Ever since PUBG exploded in popularity, it seems the vast majority of major publishers have been attempting to get their own piece of the battle royale pie. Epic Games has had the most success with its Fortnite battle royale, but Activision has also thrown its hat in the ring with Call of Duty: Warzone, and Ubisoft is also entering the BR market with Hyper Scape, set to launch within the next week.
Considering how much success other companies have had in the battle royale market, it's no surprise that there have been persistent rumors about Halo Infinite having a battle royale mode as well. While Microsoft and 343 Industries have pushed back against the Halo Infinite battle royale rumors in the past, they won't seem to go away, and even the Japanese store listing for the game has battle royale mentioned as a feature. It's possible that's just an error, but to some it would be a shame if Halo Infinite didn't have a battle royale, as it could provide something truly compelling for the genre.
With that in mind, here is how a Halo Infinite battle royale mode could be awesome.
Classic Halo Weapons and Combat
The vast majority of battle royale games follow the example set by titles like H1Z1 and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. This means that they are all focused quite heavily on inventory management and the like, but a Halo Infinite battle royale could stand apart from the pack by dropping this aspect of the genre. Imagine taking the standard Halo multiplayer experience and dropping it onto a massive map instead of twisting it to fit the battle royale mold by bogging things down with a traditional inventory system.
An extension of that could be the Halo Infinite battle royale mode featuring classic Halo gameplay, which will emphasize skill instead of giving the advantage to players that manage to find superior armor and items. That being said, players would still find classic Halo weapons on the battle royale map that could give them the competitive edge, like the energy sword or the rocket launcher.
Halo has many iconic weapons with unique functionality that could all help the Halo Infinite battle royale carve out an identity of its own in the increasingly-crowded battle royale market. Seeing how these weapons perform on a larger map with battle royale-style gameplay would be interesting, to say the least.
Forge
One of the unique features in the Halo franchise is its Forge mode, which lets players essentially create their own maps in the games. Forge has continued to evolve since its introduction in Halo 3, with the Halo community putting together some truly impressive creations. While it hasn't been shown in action just yet, it has been confirmed by 343 Industries and Microsoft that Forge will be returning in Halo Infinite, and it could provide a unique opportunity for the rumored battle royale mode as well.
Forge could be used to allow the Halo community to create their own battle royale maps, with the top maps highlighted in a special, curated playlist. This would give Halo Infinite an edge over the competition because it would theoretically have an endless supply of new maps and experiences for players, but those wanting to stick to 343-made content could do so as well. Something like this may be a little bit too ambitious, but if 343 could pull it off, it would potentially be a huge selling point for BR fans.
Beyond creating maps, Forge could also be used to create custom match types for the Halo Infinite battle royale mode. Imagine a massive-scale game of Infection or some other unique Halo match type. Assuming it's possible to implement Forge tools on the scale necessary for this to work, Forge could really be the thing that makes Halo Infinite the must-play battle royale when it comes out.
Halo Vehicles
When Halo: Combat Evolved first arrived on the scene in 2001, one of the big ways that its multiplayer stood out was due to its focus on vehicular combat mixed with traditional first-person shooter gameplay. Similarly, classic Halo vehicles could really help the Halo Infinite battle royale mode stand out, especially if flying vehicles like the Banshee are thrown into the mix. There may be some balancing issues to sort out, but it could make for an especially entertaining BR experience.
ODST
In the vast majority of battle royale games, matches start with players jumping out of a flying vehicle of some kind, usually a plane (or in the case of Fortnite, a Battle Bus). However, the Halo franchise has the perfect in-universe way to get players on the BR map. Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST), an elite unit of the UNSC, are shot to the ground in specialized drop pods, and it seems like that would be a fun way for Halo Infinite players to land on the map and jump into the action.
Xbox Series X Power
And finally, the Halo Infinite battle royale could take full advantage of the next-generation power provided by Microsoft's Xbox Series X console. It's already been confirmed that the Halo Infinite multiplayer will run at 120 frames per second on Xbox Series X, and similarly, that horsepower could be used to bolster the game's BR experience as well. Whether that be through it simply hitting that impressive 120 frames per second benchmark or featuring way more players than the standard BR game is known for.
Whether or not Halo Infinite has a battle royale mode at all remains to be seen, but there is definitely potential for it to be something special. Fans should learn more about 343's plans for the Halo Infinite multiplayer experience at some point within the next few months.
Halo Infinite launches this holiday season for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.