Ever since its announcement, fans of the long-running Halo series waited patiently for their chance to finally play Halo Infinite. The latest in the beloved Halo saga, Halo Infinite was seen by many as a return to what made the series a fan-favorite in the first place. Infinite managed to nullify some negativity generated from a few of the recent releases that failed to live up to player expectation, at least in the first few months. Now, as 2022 gets underway, fans were expecting much more post-launch content, particularly for a game that has aspirations to be the home for all things Halo in the years to come.
The campaign may have been well-received, but Halo Infinite's multiplayer and additional content left players unsatisfied. Considering this is Halo's first attempt at a live-service game, Halo Infinite didn't seem to be following up on its live-service promise. With a delay to Halo Infinite's co-op multiplayer added to the mix, things were starting to look a little worrying for the most recent installment. However, Season 2 is on the way and is set to launch in May. 343 Industries really needs to up its game if it's hoping to keep fans onboard, but before Season 2 gets underway, players should learn more about the Lone Wolf Spartans who will be at the center of the update.
Lone Wolf Spartans – Part of the Pack
343 Industries have said that Halo Infinite's narrative will be continued through multiplayer content, even though story elements were sadly lacking from the game's first season. It seems that Season 2 is looking to add more to the in-game world beyond the narrative established in the campaign, thanks to a mix of story-themed Events, cinematics, and even Battle Pass items that will all reflect the Lone Wolves theme. While not all aspects of Season 2 will revolve around this core concept, it will definitely be the focal point for the majority of new content coming with the latest update.
Season 2 will focus on Lone Wolf Spartans, who are hunters, trackers, and "resourceful improvisers, operating deep in enemy territory without resupply or support." While these specialist soldiers seem set apart from typical Spartans, this description sounds eerily similar to the way the Master Chief operates, as he's often sent in alone against an overwhelmingly abundant enemy.
However, while Lone Wolf Spartans prefer to work alone (as their name might suggest), they also remain "loyal to the Spartan pack." This sense of comradery between the super soldiers was explored to a greater extent in Halo 5: Guardians, which featured multiple fireteams coming into conflict or working together, but it's not something players often see in a Halo game.
While not much is known about the individual Lone Wolf Spartans that will feature in Season 2, 343 Industries did give a glimpse of Spartan Sigrid Eklund and Spartan Hieu Dinh in a promotional image for the upcoming new content. These two Spartans will feature in Season 2's story, alongside Spartan Commander Laurette Agryna who helped train Spartan-IVs at the Avery J. Johnson Academy of Military Science after Laconia Station was destroyed. Agryna was featured prominently in Halo Infinite’s Gamescom 2021 trailer, and it seems like she will also be a large focus for Season 2's story content.
Everything Coming With Season 2
It's undeniable that Halo Infinite has suffered from a lack of new content. With so many live-service games already established in the industry, Halo Infinite needs to do better if it wants to distinguish itself, and providing frequent updates, or at least a detailed roadmap, should be a minimum requirement for a live-service title. Thankfully, Season 2 seems like it's bringing lots of changes to the base game in addition to new story content. As well as narrative aspects, cosmetic updates, and new items like the Lone Wolves armor core, Halo Infinite Season 2 will be shaking up the gameplay.
The May update will bring with it fixes, playlist updates, balance changes, and new modes and maps to help keep players busy. The new modes will include "Last Spartan Standing," which is a free-for-all elimination, "Land Grab," which doesn't have any details yet, and Halo Infinite's updated version of fan-favorite territory game "King of the Hill." 343 Industries have said that they will have more to share in April ahead of Season 2's launch, so fans should keep their eyes peeled for more updates.
Halo Infinite is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.