When it comes to Sci-Fi shooters, there are few as well-known and beloved as Halo. Debuting in 2001 and revolutionizing the console shooter market, Halo was unlike anything the gaming world had seen up until that point, and that originality earned it a place at the top of the charts. Sequels were inevitable, and while they may not have been perfect, Halo 2 and 3 were still standout AAA titles, living up to the unfathomable heights of their predecessor somehow. When original series creator Bungie jumped ship, 343 Industries was left to wear the heavy crown, and the fresh-faced developer struggled quite a bit. But now, with the release of Halo Infinite, 343 Industries proved that it was capable of creating a great Halo game.
However, what started out as an unexpected and welcome shot of nostalgia has now become one of 2022's biggest disappointments. Halo Infinite, now nine months after launch, has stumbled at every hurdle in its way, and Halo fans are skeptical on whether 343 Industries will ever be able to pick it back up again.
The State of Halo Infinite 9 Months After Launch
Popularized by Fortnite back in 2017, a live-service model can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, developers can use this model as a means to update their games with new content on a consistent basis, keeping players invested long after the game's initial launch. On the other hand, when a developer doesn't handle the live-service model correctly, it can lead to a half-baked experience that feels as though some core content is missing. Halo Infinite certainly falls into the latter category.
When Halo Infinite first launched back in November 2021, fans were initially very positive overall. While some of the mechanics weren't quite nailed down yet, Halo Infinite felt like a true return to form for the franchise, a seemingly impossible feat given 343 Industries last few attempts. But the cracks soon began to show, and even the most die-hard Halo fans realized that the game lacked quite a bit of content, especially when compared to previous entries.
At launch, Halo Infinite had 10 multiplayer maps. While this number isn't a great deal smaller than even the best entries in the franchise, for a modern multiplayer shooter, 10 maps isn't a lot, and they can start to become repetitive very quickly. Over the last nine months, Halo Infinite has received two big updates, called Seasons. While other live-service games use their Seasons to bring new playable characters, new game modes, new maps, and new weapons to the table, Halo Infinite's missed the memo, and instead focused on in-game cosmetics. Halo Infinite has only received two maps since launch.
On top of the lack of multiplayer content, Halo Infinite is also still missing features that were promised by 343 Industries during development. A campaign co-op mode has been repeatedly delayed, and although beta testing has started for it, it seems as though the full experience won't be out for quite some time. Halo Infinite is also missing a Forge mode, another staple of the franchise. While Halo Infinite's campaign is a genuinely fun experience, the lack of Forge and co-op does make the game feel lacking when compared to the rest of the franchise.
Halo Infinite is far from being a bad game, but the severe lack of updates is undeniably disappointing, especially when the game is being touted as a live-service title, intended to last for at least a few more years. With 343 Industries publicly addressing the current state of Halo Infinite, agreeing that the last few months have been disappointing, hopefully this can mark a fresh start for the game, and hopefully Halo Infinite can grow into the experience it should have always been.
Halo Infinite is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.