Multiplayer has been at the center of Halo since its first game, and 343 Industries is willing and ready to put all the meat on the grill in Halo Infinite. Not only because it will be the most ambitious of the entire saga, but also because it will bet on a brave and especially interesting Free-To-Play model.
In this regard, Microsoft is fully aware that the release of Halo Infinite on console and PC, as well as its free multiplayer model, is a precedent for everyone: never before has the FPS saga been opened to such a wide audience. And that is not only an advantage, it is also a responsibility.
Because it is no coincidence that Xbox Game Studios has dedicated almost all minutes to the Halo Infinite multiplayer game itself in the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase, its great presentation of E3 2021. In fact, it has measured the times very well to settle correctly the novelties that fans wanted to see back and capture the attention of those who have not yet donned the Spartan armor.
Although the return of the Master Chief is called to be the flagship of the Xbox firm, what will really define its success as a game will no longer be the number of copies sold, but the number of players who converge through its online modes. in his ambitious sci-fi FPS experience. Regardless of whether they do it from the PC or from the console.
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Whether they do it with the Xbox One controller on the controls or from the Steam platform, using the mouse and keyboard. Because the Halo Infinite controls are being developed to show off on both console and PC, and the online experience will be the real litmus test.
Given the importance of multiplayer, in VidaExtra we have shared everything officially announced and confirmed to date regarding what will be the star section of Halo Infinite . A festival of chaos and science fiction that we will experience in the first person to which, by the way, everyone is invited.
The essence of the classics with next-generation gunplay
Andrew Witts, the head of multiplayer design for Halo Infinite, has a clear vision of what is expected of the next title in the series: retain the quintessence of the classics and set the direction to follow for years to come. A more or less abstract idea that they are clear about how to approach.
The idea is to bring back all the elements of [Halo’s] legacy and inject them into Halo Infinite, but not in a way that doesn’t show a change. The design should be a celebration of the legacy of the saga, but also the step where Halo should go.
To achieve this, 343 Industries has rescued key elements from all previous installments and, through the new abilities designed for Halo Infinite , give a new layer of possibilities and variety to both the competitive experience and the gunplay so characteristic of the saga. So renewing weapons and adapting to the environments takes on more weight during combat.
The main thing, the portable shield and the grappling hook, the new skills of the Master Chief , will be available during multiplayer, although – logically – they will work differently from the campaign to offer some balance to all players.
- The grappling hook is a system that increases mobility and also offers other uses, such as attracting distant objects.
- The ” Drop Wall ” works is a protection system that requires some skill: the idea is to cushion enemy fire and even deflect attacks.
The central idea is that we get the most out of these skills while combining them with the catalog of available weapons , offering new possibilities both individually and when playing in teams, so that not only skill is needed when it comes to aiming, but certain tactical vision and adaptation to the game environment.
Of course, Halo vehicles are also an essential part of big-stage combat, and their incorporation into battles will have new nuances. First, because we will have to adapt to the damage they receive in a localized way and the consequences of it, but we can also supply weapons or deploy them from them.
In this regard, the deployment of weapons and vehicles in Halo Infinite multiplayer will make the games even more intense: as in Halo 2 , we will see how supplies with weapons capable of turning the situation will rain from the sky. On the other hand, in vehicles they no longer appear in the bases, but are instead deployed during the battle in Pelicans.
The intention: to increase the degree of intensity of the combats in front of the rest of the Halo saga without deviating from the playable roots and the essence of a multiplayer that established a chair. And, in this sense, his way of approaching the monetization system is also a brave step.
Halo Infinite multiplayer is free and no fine print
The way in which Halo Infinite embraces the concept of Free-to-play through its multiplayer is terrifyingly simple: you can download it for free from Xbox One, Xbox Series X or PC and start playing without having to pay a single penny. In fact, on consoles there is no longer even the barrier of having an active Xbox Live Gold subscription.
In this regard, 343 Industries has completely scrapped the idea of introducing loot boxes or rewards that sprout randomly and is strongly committed to the Battle Pass model and themed events to offer Halo Infinite players new content.
A formula popularized by Fornite that gains a special nuance: Halo Infinite Battle Passes do not expire . What does this mean?
- Basically, the rewards included in these will not disappear at the end of each event. So we can complete the challenges and missions of each pass at our own pace and whenever we want.
- And not only that: when it comes to progressing, we can alternate between the different Battle Passes that we acquire at any time. We won’t have to complete one to start receiving rewards from another.
- That said, Xbox Game Studios’ plan is for Halo Infinite to offer new content and events over the next few years, and what is more interesting: when new seasons arrive , Battle Passes from past events will continue to be available in the game store.
As our colleague Rubén commented, with this it is possible to completely eliminate the feeling of losing the content that is available for a temporary time and a different type of loyalty is promoted for the player himself , keeping the essential: unlocking rewards based on play.
In fact, the customization system of our character is one of the aspects that have been reinforced the most: 343 Industries anticipates that there will be more options than ever to customize the Spartans. From small pieces to motifs for the armor itself.
And the thing does not end there: we can also decorate the weapons and vehicles to taste and even the voice and personality of the personal AI that will accompany us during the games. We will even have the option of adding prostheses to our Spartan if we wish.
As expected, the rewards obtained through Battle Passes do not equal in-game advantages – they are purely cosmetic – and can only be obtained through play, so they cannot be claimed in any other way, such as by example through direct purchase. In addition, all the progress and what we obtain will always be at hand both on the console and on the PC, regardless of where we achieve it.
Ways and experiences confirmed to date
That there are a lot of rewards for unlocking in the game and through the Season Pass is very good, but the important thing is that there are ways that have us hooking one game to the next, and in that sense 343 Industries knows exactly what the players expect to find. Halo fans in Infinite multiplayer.
- On the one hand, the Arena will once again be the place the epicenter of experiences offering social and qualifying games in which to compete for teams. Halo Infinite will offer essential modes of the series and created for the occasion.
- Of course the Big Team Battle , the massive battles in huge war environments, will be one of the multiplayer hot spots. Especially now that the games take place on larger maps designed for up to 24 players. Something that in Halo 5 we had seen in War Zone .
- In addition, Forge mode , the content creation tool with which to build and discover new ways to play, will also be available in Halo Infinite with the promise of offering more resources and possibilities than in any previous installment.
- No less important are the seasonal events , which will not only serve for the rankings, but will be boosted by the contents of the Battle Passes.
Finally, Halo Infinite will offer the Academy , a common space in which new players can familiarize themselves with the essentials through the tutorial and the most seasoned will have several training options. A great way to sharpen your aim even while hunting for games.
Regarding training, Halo Infinite has a wide variety of options, including different bot settings (both for allies and enemies) that we can accommodate at our own level. The premise, in any case, is to put all possible resources ahead so that our character jumps to multiplayer as prepared as possible.
Special mention to the professional competitive experience that Halo Infinite will receive. Xbox Game Studios has already started the deployment of the project through Halo Esports Ecosystem , an infrastructure in which professional players and fans of the saga are sought to coincide through different types of events.
Regarding the complete list of modes and maps that will be available at the outset, 343 Industries places us in for later this year. However, we take it for granted that Halo Infinite will continue to add new content, scenarios and ways to play after its launch.
Halo Infinite, the first multi-system Halo
For the first time ever, a flagship game in the Halo series will be released simultaneously on consoles and PCs. In fairness, the Master Chief’s arrival on desktops is relatively recent, as beyond Halo Wars, the Game Collection is not. appeared on Windows systems until 2019 and its release is occurring in a staggered manner. In fact, their reception was quite warm.
Of course, 343 Industries are doing the tasks for Halo Infinite to get the most out of the multiplayer experience both on the desktop and on the desktop. What’s more, the PC edition is ready to be viewed on widescreen and ultra-wide monitors. One last.
That is not to say that the gaming community will be fragmented. Quite the opposite: Console and PC players will play through cross-play together, and as we said, there will be cross-progression so that we can switch between the two systems and keep accumulating progress.
In this aspect, and through the dedicated Halo portal, we can even manage our character and their equipment from any system. Even from mobiles. However, are all systems in the same condition?
- Regarding the console version, Microsoft has anticipated that Halo Infinite will look up to 120 fps on Xbox Series X, although we will need a screen capable of displaying them.
- If we play from PC we will have at our disposal a huge variety of visual and game settings to accommodate the FPS experience that we want to manifest on the screen. Not only are they fully compatible with mouse and keyboard , but we have sought to offer the best possible experience through them.
To balance things out, console users would have a pointing assist system , while on PC we will be allowed to accommodate maximum precision and sensitivity with different key and mouse settings. And yes, Xbox One players will have all the content and experiences of the other versions.
As a bonus, Halo Infinite will also offer an offline gamer experience . On Xbox consoles it will be through the classic split screen, something deeply rooted in the saga, while on PC it can be done through a LAN connection from a local server. Surely, this will start a smile from more than one veteran.
The arrival of Halo Infinite is scheduled for the end of the year (between fall and winters without a fixed day) both on Xbox One and on the Xbox Series X and Series S, as well as on PC through the Microsoft store and Steam. It is worth remembering that, beyond the free multiplayer, the rest of the Halo Infinite content and its campaign can be played at launch through the Game Pass.
