Everything We Know About Halo Infinite Multiplayer So Far

Despite its legendary status as a series, the upcoming Halo title, Halo Infinite, has remained largely a mystery. Players have had no real idea what to expect after the game was originally delayed back in October 2020.

Well, that all changed as of a few days ago. Halo Infinite’s developers, 343 Industries, released a Halo Infinite Multiplayer Reveal Trailer and a Halo Infinite Multiplayer Overview on back to back days. 

It’s safe to say that the Halo community is hyped. These two videos unveiled a tonne of brand-new information on Halo Infinite Multiplayer.

Today we’re going to recap everything we know about Halo Infinite’s Multiplayer so far.

Multiplayer Is Free

You read that right. Halo Infinite’s multiplayer will be completely free-to-play.

The developers want their game to reach as wide an audience as possible, and what better way to do that than going free-to-play?

To balance out its free-to-play status, Halo Infinite will have some microtransactions. But it’s not all that bad. All Halo Infinite microtransactions will be cosmetic only and there will be no loot boxes. Additionally, many top-tier cosmetics can be earned for free and most are unlockable via gameplay alone.

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Academy Mode And Bots

Academy Mode is an exciting new addition to the Halo series. This mode is designed as an advanced training ground for new players to learn the ropes. Here, players can practice movement, get basic tutorials and even learn some Halo lore - all without any distractions or interference.

By far the most thrilling part of Academy Mode is Bots. AI Bots are now available for players to take advantage of. Players can use these bots as target practice, but that’s just the beginning. 

Players can customise the difficulty level of bots and even implement them into custom games. For example, it’s possible to set up a standard 4v4 match where it’s just you and a bunch of bots. This is an awesome way to allow new players to get acclimated or just give players a place to jump in and play casually.

Looking down the road, we’re excited to see how players use bots to enhance user-made custom games. For example, imagine a Duck Hunt custom game with bots as target practice. The opportunities are endless.

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Out Of This World Customisation 

Halo Infinite’s customisation is off the charts. Players will be able to create millions of possible variations to their Spartan. All the mainstays are here - including the ability to customise the armour type and colour of your Spartan from head to toe. But there’s so much more.

Halo Infinite will allow players to change their Spartan’s body type, voice, and even add prosthetic limbs. Armour effects are back as well. The developers want players to feel as attached to their Spartan as possible, like an extension of themselves. The deep level of customisation coming to Halo Infinite rivals that of any other game on the market.

Battle Passes With No Expiration

It’s become standard in the game industry to create limited-time Battle Passes with cosmetics exclusive to that individual season. This forces players to grind hard or miss out on skins and other cosmetic items forever. If you’re someone that plays multiple games that each have their own Battle Pass, this can become overwhelming and begin to feel like a second job.

Halo Infinite is looking to move away from this practice. Halo Infinite Battle Passes will have no expiration date. Players can choose to go back and acquire items from previous Battle Passes whenever they want, even after a season has ended.

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Cross Progression, Crossplay, And Input Based Matchmaking

Halo Infinite comes with all the features we expect out of video games in 2021. Cross progression and crossplay will be available at launch. Players on PC can play with their friends on console seamlessly. Furthermore, players that choose to play on both platforms can easily bounce between their PC and console while maintaining all of their account progress.

To balance this in Ranked Modes, Halo Infinite will separate players based on inputs. Mouse and keyboard players will not match up with controller players. 

The mouse and keyboard vs. controller debate is always a hot topic in gaming. Mouse and keyboard players hate the aim assist provided to controller players, and controller players believe that mouse and keyboard have an advantage when it comes to freedom of aim and movement.

This input-based matchmaking will end this debate and keep Ranked matches fair.

Equipment Is Back 

Equipment is back in Halo Infinite. However, unlike previous Halo's such as Halo Reach, everyone starts fresh. No more spawning in with power-ups and equipment. All players begin the match on a clean slate.

Iconic equipment like Overshield and Active Camo remain in the game - but with some changes. Players that acquire one of these two power-ups can choose which moment they'd like to activate them. The power-up goes into a player's inventory and can be activated from there. If a player dies before using it, another player can pick the power-up off their body.

Other equipment includes the Grappling Hook and the Reflector Shield. The Grappling Hook has been featured heavily in gameplay trailers. This exciting piece of equipment has all kinds of unique uses. Players can hook onto terrain, enemy players, weapons, or vehicles. Players are sure to use this new item to pull off some ridiculous plays.

Another new piece of equipment is the Reflector Shield. Players can use this wrist attachment to reflect Plasma Pistol shots, Rockets, and more. Additionally, players can use this new tool to bounce off the ground for increased jump height.

It seems like 343 has found the perfect middle ground between innovating with equipment while keeping the game’s balance.

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Revamped Vehicles

Halo Infinite’s vehicles have received a serious rework. For starters, vehicles have been designed with expansive damage states. For example, it’s possible to blow a tire off of a Warthog. 

Once a vehicle has been damaged enough, it will enter a “doomed state”. In this doomed state, players will have a set amount of time to exit the vehicle before it explodes.

A new vehicle, the UNSC Razorback, has also been added to the game. This variation of the Warthog can store equipment, objectives, and weapons.

Sprint, Slide, and Clamber Return

The Sprint, Slide, and Clamber mechanics from Halo 5 are back for Halo Infinite. Sprint, Slide, and Clamber were divisive additions for old school players, but there’s no denying that they made the game more fast-paced and helped it feel more modern.

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Sniper Glint

Snipers in Halo Infinite will have a glint when scoped in. This helps bring attention to enemies wielding this powerful weapon and prevent players from getting one-shot killed out of nowhere with no warning. Think snipers in Call of Duty: Warzone.

Sniper glint is a departure from traditional Halo, but the mechanic may be welcome in larger game modes where Snipers dominate like Big Team Battle.

The End Of Red Vs. Blue

Halo Infinite marks the end of the iconic Red vs. Blue battles. Teams are no longer split up by the colours red and blue. With the addition of Infinite’s expansive customisation, the developers want to stray away from pigeonholing player creativity. What’s the point of such deep customisation options if players are always just going to be coloured red or blue anyway?

It’ll be sad to see Red vs. Blue go, but it’s likely for the best given the customisation coming to Halo Infinite.

Based on all of this news, it appears that the developers are following through on their promise to honour the Halo legacy while also innovating. Their plan is to create a new iteration of the Halo series that stays true to the core values of Halo.

Going off of what we know so far, it looks like they’re on the right track.