343 Industries has confirmed that Halo Infinite‘s multiplayer will be free.
The confirmation was posted on Twitter on July 31. “Halo is for everyone,” reads the tweet. “We can confirm #HaloInfinite multiplayer will be free-to-play and will support 120FPS on Xbox Series X. More details will be shared later!”
Halo is for everyone. We can confirm #HaloInfinite multiplayer will be free-to-play and will support 120FPS on Xbox Series X. More details will be shared later! pic.twitter.com/9bIrppFiON
— Halo (@Halo) July 31, 2020
Noted Xbox insider @Klobrille shared on the same day that the game will have a Battle Pass system and customization options completely new to the Halo franchise.
Since everyone is covering this topic, I might just go ahead as well.
– Halo Infinite multiplayer will be free-to-play
– Arena aims for 120fps on Xbox Series X
– Battle Pass system
– Customization options completely new to HaloHalo will be *huge*.https://t.co/5py6tOeids pic.twitter.com/i7HOnsLH1D
— Klobrille (@klobrille) July 31, 2020
A few days later, a screenshot of the Japanese Xbox Store page for Halo Infinite caused speculation of a battle royale mode. On Aug. 1, Reddit user JJAB91 posted a screenshot in which the Japanese text translates to, “Genre: Battle royale shooting.” If you translate the page yourself, you’ll indeed get this text in the results. (Thank you to VG247 for the original tip.)
It’s important to note that, if you translate the official Japanese page for Halo: The Master Chief Collection, the text will also be translated to, “Genre: Battle royal shooting.” Additionally, the official English page for Halo Infinite simply says, “Genre: Shooter.”
As a result, it’s worth being cautious about any optimism regarding Halo Infinite having a battle royale mode. While it would be unsurprising given the popularity of the genre with games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, nothing has been confirmed or hinted at. It could merely be a case of the true meaning being lost in translation.
If anything, the intersection between the Halo series and battle royale is a concept that has already previously been addressed and discouraged. Back in 2018, 343 writer Jeff Easterling shot down expectations of a future in which battle royale would become a part of the Halo universe. During a Halo social live stream, he said, “I’ll tell you right now, the only BR we’re interested in is Battle Rifle. The original BR.”
However, as per the often unpredictable nature of game development, perhaps one of the many changes the game has undergone in the time since is the addition of a battle royale mode. Only time, and 343 Industries, will tell.
You May Also Like:
- ICYMI: Everything Shown at Xbox’s First Party Showcase
- Leaked Microsoft Document Suggests Multiple Next-Gen Xbox Consoles
- Here Are the First Games to Support Xbox Series X’s Smart Delivery
Halo Infinite was first revealed at the 2020 Xbox Showcase with an eight-minute-long gameplay demo. The campaign of the game will center on how, “the Master Chief returns when humanity’s fate hangs in the balance to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced – the Banished.”
Halo Infinite is slated for a release in Holiday 2020, coinciding with the release of the Xbox Series X during the same timeframe. For a breakdown of information on the Xbox Series X’s hardware, you can check out this article of ours.
