger, but enclosed, arenas, Infinite contains expansive hubs with their own ecosystems. That\u2019s right, this is NOT an open-world game<\/a>. However, we will be able to return to previously visited sectors to uncover mysteries or complete side quests.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll sprint or drive around the map, killing Banished platoons and storming fortified points of interest like AA gun installations. According to 343, the world will be brimming with dynamic encounters, a night-day cycle, and weather effects that change the behaviors of the Banished. An upgrades tab in the 8-minute gameplay trailer indicates that Master Chief\u2019s progression might be linked to his gear. World design lead John Mulkey spoke<\/a> about his excitement for Halo\u2019s campaign gameplay:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love the agency we are creating that really doubles down on that premise of delivering on the promise of Halo: CE. Enemy strongholds can be approached from any direction and there are so many options available for how you take on the challenges at hand. Do I blaze through the front gate in a Warthog full of Marines and just light the place up with zero subtlety? Do I scout the perimeter and discover a subterranean entrance that allows me to enter through one of the interior structures? Do I Grappleshot to a sniper tower, take out the inhabitant and begin picking off enemies from my raised vantage point?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sadly, you\u2019ll have to wait to play through Infinite\u2019s story with friends, as cooperative play won\u2019t be available<\/a> at launch. Nevertheless, 343 has stated that local split-screen is back.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Multiplayer Loop<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n
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Can you believe it? Halo Infinite’s multiplayer is free-to-play. Competitive Spartans everywhere will be happy to learn that the Battle Pass never expires, eliminating any time-based pressure to rank up for exclusive rewards from season to season. Season one is named “Heroes of Reach” and will have a bevy of\u00a0unrevealed\u00a0events and customization options reminiscent of Reach’s deep cosmetics catalog. Grenades and rare weapons like Grav Hammers will still litter the map, allowing for fun power struggles throughout each match. Moreover, the flow of combat is faster and smoother<\/a> than ever before.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Information about Infinite’s multiplayer modes is still scarce, but we know that classic game types like Slayer, Capture the Flag, Oddball, and Big Team Battle are returning. Academy Training is around for players new to the series (or those that prefer decimating bots). A competitive mode is also in the works for anyone who wants to climb the leaderboards; watch this\u00a0competitive setting reveal video<\/a> for more details. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And Forge? Well, we don’t know much about the popular map-building game mode\u00a0other than that it won’t be available at launch. Recent leaks, however, point to an incredibly comprehensive script editor.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The New Gear<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n
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Sure, the gameplay reveal<\/a> might\u2019ve received a lot of flak for mediocre visuals, but a lot of new equipment that changes Chief\u2019s combat effectiveness was shown in action. Many new weapons are joining Infinite\u2019s loot pool. Some of the new weapons include, but are not limited to:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n