The Halo franchise is in an odd spot. On one hand, it seems to be as prevalent and successful as ever thanks to the launch of 343 Industries' Halo Infinite, followed by a big-budget TV adaptation currently airing through Paramount+. Yet Halo Infinite's acclaim and improvements coming off of Halo 5: Guardians, with an expansive campaign and free live-service multiplayer model, have seemingly not made a lingering impact. Lukewarm reception to the streaming series' take on this established sci-fi universe hasn't helped.
Luckily, Halo Infinite may get a second wind thanks to the launch of Season 2: Lone Wolves on May 3; well after Season 1: Heroes of Reach likely lost its luster for fans who have played since the open multiplayer beta dropped in November 2021. On top of new battle pass content, Halo Infinite Season 2 is reportedly taking feedback into account as 343 Industries aims to make good on its live-service promise. This includes two new maps with additional modes, which should please those who feel the game has been barebones since launch. However, this highlights the importance of not only relying on seasonal turnovers for big additions like maps.
Halo Infinite: Season 2's New Maps and Modes
Catalyst and Breaker are the new Halo Infinite maps releasing on May 3. The former is a quiet and serene Arena map - meant for smaller matches, typically 4v4. With the descriptive moniker "Abandoned Forerunner Edifice," it appears Catalyst will offer more close-quarters combat in a series of hallways flanked by waterfalls. Meanwhile, Breaker is set in "Banished Ship Breaking Yards," opposing Catalyst's water motif with boiling slag, rivers of lava, and crudely constructed facilities. It's a Big Team Battle map, meaning the scope is large enough to house 12v12 matches.
While these new maps look appealing and bring new environments to Halo Infinite's map rotation, the issue is how little they add to an already slim roster. At launch, the live-service shooter included seven Arena maps: Aquarius, Bazaar, Behemoth, Launch Site, Live Fire, Recharge, and Streets; as well as three Big Team Battle maps: Deadlock, Fragmentation, Highpower. Each of the coming maps applying to one category means players will statistically continue to encounter familiar stomping grounds more often than not.
It helps that the seasonal content includes fresh game modes through which to experience those maps. The fan-favorite "King of the Hill" mode is making a comeback, as are two new activities called "Last Spartan Standing" and "Land Grab." Details are still sparse, but Last Spartan Standing was described as a free-for-all elimination mode in 343 Industries' Halo Infinite March 2022 update, which was penned by creative head Joseph Staten.
Halo Infinite Needs More Frequent Rollouts
Different modes and limited-time events have been implemented to keep Halo Infinite's servers packed thus far, from the recurring Fracture: Tenrai event featuring a Fiesta playlist to January 2022's Cyber Showdown event featuring Attrition. Yet this has clearly not been enough, as Halo Infinite has seen fewer active players than the Master Chief Collection in recent weeks despite being a free next-gen experience. Beyond fixing bug issues or concerns with progression, 343 Industries needs more substantial content like maps on a regular basis.
That being said, game development isn't as simple as snapping one's fingers; especially not on a live-service title where other fires are constantly being extinguished. Halo Infinite's pre-launch delay after negative feedback shows 343 Industries wants to put its best foot forward with new content. Season 2 is only set to last for three months, as opposed to Season 1's six, so getting new content like a leaked Frigate multiplayer map could be less of a wait.
However, 343 Industries could also learn from Call of Duty: Warzone's tendency to drop mid-season "Reloaded" updates that keep the experience fresh before larger content drops with seasonal turnovers. If leaked details about an upcoming Halo Infinite battle royale are to be believed, the developer should make sure its ducks are in a row with a satisfying content schedule before moving ahead on new ventures.
Halo Infinite is available now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.