Halo Infinite's successful open multiplayer beta fed into an equally successful launch on December 8, with many fans impressed by Master Chief's latest exploits on the Zeta Halo. The hype from longtime Halo fans and newcomers on Xbox Game Pass has been high enough that Halo Infinite won the Players' Choice Award at The Game Awards 2021, during which a trailer for the series' upcoming live-action streaming show debuted.
Anyone who jumped into the game's free multiplayer this month has likely noticed others running around in samurai-themed armor among a variety of other offerings picked up during the beta period. Those wanting to don the set for themselves may be disappointed that it isn't a part of the Season 1 battle pass, called "Heroes of Reach," as there were different cosmetics exclusive to the Fracture: Tenrai event that ended on November 30. Luckily, developer 343 Industries has announced its intent to bring this limited-time event back on multiple occassions in 2022, so there is still hope for Spartans who are just now getting into the fray.
When Halo Infinite's Fracture: Tenrai Event Will Return
There are currently six individual weeks planned for the Fracture: Tenrai event, the first of which took place at the end of November as what seemed to be a teaser for those enjoying Halo infinite's beta. The remaining sessions will take place throughout the first half of 2022:
- Week 2 - January 4, 2022 to January 10, 2022
- Week 3 - February 4, 2022 to February 7, 2022
- Week 4 - February 22, 2022 to March 2, 2022
- Week 5 - March 19, 2022 to April 5, 2022
- Week 6 - April 19, 2022 to April 26, 2022
A late-April week 6 will keep Fracture: Tenrai running throughout the remainder of Halo Infinite's first season, which also began during the beta on November 15 and lasts until May 2, 2022.
Why Fracture: Tenrai Matters for Halo Infinite
Only 30 tiers of rewards are available on the Fracture: Tenrai event pass, compared to 100 tiers in the "Heroes of Reach" battle pass. Not only is every item on the event pass free, unlike the seasonal battle pass requiring players purchase premium access to all its contents, there are also unique challenges to complete during event periods that help accrue those points. Among the rewards that people can unlock as they progress are the Legendary Yoroi Armor set, various other armor pieces to swap out, coatings for three weapons (the Halo Infinite equivalent of skins), and a Rare nameplate.
Anything unlocked during each week of the event carries over, which means those who played during the beta period can pick up where they left off on January 4. One stand-out reason for newcomers to try the Fracture: Tenrai event when it returns is its exclusive game mode that players took part in to complete their challenges: Fiesta Slayer.
One of the biggest complaints levied against Halo Infinite thus far has been its lack of player agency when choosing game modes. The only playlists available at launch have randomly rotated between Slayer, Capture the Flag, Oddball, and more, meaning fans have sometimes struggled to complete assigned challenges. Fracture: Tenrai's Slayer-exclusive mode better captured what players want, as seen by 343 working on a Slayer playlist that releases next week. However, the Fiesta modifier that causes players to spawn with random items also led to chaotic fun, making the event period one of Halo Infinite's better early weeks.
Despite Halo Infinite's success and warm reception compared to contemporaries like Battlefield 2042 and Call of Duty: Vanguard, 343 Industries has had more issues than playlist variety to iron out. Battle pass progression has been a contentious topic, with the developer adjusting how many points players can earn to compensate, and the story campaign has come with its own set of glitches to sort through. Still, the Fracture: Tenrai event offered a gameplay high point that should get better thanks to ongoing adjustments under the hood, meaning the event's return is worth looking out for.
Halo Infinite is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.