Updates continue to release about once a month for the upcoming Halo Infinite. A more open approach for the series, Infinite shows Master Chief’s adventures on the Zeta Halo where he confronts a Banished contingent led by the vicious Brute Escharum. Of course, when it comes to a Halo game, any seasoned fan knows that the single=player campaign is only half of the story.
Halo Infinite’s multiplayer has been a source of much discussion by both the fans and the devs since the game was announced. It’s still unclear exactly what form it will take, but supposedly, there will be cosmetic unlocks involved. The only thing for sure is that Microsoft has confirmed Halo Infinite’s multiplayer will be free to play and will support 120FPS on the Xbox Series X. Some rumors have suggested that Halo Infinite will attempt to infiltrate the battle royale genre, which could be a great choice, but also a great risk.
Battle Royale Halo Could Be A Natural Extension
While Halo Infinite adopting a battle royale mode could be accused of being pointless trend-chasing, one could make a strong argument for the battle royale genre being the perfect fit for what Halo already is. Large player counts on huge, intricate maps are already a thing with Big Team Battle, and the maps could get even bigger if some of them are carved out of the larger single-player map. Lone-wolf brawling is a key part of some single-player modes already, and vehicles to navigate the map are already present in a variety of flavors.
That’s not even getting into Halo’s standardized weapon roster, and the existing trend of players picking up new weapons from their downed foes. Almost every piece of the BR formula is in place already, there just needs a couple maps mashed together and a collapsing barrier to surround them. A battle royale would be a new way to engage with Halo, while sacrificing very little about what makes the series unique. Besides, with all the success Call of Duty has had with its Warzone mode, it’s not hard to see why Halo can afford to drop its helmet in the ring.
Battle Royale Halo Isn’t As Important As Regular Halo
Still, Halo has always been a leader in its genre space, not a follower. The Halo community expects certain well-travelled roads to run through their Halo games. The various King of the Hill, Capture the Flag, Slayer, Big Team Battle, Juggernaut, and custom Forge modes are all signature parts of the Halo experience. Just because a battle royale is present in a Halo game doesn’t mean it’s what the playerbase will gravitate towards it — and a battle royale flagging behind other modes wouldn't really be worth it.
343 Industries needs to prove its worth with the typical allotment of modes first before it even thinks of jumping on the BR bandwagon. The promised Halo Infinite beta tests should focus on classic Halo implementation first, and battle royale expansion second. Besides, if players are really feeling the urge to play a Halo battle royale, then the rumored enhancements to Forge mode could let them make it themselves. If 343 wants to test the waters, it could even have a battle royale Forge map ready for the game’s launch, and build on that later. For now, though, Halo fans want a new Halo.
Regardless of what modes end up being announced, this argument is likely to continue long after Halo Infinite has launched. Until there’s an announcement of what Infinite's multiplayer will be, imagining the result is all that can really be done. The best Halo fans can hope for is that 343 Industries proceeds forward with a strong vision for its work, and makes the best Halo game it can.
Halo Infinite is in development for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.