Halo Infinite is by far Xbox's biggest game releasing this year, dropping fans into the boots of gaming icon Master Chief as he tries to take down the villainous Atriox. Of course, Halo Infinite's campaign is just half of the package. This time around, the multiplayer component is going to be free, allowing players to dive into it regardless of whether or not they buy Halo Infinite. Xbox sweetened the pot today too, announcing that Halo Infinite multiplayer is releasing earlier than anticipated.
During Xbox's 20th Anniversary stream, Xbox announced that Halo Infinite multiplayer will be free to download starting today, November 15. Obviously, today is something of a holiday for fans, as it marks the 20th anniversary of not just Xbox, but of Halo: Combat Evolved too. It's difficult to understand just how married together the two brands are, as the original Halo is responsible for a healthy portion of Xbox's lasting success.
Releasing Halo Infinite this early is a bit of a big deal, even if it's just the multiplayer component. It puts Halo Infinite a few days before the official launch of Battlefield 2042, which is available in early access but doesn't release fully until November 19. So far though, Battlefield 2042 has failed to impress fans. Plus, it comes after Call of Duty: Vanguard, which has been similarly criticized.
What Xbox is doing here is, frankly, a power play. Halo Infinite's multiplayer flights were both well received by fans, and while they were only open for a limited number of fans during tight windows, it was enough to instill a lot of confidence in both 343 Industries and the players themselves. It's not hard to imagine this early Halo Infinite multiplayer release being at least in part due to the successful flights. There is the question of how well Halo Infinite's servers will handle the flood of fans looking to jump into it as quickly as possible, though.
Regardless, this is an incredible way for Microsoft and Xbox to honor Halo's legacy while at the same time doing something for fans. It's not often that fans get to play a game earlier than anticipated, especially by several weeks. Fans had built up the early Halo Infinite multiplayer release in their minds well before the official announcement was made, so it's also a somewhat unique instance of unrealistic expectations being paid off, though it's unwise to expect it to become a regular occurrence.
Halo Infinite releases on December 8. The multiplayer is available now.