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The December Update for Halo Infinite has arrived!



Firefight: King of the Hill, the new Repair Field Equipment, huge additions to Forge with new bosses and High Value Targets added to the Forge AI Toolkit, Custom Game Browser and Ranked improvements—and more.



Here are the highlights of what await you today in Halo Infinite…



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<h2>WHAT’S NEW?</h2>



FIREFIGHT: KING OF THE HILL



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<iframe title="Firefight: King of the Hill Trailer | Season 5: Reckoning | Halo Infinite" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g_x0LVnITTg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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The latest incarnation of Firefight has come to Halo Infinite—Firefight: King of the Hill.



You and three other players face off against waves of Banished baddies as you fight to capture hills in this PvE experience, featuring nine maps—including the House of Reckoning from Halo Infinite’s campaign.



The nine maps featured in the Firefight: King of the Hill playlist are:



<ul><li>House of Reckoning</li><li>Behemoth</li><li>Deadlock</li><li>Launch Site</li><li>Live Fire</li><li>Oasis</li><li>Exiled (by Epetr0, SandoChokUN)</li><li>Kusini Bay (by Mr Kwatz)</li><li>Vallaheim (by HaiseOz)</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FFKOTH_Normal_WM.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite playlist image for Firefight: King of the Hill on Normal difficulty depicting Spartans fighting Banished on the House of Reckoning map" class="wp-image-87754" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FFKOTH_Normal_WM.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FFKOTH_Normal_WM-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FFKOTH_Normal_WM-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FFKOTH_Normal_WM-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FFKOTH_Normal_WM-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FFKOTH_Normal_WM-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



For a deep dive into this new mode, <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/firefight-king-of-the-hill-preview">check out our blog on Firefight: King of the Hill</a>.



Also, coming this week is a new Waypoint Chronicle (our last one for 2023) themed around Halo Infinite‘s Firefight experience, so keep an eye out!



REPAIR FIELD



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the new Repair Field equipment attached to a Warthog on the map Breaker" class="wp-image-87274" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Need to conduct some repairs while out in the field? We’ve got the perfect Equipment item for you…



Introducing our latest sandbox addition to Halo Infinite, the Repair Field—a neutral piece of Equipment that heals allies, enemies, and even vehicles. It can even revive Spartans in select modes like Firefight: King of the Hill.



FORGE UPDATES



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HVTForge1-scaled.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of High Value Targets (Bipbap, Tremonius, and Writh Kul) being placed on the map Oasis in Forge" class="wp-image-87571" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HVTForge1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HVTForge1-300x160.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HVTForge1-1024x545.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HVTForge1-768x409.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HVTForge1-1536x818.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HVTForge1-2048x1090.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HVTForge1-1568x835.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></figure>



Forge continues to be enhanced and improved with exciting new additions, including:



<ul><li>High Value Targets and bosses from Halo Infinite’s campaign added to Forge AI Toolkit.</li><li>Skull modifiers added to node graph.</li><li>Quality of life updates (global material allow list, scalable blockers, auto turret allegiance options, and more).</li></ul>



RANKED



Based on player feedback, audio and UI elements for Ranked Extraction have been improved. The Ranked experience will also be getting some quality-of-life updates around CSR.



<ul><li>Audio from the Extraction device is no longer global, it is emitted from the device itself which means you’ll need to be in its vicinity to hear whether it’s being converted.</li><li>UI will no longer show the Extraction device actively being converted.</li><li>Once you rank up a tier, you will get three games, win or lose, before a loss will rank you down to the previous tier. Additionally, if a player in the match (who is not on your fireteam) quits, you will not lose CSR if you decide to quit as well.</li></ul>



CUSTOM GAME BROWSER



With this update, the Custom Game Browser received some improvements and fixes:



<ul><li>As long as enough slots are open, the Fireteam leader can bring their entire party into a CGB session.</li><li>Issues blocking players from joining CGB sessions and unclear messaging have been resolved.</li></ul>



STABILITY & NETWORKING



The online experience for Halo Infinite continues to be improved upon and we have been looking to address that even further with this update.



<ul><li>A new networking system has been implemented into Halo Infinite that will be tested in the Firefight: King of the Hill playlist (as PvE is a safer environment for us to test this overhauled system at scale) and will later be tested further in the Combat Workshop.</li></ul>



For a full breakdown of all the new additions and improvements in the December Update, you can <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/december-update-halo-infinite">check out our December Update preview blog</a> or head over to <a href="http://aka.ms/HaloSupport">read the Patch Notes on Halo Support</a>.



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That closes us out for this latest update. Jump into some Firefight, try out the Repair Field, enhance your Forge maps even further with newly added bosses, test your communication in Ranked Extraction, and enjoy a smoother ride with your friends in the Custom Game Browser…



The December Update for Halo Infinite is live now!



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<h2>PRESS KIT</h2>



<a href="http://aka.ms/FFKOTHPressKit">Download the full 4K Press Kit for the December Mid-Season Update.</a>

Alex Wakeford

December Mid-Season Update Launch | Halo Infinite

A Brief History of Firefight

Firefight: King of the Hill Preview | Halo Infinite

Season Two of the Halo television series drops out of slipspace on February 8, 2024, which means it’s time for us to unseal the hushed casket and bring the Silver Debrief out of cryo!



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“You deserve the truth. The enemy is at our gates… their numbers are overwhelming. Any Marine who makes this stand with us will not survive the day. For every moment that we hold the enemy at bay, more innocent people can escape—when they do, they will go forth and tell the story that you write today. You will be remembered.”



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<iframe title="Halo The Series | Season 2 First Look Trailer | Paramount+" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pfiTJ2JNDco?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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The official Season Two teaser premiered at CCXP 2023 this weekend, promising eight new episodes filled with intense action to come as the Covenant threat to humanity escalates.



Following the events of Season One, picking up six months later, the state of the galaxy is very different to Season One as the Covenant War rages on and world after world falls to the alien alliance. Against these ever-mounting odds, the Master Chief must fight to prevent the war from tipping irrevocably into the certainty of extinction for humanity.



Returning in Season Two are many faces and names you’ll recognize from Season One, including Pablo Schreiber (Master Chief), Natascha McElhone (Dr. Halsey), Bokeem Woodbine (Soren), Shabana Azmi (Margaret Parangosky), Natasha Culzac (Riz-028), Olive Gray (Miranda Keyes), Yerin Ha (Kwan Ha), Bentley Kalu (Vannak-134), Kate Kennedy (Kai-125), Charlie Murphy (Makee), Danny Sapani (Jacob Keyes), and Jen Taylor (Cortana), with Fiona O’Shaughnessy (Laera) and Tylan Bailey (Kessler) also returning.



But we’ve also got some new faces…



Cristina Rodlo joins the cast as Talia Perez, a new character to Halo. As our story begins, she serves as a UNSC Marine Corps communications specialist.



And Joseph Morgan also joins the cast of Season Two as a character whose name will no doubt be familiar to fans of Halo’s expanded universe…



Say hello to James Ackerson.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2JAckerson.jpg" alt="Halo TV series Season 2 image of Joseph Morgan as James Ackerson" class="wp-image-87402" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2JAckerson.jpg 2500w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2JAckerson-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2JAckerson-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2JAckerson-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2JAckerson-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2JAckerson-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2JAckerson-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption>Joseph Morgan as James Ackerson in Halo, season 2, streaming on Paramount+ 2024. Photograph by James Minchin III/Paramount+</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2Ackerson.jpg" alt="Halo TV series Season 2 image of Joseph Morgan as James Ackerson" class="wp-image-87304" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2Ackerson.jpg 2500w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2Ackerson-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2Ackerson-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2Ackerson-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2Ackerson-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2Ackerson-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/S2Ackerson-1568x1046.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption>Joseph Morgan as James Ackerson in Halo, episode 1, season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Adrienn Szabo/Paramount+</figcaption></figure>



James Ackerson is a character who appeared throughout many of the early Halo novels, including The Fall of Reach and Ghosts of Onyx, before he was killed in the comic Uprising that tied directly into Halo 3.



Ackerson is a leader within the clandestine Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) who desires to advance his own initiatives to win the war against the Covenant… by any means necessary.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FORJamesAckerson.jpg" alt="Crop of Cortana accessing James Ackerson's file from the comic Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion, Issue 2" class="wp-image-87290" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FORJamesAckerson.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FORJamesAckerson-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FORJamesAckerson-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FORJamesAckerson-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FORJamesAckerson-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/FORJamesAckerson-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption>Halo: Fall of Reach – Invasion, Issue #2</figcaption></figure>



Speaking of new faces, Season Two also has a new showrunner and head writer, David Wiener, who has expressed his excitement to bring a more grounded and gritty tone to the series.



There’s a lot to digest in this teaser, and no doubt we’re going to see every frame analyzed and deconstructed! Stay tuned for a more detailed breakdown of this teaser in our next Silver Debrief!



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<h2>CATCH UP ON SEASON ONE</h2>



Season One of Halo spanned nine episodes which aired throughout 2022, kicking off a brand-new story as part of the Silver Timeline—a unique branch of continuity that is separate from Halo’s core canon (the games, books, comics, and other media).



For folks in the US, you can watch the entire first season of Halo for free! All nine episodes will be available to watch on Xbox, Paramount + Free Content Hub, YouTube, Apple, Roku, and PlutoTV from November 30 to December 31.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Halo-Season-Limited-Edtion-Steelbook/dp/B0BF2WXJ3X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=160MFOZXQL9YP&keywords=B0BF2WXJ3X&qid=1668047000&sprefix=b0bf2wxj3x%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-1"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/11/2022_1107_Waypoint_Silver_MBI_SteelCase_DBS_R03.png" alt="Image of Halo The Series steelbook" class="wp-image-51935" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/11/2022_1107_Waypoint_Silver_MBI_SteelCase_DBS_R03.png 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/11/2022_1107_Waypoint_Silver_MBI_SteelCase_DBS_R03-300x169.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/11/2022_1107_Waypoint_Silver_MBI_SteelCase_DBS_R03-1024x576.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/11/2022_1107_Waypoint_Silver_MBI_SteelCase_DBS_R03-768x432.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/11/2022_1107_Waypoint_Silver_MBI_SteelCase_DBS_R03-1536x864.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/11/2022_1107_Waypoint_Silver_MBI_SteelCase_DBS_R03-1568x882.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



For fans of physical media, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.amazon.com/Halo-Season-Limited-Edtion-Steelbook/dp/B0BF2WXJ3X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=160MFOZXQL9YP&keywords=B0BF2WXJ3X&qid=1668047000&sprefix=b0bf2wxj3x%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Season One is available on DVD and Blu-Ray</a>, including a Limited Edition Steelbook that makes for a great collectible! The special 5-disc collection features all nine episodes at 4K quality, over five hours of behind-the-scenes special features, and collectable art cards of characters from the show.



And, of course, you can <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/show-halo" target="_blank">check out our previous twelve issues of the Silver Debrief here on Halo Waypoint</a>, which feature detailed summaries of Season One’s episodes, behind the scenes tidbits, and more!



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That wraps us up for this issue, which means it’s time to go and rewatch the trailer again… I don’t know about you, but I can’t get over that shot of the Covenant fleet rising through the clouds.



See you in February!

Debrief 013

Silver Debrief: Season 2 Reveal

The December Mid-Season Update for Halo Infinite arrives on December 5, just a few short days from now, and we’ve got the details of everything you need to know right here.



Firefight: King of the Hill, the new Repair Field equipment, Forge updates, Ranked and Custom Game Browser improvements, and much more are prepared to drop—let’s get you briefed!



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<h2>FIREFIGHT: KING OF THE HILL</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-10.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of a Brute Chieftain and Brute Warrior in a hill on the House of Reckoning" class="wp-image-87218" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-10.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-10-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-10-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-10-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-10-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-10-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Bip. Bap. Bam! Firefight is coming to Halo Infinite next week.



Over the years, Firefight has taken many forms across various Halo games. From its traditional survival mode in Halo 3: ODST to its more arcade-inspired incarnation in Halo: Reach, to Warzone Firefight in Halo 5, along with Blitz Firefight and Terminus Firefight in Halo Wars 2—it’s a mode that has evolved across games, and the time has come for it to arrive in Halo Infinite.



Firefight: King of the Hill will see you and three other players facing off against waves of Banished baddies as you fight to capture hills on nine maps when the playlist goes live—including the House of Reckoning from Halo Infinite’s campaign and three community-made maps.



We’ll have a full, detailed blog on Firefight: King of the Hill going live on December 4, ahead of its in-game debut the following day.



We can’t wait for you to get your hands on it!



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<h2>REPAIR FIELD</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the new Repair Field equipment attached to a Warthog on the map Breaker" class="wp-image-87274" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/RepairFieldAction-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Need to conduct some repairs while out in the field? We’ve got the perfect Equipment item for you…



Introducing our latest sandbox addition to Halo Infinite, the Repair Field!



Similar to the Regenerator from Halo 3, the Repair Field is a neutral piece of Equipment that heals allies and enemies within its radius. It’s also capable of repairing vehicles, and it can be attached to them (as well as most environmental surfaces). Additionally, the Repair Field can also revive downed Spartans in select modes such as Firefight: King of the Hill, Attrition, etc.



Are you the kind of player that prefers to provide support for the team? The Repair Field is a great complement to that particular playstyle and, used strategically, just might help give your team an edge in a firefight or vehicular showdown.



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<h2>RANKED IMPROVEMENTS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/HI_S5_Extraction_01_Watermarked_1920x1080.jpg" alt="A multiplayer Spartan plays Extraction in Halo Infinite." class="wp-image-83075" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/HI_S5_Extraction_01_Watermarked_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/HI_S5_Extraction_01_Watermarked_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/HI_S5_Extraction_01_Watermarked_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/HI_S5_Extraction_01_Watermarked_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/HI_S5_Extraction_01_Watermarked_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/HI_S5_Extraction_01_Watermarked_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



The Ranked experience is getting some improvements in this December Update, starting off with updates to Ranked Extraction and CSR.



<ul><li>RANKED EXTRACTION</li></ul>



At the moment, you can hear that your Extraction point is being converted by the enemy team from anywhere on the map. This meant players were able to leave the area around the Extraction device and use the global audio queue to tell them when to peek back out. With this upcoming audio change, the device itself will emit the audio, meaning you’ll have to be in close vicinity to hear it’s being converted. As a result, teams will need to pay closer attention to the Extraction device.



Right now, you can see in your UI when the Extraction point is being converted. Similar to above, this allowed players to leave the area near the Extraction device and only peek out when the UI showed it was being converted. With our upcoming change, this will go away almost entirely. The UI will no longer indicate to you when the Extraction point is actively being converted, and it will also no longer indicate to you how much time is remaining. It’s going to play a bit old school and hardcore, as players and coaches will need to time the Extractions like timing weapons and powerups in previous Halo titles.



<ul><li>CSR IMPROVEMENTS</li></ul>



There are some further improvements also coming to rank loss protection and teammate quitting. Once you rank up a tier, you will get three games, win or lose, before a loss will rank you down to the previous tier. Additionally, if a player in the match (who is not on your fireteam) quits, you will not lose CSR if you decide to quit as well. You can read more about these updates <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/december-ranked-updates">in our most recent Ranked Update blog!</a>



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<h2>FORGE UPDATES</h2>



When Season 5 launched back in October, the Forge AI Toolkit quite literally changed the game for community creators, allowing players for the first time ever to place campaign enemies into multiplayer maps to build PvE experiences.



In the December Update, we have some more improvements to share with you that will enhance this feature even further…



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-9.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Unggoy High Value Target known as Bipbap running in a hill capture zone on the House of Reckoning map" class="wp-image-87232" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-9.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-9-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-9-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-9-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-9-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-9-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



<ul><li>HIGH VALUE TARGETS & BOSSES</li></ul>



In Halo Infinite’s campaign, there are various boss enemies that can be encountered on Zeta Halo, such as the High Value Targets that can be hunted down, each one rewarding the Master Chief with a powerful special weapon variant.



All fifteen of these HVTs will be added to Forge with the December Update—from the almighty Bipbap the Vanquisher to the very hungry Ik’novus the Devourer, and beyond.



Major bosses are also included in this line-up as well, such as Jega ‘Rdomnai, Escharum, and the Harbinger. The potential for what the creative cartographers in the community are going to make truly is endless (heh!)



<ul><li>SKULLS IN NODE GRAPH</li></ul>



With Firefight: KOTH on the way, enabling Skulls to modify difficulty is a notable part of the experience. With this update, Forgers will be able to use Node Graph to enable or disable any of the twelve Skulls, from Bandana to Black Eye.



Notably, Skulls are not just limited to the Firefight game variants. These difficulty modifiers will work in any game mode, allowing creators to use them to spice up ordinary multiplayer matches or extend their Season 5 PVE experiences.



<ul><li>QUALITY-OF-LIFE UPDATES</li></ul>



The Global Material Allow list gives the player the ability to access all swatches contained in swatch groups added to the global allow list in all regions. This functionally gives the player access to a much larger pool of swatches for each region, and allows regions previously disallowed from using tiling swatches to access them.



Because hugs make everything better, we have also added the Trigger Grunt Hug node to Forge’s Node Graph. This will allow creators to make any Grunts in a squad pull out two plasma grenades and run toward the nearest enemy until the grenades explode. We sincerely hope this addition will make your Custom Browser experiences with Grunts more loving and friendly.



Scalable Blockers allow the player to place a single blocker object and scale it to the size they’d like it to be. This will help you save on object count and help clean up maps.



Auto Turret Allegiance has been updated, meaning the Auto Turret will now respect the Team setting it receives in Forge. When placed on a team, the Auto Turret will treat units (players & AI) as allies and will not target them. If placed on Neutral team, the turret will remain hostile to all units.



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<h2>CUSTOM GAME BROWSER</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-55.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of three Spartans in a Warthog" class="wp-image-87246" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-55.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-55-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-55-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-55-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-55-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-55-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



When Season 5 launched, we introduced Custom Game XP and the addition of the Forge AI Toolkit opened up the floodgates for countless hours to be spent jumping from custom game to custom game—whether you’re looking for some of that classic Infection fun you’ve been enjoying since Halo 3, or the vast range of exciting new experiences that folks have been creating.



The team has been working on a variety of improvements to the Custom Game Browser which should make for a smoother ride for you and your fireteam.



<ul><li>JOIN SESSION AS FIRETEAM</li></ul>



As long as there are enough slots available, the Fireteam Leader can bring their entire party into a CGB session. Upon joining the session, all members of your Fireteam will join together and merge into the Custom Game leader’s Fireteam.



While working on this, the team also made sure that it was enabled for lobbies. If you are playing with a friend and want to join another friend’s lobby, you can choose “Join with Fireteam” to bring your entire Fireteam into their matchmaking/custom game lobby.



<ul><li>IMPROVEMENTS</li></ul>



Several improvements have been implemented to the Custom Game Browser, resolving issues that block players from joining CGB sessions that were open when a backend change occurred; issues around unclear messaging when attempting to join a full session; and instances where attempting to join a session that was no longer active would not deliver any failure messages.



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<h2>STABILITY & NETWORKING</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-39.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of three Spartans in a Firefight: KOTH match on Exiled" class="wp-image-87260" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-39.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-39-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-39-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-39-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-39-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FF_KOH_PK-39-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Along with all the additions and quality-of-life updates above, this update is also focused on increasing the game’s stability by addressing crashes and improving our online experience via updates to our networking.



Season 5 added more reporting information in the game, which helps us better detect when and why crashes happen. Using this data, the team has knocked out multiple crashes across PC and consoles, including the top crash on Xbox Series X|S devices.



As for improvements to networking, we’ve been working on a more comprehensive overhaul of the system. The first glimpse of this updated networking model will land on December 5 with the December Update. You’ll be able to jump into the Firefight: King of the Hill playlist and try out the new networking model in a safe environment. Enabling it in a PvE experience gives us a safe testbed to see how it behaves at scale before enabling it in a PvP mode, where the stakes would feel much higher for each player. Please be sure to dive in, blast the Banished, and let us know how it feels in Firefight: King of the Hill. If the results are promising, we’ll look to host a PvP experience in the Combat Workshop in the future.



While there should only be improvements in these areas, please be sure to report any crashes or networking related issues to us <a href="http://aka.ms/HaloSupport" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">by using the Halo Support site</a>.



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That closes us out for this preview of 2023’s December Update for Halo Infinite. Stay tuned for a deep dive on Firefight on December 4 ahead of the update dropping out of slipspace on December 5!

December Mid-Season Update Preview | Halo Infinite

Community

Forge Features

Would you believe we’re over a month into Season 5 already? We were floored by what folks were creating with the Forge AI Toolkit within the first week, and that momentum is still building with incredible new creations that we can’t wait to share with you.



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<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/1bbe31bc-c8a6-4541-aadf-a02de3756bec" target="_blank">THE SILENT CARTOGRAPHER CAMPAIGN</a> Credits: Nikos4476 Mode: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/5ad007d1-705f-43cb-a01f-13f5c8d1fdc3">Easy</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/21becbf7-0b04-43fb-8ccb-fdabfeaf7657">Normal</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/bff3d99c-4717-4113-aa42-7b18cd2732ae">Heroic</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/2645dca7-043e-4465-91dc-0ebb9964472e">Legendary</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/1bbe31bc-c8a6-4541-aadf-a02de3756bec"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/SilentCartographer.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Silent Cartographer beach assault recreated in Forge" class="wp-image-87126" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/SilentCartographer.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/SilentCartographer-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/SilentCartographer-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/SilentCartographer-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/SilentCartographer-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/SilentCartographer-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Forgers have no chill. This much has become clear with our first spotlighted map. We anticipated that folks would recreate various moments and scenarios from previous Halo campaigns, but I don’t think we ever expected that we would see the entirety of The Silent Cartographer from Halo: CE remade—the island, enemy placements, substructures, objectives…



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<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/93bd943a-5125-4c7d-aca5-d48fa36cf376" target="_blank">HALO WARS 2 TERMINUS FIREFIGHT</a> Credits: Lemonsquare7609, Trooper509, vacant10086, Arxchangel, Donut Droper, Xitespdrman Mode: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/ba099c5f-a2d1-4cb9-8acf-040f8b61f3b9">Halo Wars 2 Terminus Firefight</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/93bd943a-5125-4c7d-aca5-d48fa36cf376"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HW2Terminus.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of Halo Wars 2 Terminus Firefight created in Forge" class="wp-image-87112" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HW2Terminus.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HW2Terminus-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HW2Terminus-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HW2Terminus-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HW2Terminus-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HW2Terminus-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Twenty-one waves of Banished enemies are ready to throw themselves at you, your allies, and the cores you must protect. Get upgrades to strengthen your team, use vehicles to bring superior firepower to bear, and prepare to experience Halo Wars from a first-person perspective. (8-12 players recommended.)



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<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/7617ce5f-4a90-4756-9b70-ea3ccd8613dd" target="_blank">CORROSION CAMPAIGN</a> Credits: Private1179529 Mode: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/bb30da74-5366-43dc-8640-5690598472ce">Corrosion Campaign</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/7617ce5f-4a90-4756-9b70-ea3ccd8613dd"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/Corrosion.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of Corrosion mission created in Forge" class="wp-image-87070" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/Corrosion.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/Corrosion-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/Corrosion-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/Corrosion-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/Corrosion-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/Corrosion-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



The Banished have discovered a rare, highly toxic fluid that they are mining to enhance their fuel rod-based weaponry, and it’s up to you to stop them. Are you taking this on alone, as a Headhunter team of two, or will you deploy a full fireteam of four to bring an end to this dire threat?



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<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/8b05e1bd-25f9-48ac-b199-b8eae79632c0" target="_blank">FIREFIGHT HELM’S DEEP</a> Credits: AngeloGrotti



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/8b05e1bd-25f9-48ac-b199-b8eae79632c0"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HelmsDeep.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of top-down view of Helm's Deep created in Forge" class="wp-image-87098" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HelmsDeep.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HelmsDeep-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HelmsDeep-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HelmsDeep-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HelmsDeep-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HelmsDeep-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



“The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time. Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin, and the red dawn. Forth Èorlingas!”



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<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/bd443aee-f7c4-4727-8c28-8e5a00a8a83c" target="_blank">FIREFIGHT BIKINI BOTTOM</a> Credits: Im Adopted69527



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/bd443aee-f7c4-4727-8c28-8e5a00a8a83c"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/BikiniBottom.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of Bikini Bottom map created in Forge" class="wp-image-87056" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/BikiniBottom.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/BikiniBottom-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/BikiniBottom-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/BikiniBottom-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/BikiniBottom-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/BikiniBottom-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Plankton has enlisted the aid of the Banished to steal the Krabby Patty formula! Fight to defend Bikini Bottom from this evil, diabolical, lemon-scented scheme!



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<h2>TUTORIAL TRAINING</h2>



Zechariot has been turning out some fantastic tutorials for Forgers to use in a variety of creative ways. To kick things off, how about a “vending machine” where you can buy AI units for your team?



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="AI Vending Machine (AI Shop) | Halo Infinite Forge Tutorial" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dVUP41NElig?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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And on the aesthetic side of things, Ducain23 has a guide to help you create murky algae water and custom trees.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="Create Murky Algae Water and Custom Trees | Halo Infinite Tutorial" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mGRDJN9E5C0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



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That’ll round us out for this issue of Forge Features! If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a very important appointment with the Custom Game Browser—Bikini Bottom needs rescuing at three, and first light on the fifth day is rapidly approaching so we’ve gotta make sure we’re in the right spot when the forces there look to the east…



Happy Forging!

Community Cartography 022

Forge Features: November 22, 2023

Community Spotlight

Issue 011

Community Corner: GCustomsCreations

HALO 3 REFUELED MAPS

Combined Arms Press Kit

Combined Arms, Halo Infinite’s first Operation, arrives tomorrow!



From November 14 to December 19, Operation: COMBINED ARMS will be active, bringing a free 20-tier Operation Pass with new customization rewards. The iconic Mjolnir Mark V armor from Halo: CE and a playlist of beloved classic maps from Halo 3 have also come to Halo Infinite.



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<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="Operation: Combined Arms Trailer | Season 5: Reckoning | Halo Infinite" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bCrWlAfWFSM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2>COMBINED ARMS OPERATION PASS</h2>



The Combined Arms Operation Pass features 20 tiers of free customization rewards, along with new armor and vehicle coatings, emblems, and visors.



For those who need a quick refresher: Operations are the new evolution of Events in Halo Infinite, and Combined Arms is the first of more Operations to come. For a full breakdown, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/battle-pass-operations-season-5" target="_blank">check out our Operations blog</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HALO_INFINITE_EVENT_S5_COMBINED_ARMS_REWARDS_1920x1920_RGB-1024x1024.jpg" alt="A visual representation of the Combined Arms Operation Pass. " class="wp-image-86742" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HALO_INFINITE_EVENT_S5_COMBINED_ARMS_REWARDS_1920x1920_RGB-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HALO_INFINITE_EVENT_S5_COMBINED_ARMS_REWARDS_1920x1920_RGB-300x300.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HALO_INFINITE_EVENT_S5_COMBINED_ARMS_REWARDS_1920x1920_RGB-150x150.jpg 150w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HALO_INFINITE_EVENT_S5_COMBINED_ARMS_REWARDS_1920x1920_RGB-768x768.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HALO_INFINITE_EVENT_S5_COMBINED_ARMS_REWARDS_1920x1920_RGB-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HALO_INFINITE_EVENT_S5_COMBINED_ARMS_REWARDS_1920x1920_RGB-1568x1568.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HALO_INFINITE_EVENT_S5_COMBINED_ARMS_REWARDS_1920x1920_RGB.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Player feedback around Events was that their short two-week window felt too limiting, and that once they’re gone there’s no way to obtain those rewards again. Enter Operations, which will run for approximately four-to-six weeks with a free 20-tier Operation Pass that is progressed with Match XP. An Operation can be purchased at any point via Halo Infinite’s in-game Switcher or Shop.



The Operations Pass comes with additional premium upgrade options:



<ul><li>500 credits instantly unlocks an exclusive bonus customization item, makes the Operation Pass durable (it will not expire), and—when equipped—offers bonus XP and an extra Challenge slot during the Operation’s live window.</li><li>2,000 credits instantly unlocks all 20 tiers of the Operation Pass at purchase and includes the exclusive bonus customization item.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/CombinedArmsSwitcher.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the Combined Arms switcher showing the 500 credit Premium Operation Pass and the 2000 credit Premium Operation Pass" class="wp-image-86347" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/CombinedArmsSwitcher.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/CombinedArmsSwitcher-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/CombinedArmsSwitcher-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/CombinedArmsSwitcher-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/CombinedArmsSwitcher-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/CombinedArmsSwitcher-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Purchase either of the Combined Arms Operation Pass options above and you will additionally acquire the Grey Hunter armor coating.



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<h2>HALO 3 REFUELED</h2>





2007 has arrived in 2023, as seven Halo 3 maps recreated in Forge in partnership with the community are coming to a new matchmaking playlist in Halo Infinite alongside the Combined Arms Operation tomorrow.



Claim the High Ground and revisit the vertical heights of Construct, the lush jungles of Guardian, a Banished-themed take on Narrows, and other beloved classics recreated in Halo Infinite’s Forge mode. Alongside these is also Critical Dewpoint, a map created by ArturBloodshot, based around our nostalgia-fueled partnership with Mountain Dew.



For more details, be sure to check out our Halo 3 Refueled blog when it lands tomorrow.



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<h2>NEW WAYPOINT CHRONICLE INBOUND</h2>



Also accompanying the release of Combined Arms is a new Waypoint Chronicle which will release later this month!



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2560. The Banished have come to Suban, the blood-moon of Sanghelios, seeking to claim the unique natural resource within its vast mines: the beautiful but volatile Subanese crystals. 



The Swords of Sanghelios and their Spartan allies face an overwhelming force on the ground, while a Sangheili shipmistress in the skies above seeks to find a weakness in the enemy’s armor that might turn the tide against these invaders.



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Stay tuned for the release of this short story (which will be available here on Halo Waypoint, as a free PDF, and in audiobook format on YouTube) on November 27.



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<h2>“LOOK, A MARK V!”</h2>



Bred for combat, built for war, you are the master of any weapon, pilot of any vehicle, and fear no enemy.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">Bred for combat, built for war, you are the master of any weapon, pilot of any vehicle, and fear no enemy 🫡 The Combat Evolved Mark V bundle is now available in the Shop. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HaloReckoning?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HaloReckoning</a> <a href="https://t.co/W7w6jHdvOr">pic.twitter.com/W7w6jHdvOr</a>— Halo (@Halo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Halo/status/1722313153910878324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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In celebration of Halo’s upcoming birthday, the CE Mark V armor kit became available for purchase in the Shop on November 7. The Combat Evolved Mark V bundle contains:



<ul><li>Combat Evolved Mark V armor kit</li><li>Cinder Ring multi-use armor coating</li><li>Viridescent Ring multi-use armor coating</li><li>Aurum Evolved visor</li></ul>



Unseal the hushed casket and awaken the flawless cowboy within. Prevail through nerves of steel and a quick trigger finger.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV3.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the CE Mark V armor kit" class="wp-image-83322" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV3.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV3-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



And be sure to complete all of your Challenges this week to unlock the latest Ultimate Reward: AAP/Ordnance Pack Oscar for your Mark V [B] armor.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULT_AAPOrdnancePackOscar.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of Ultimate Reward: AAP Ordnance Pack Oscar" class="wp-image-85883" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULT_AAPOrdnancePackOscar.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULT_AAPOrdnancePackOscar-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULT_AAPOrdnancePackOscar-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULT_AAPOrdnancePackOscar-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULT_AAPOrdnancePackOscar-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULT_AAPOrdnancePackOscar-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



That concludes this overview of Halo Infinite’s debut Operation, which runs for the next five weeks (after which, the Winter Contingency III Operation will begin).



Go forth and start working your way through that free Operation Pass to claim your customization rewards, check out the new Halo 3 Refueled playlist, secure the CE Mark V armor kit to indulge in some classic nostalgia that has never looked so snazzy, and stay tuned for the upcoming Waypoint Chronicle!



See you on Suban.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h2>PRESS KIT</h2>



<a href="http://aka.ms/CAPressKit">Download the official Combined Arms Press Kit here!</a>

Combined Arms Operation Launch

Community Update

Remember, remember the month of November… because it’s Halo’s anniversary month and marks the release of Halo: CE, Halo 2, Halo 4, and Halo Infinite!



It’s been an incredibly exciting time recently, with Season 5 having been out in the wild for a few weeks now and folks have gotten to grips with all its new additions—from new maps to the Forge AI Toolkit, and beyond. There’s plenty more to look forward to, but for now let us reflect on all the latest happenings of the last month…



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h2>HALO INFINITE</h2>



SEASON 5: RECKONING



Unless you’ve been imprisoned within a Cryptum or cylix, or something, you’ve probably heard that Season 5 of Halo Infinite launched on October 17.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/S5Roadmap.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-83546" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/S5Roadmap.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/S5Roadmap-300x225.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/S5Roadmap-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/S5Roadmap-768x576.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/S5Roadmap-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/S5Roadmap-1568x1176.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



It’s quite possible that since then you’ve been learning the layout of the new maps, Prism and Forbidden, and searched for various Easter eggs, sought to master the new Bandit Evo, or simply stared up at the stunning skyboxes. No doubt, you have spent a good amount of time in the Armory deciding which outfit you feel like wearing for your next match now that multi-use helmets have come to the game, and seeing just how gross you can make your Spartan look with the new Flood-infected customization pieces.



Perhaps you’ve already cleared that 50-tier Battle Pass and have been looking to reach FTL speeds in your journey to the maximum Hero rank, where that coveted Infinite Mark VI armor kit awaits… or maybe you’ve jumped into Forge to try out the new AI Toolkit to create new maps on the new canvases featuring Banished enemies, then headed over to the Custom Game Browser to try out the jaw-dropping creations from other community cartographers (and earning Custom Game XP for it!)



All that is to say, if you haven’t yet dived into Season 5 of Halo Infinite, the time to do so has come! Our first Operation (Combined Arms) is due to go live on November 14, bringing with it a new 20-tier Operation Pass with free customization rewards for you to earn by progressing with Match XP.



FORGE FEATURES



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/forge-features-020"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of (from left-to-right) a Brute, Hunter, and Jackal on a dark map" class="wp-image-84630" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Season 5 brought the next evolution of Forge with the AI Toolkit, well and truly changing the game by empowering players to add AI units to the maps you create.



We’ve already seen classic campaign mission spaces recreated, populated by Banished baddies. We’ve seen altogether new missions for you and your friends to try out together, PvPvE experiences, tower defense maps, and so much more.



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/forge-features-020" target="_blank">Check out our latest issue of Forge Features</a> to bookmark a selection of these new maps and take a look at some developer and community-made tutorials for how to utilize this new toolkit.



WAYPOINT CHRONICLES



Two new Waypoint Chronicles have arrived! For those not in the know: Waypoint Chronicles are canonical short stories that typically accompany certain in-game elements and events, released on Halo Waypoint, as a free PDF, and in audiobook format on YouTube.



When we learned that we would be joined not only by Steve Downes and Jen Taylor for this year’s Halo World Championship event, but Keith David as well, for the very first time these three would be in the same room together… we knew we had an opportunity to do something special. These three titans of the Halo universe performed a new scene together, set immediately after the events of Halo 5 (and concurrently with events depicted in Halo: Bad Blood) where the Arbiter, the Master Chief, and Dr. Halsey are all in the same place.



Read Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-sunrise-on-sanghelios" target="_blank">here on Halo Waypoint</a>, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://aka.ms/SunriseOnSangheliosPDF" target="_blank">download a free PDF version</a>, or <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heeAkDRuf5g&ab_channel=HALO" target="_blank">watch the live performance by Steve, Jen, and Keith on YouTube</a>!



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios | HaloWC 2023 Community Stage" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/heeAkDRuf5g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Last week, we also released a new short story for Halloween that centers around a Flood outbreak which culminates in the first known instance of a Spartan succumbing to the parasite.



Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son can be read <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-saturn-devouring-his-son" target="_blank">here on Halo Waypoint</a>, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/SaturnPDF" target="_blank">as a free PDF version</a>, and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/SaturnAudio" target="_blank">as an audiobook on YouTube</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son | Audiobook" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9H9Pj2YhpyQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



And there are still two more Waypoint Chronicles to come before the end of the year…



SHOP & ULTIMATE REWARD



“Bred for combat, built for war, you are the master of any weapon, pilot of any vehicle, and fear no enemy.”



In the Shop this week is the Combat Evolved Mark V bundle, starting the celebrations of Halo’s twenty-second birthday a little early with this recreation of the classic and iconic Mjolnir Mark V armor worn by the Master Chief in Halo: CE.



This bundle includes:



<ul><li>Combat Evolved Mark V armor kit</li><li>Cinder Ring armor coating</li><li>Viridescent Ring armor coating</li><li>Autumn Evolved visor</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV1.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the CE Mark V armor kit" class="wp-image-83294" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV1.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/CEMarkV1-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



And complete all of your Challenges this week to acquire the latest Ultimate Reward: the Queen’s Gambit weapon charm.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULTQueensGambit.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the Queen's Gambit weapon charm" class="wp-image-85698" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULTQueensGambit.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULTQueensGambit-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULTQueensGambit-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULTQueensGambit-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULTQueensGambit-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/ULTQueensGambit-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h2>PARTNERSHIPS</h2>



We’ve seen your memes. Your crumpled and faded bottles on your trophy shelves. We’ve heard your secret dreams whispered into your pillow. Okay, maybe not that, but I’m probably not far off. Point is, we’ve heard you, we understand you…



Something amazing happened in 2007 and we’ve all been chasing that dream ever since. That’s right. Once again, Mountain Dew and Halo are back together for a limited time this holiday season to bring you Mtn Dew Game Fuel Citrus Cherry. The iconic flavor that has fueled some of your favorite Halo memories is back and in stores in 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and single 20 oz. bottles, and fun fact: the very special label was designed by our own community-member-turned-Halo team-member, William “Pixelflare” Cameron.



We’re not just bringing you your favorite memories in drink form. As we do, we teamed up with Mtn Dew to create a suite of eye-catching in-game content with a striking armor coating, two Mtn Dew-inspired visors, a weapon charm (the Halo 3 Chief helmet), and an emblem pack featuring four Halo 3 map blueprints. I’ve said it before, but please, look at the incredible detail of the condensation and ice in those visors… our customization team has once again done an amazing job.



Points earned by entering the codes found on specially marked Mtn Dew, Doritos, and Rockstar products in the US will get you these and other Xbox gaming rewards. You can also enter to win grand prizes like a Halo-inspired Super 73 e-bike (it’s insane, we all want one!), a Starfield-themed Corvette, and more.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/MtnDewxHalo.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-85670" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/MtnDewxHalo.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/MtnDewxHalo-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/MtnDewxHalo-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/MtnDewxHalo-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/MtnDewxHalo-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/MtnDewxHalo-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



And for fans everywhere, we’ve created a limited-edition Halo x Mtn Dew merch collection <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://gear.xbox.com/collections/haloxdew" target="_blank">available now on the Halo Gear Shop</a>.



You’ll find an updated re-issue of a classic Halo 3 x Mtn Dew tee, a jersey inspired by the new Mtn Dew Game Fuel design, a classic hoodie that glows in the dark, a trucker hat to show you’re a person of taste and style, and a koozie so you can make any drink look like a can of Mtn Dew Game Fuel. All of these will go fast, so get yours ASAP.



Feeling nostalgic yet? Ready to jump into the game? That’s the point. We wanted to relive the glory days of drinking Game Fuel Citrus Cherry and playing Halo 3 with you, so we’re doing something we’ve never done before…



Halo and Mtn Dew have teamed up with ArturBloodshot, community Forger, to create a brand-new custom Dew-themed map called Critical Dewpoint, and we’re putting it in an official playlist called ‘Halo 3 Refueled’ which features seven more remade and reimagined Halo 3 maps created by other talented community Forgers. It’s coming on Nov 14th, so join us in this nostalgic adventure—we hope you enjoy it!



This partnership is all about celebrating and involving our community, and we have more to come! Keep your eyes peeled and <a href="https://twitter.com/MTNDEWGaming">follow @MtnDewgaming for more news and giveaways</a>, and we’ll see you out there in your Mountain Tiger armor coating in the Halo 3 Refueled playlist on November 14.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h2>THE ARTIST’S CORNER</h2>



Because the Flood has taken center stage for the launch of Season 5, it seemed only fitting that we should feature some Flood-themed artwork from the vault for this Community Update.



This wonderfully grotesque piece comes from artist Tsutomu Nihei, featured in the Halo Graphic Novel that originally released in 2006, depicting a Flood-infected Sangheili combat form.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HGN_Flood_TsutomuNihei-scaled.jpg" alt="Halo Graphic Novel artwork by Tsutomu Nihei of a Flood-infected Sangheili combat form" class="wp-image-85656" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HGN_Flood_TsutomuNihei-scaled.jpg 1654w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HGN_Flood_TsutomuNihei-194x300.jpg 194w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HGN_Flood_TsutomuNihei-662x1024.jpg 662w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HGN_Flood_TsutomuNihei-768x1188.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HGN_Flood_TsutomuNihei-993x1536.jpg 993w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HGN_Flood_TsutomuNihei-1323x2048.jpg 1323w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/HGN_Flood_TsutomuNihei-1568x2426.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1654px) 100vw, 1654px" /></figure>



The Halo Graphic Novel features four fantastic short stories and additional supplemental art pieces set around the events of Halo: CE and Halo 2.



<ul><li>The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor: Spec-Ops Commander Rtas ‘Vadumee and his squad are deployed to the agricultural support ship Infinite Succor, where a far deadlier threat than the humans has been unleashed… (Written by Lee Hammock, art by Simon Bisley)</li><li>Armor Testing: Maria-062 puts the Mjolnir Mark VI armor through live testing trials before it is shipped off to John-117. (Written and illustrated by Ed Lee, Jay Faerber, and Andrew Robinson)</li><li>Breaking Quarantine: Trapped within the Flood containment facility on Alpha Halo, Avery Johnson fights his way out of hell itself. (Illustrated by Tsutomu Nihei)</li><li>Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa: Journalist and war photographer Benjamin Giraud (yes, that Benjamin Giraud!) experiences the devastating events of the Covenant’s arrival at Earth. (Written by Brett Lewis, illustrated by Jean “Moebius” Giraud)</li></ul>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678544/halo-graphic-novel-new-edition-by-by-lee-hammock-simon-bisley-ed-lee-jay-faerber-and-andrew-robinson/" target="_blank">The Halo Graphic Novel received a reprint in December 2021, so you should absolutely pick it up!</a>



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<h2>THE HOUSE THAT MASTER CHIEF BUILT</h2>



Follow Steve Downes, the voice of Master Chief, on a personal tour of his Chicago condo overlooking Lake Michigan.



Check out his home studio where he brings the legendary lines of Halo to life, and even get a peek at the Halo Infinite script! You’ll also get to see some of the fan art he’s collected over the years, and meet his dog Ginger!



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="The House that Master Chief Built: Tour of Steve Downes' Chicago Condo, Voice Over Studio" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bGB6yEe-XhM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



That brings us to the end of this Community Update, which is good news because I’ve got a few more levels of my Season 5 Battle Pass to finish up before the Combined Arms Operation kicks off next week—and I’m sure to be waylaid by some custom games as well…



We’ll be back next month for our end-of-year update before we look ahead to the year of our Didact 2024. See you then!

Flood of Flavor

Endurance-of-Will by @iso_didacta

Spotlight: November 2, 2023

Forge has evolved.



With the arrival of Season 5 of Halo
Infinite, players have now got their hands on the Forge AI Toolkit which
has well and truly changed the game, as you can now add AI units to the maps
you create.



Already, we have seen PvPvE experiences
populate the Custom Game Browser, along with recreations of classic campaign
missions and even brand-new ones. As we hit our twentieth issue of Forge
Features, that seems like a nice round number to start showcasing some of these
incredible new experiences that you can jump in and play right now.



For a more comprehensive breakdown of the additions made to Forge in Season 5, <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/forge-overview-season-5">check out our Forge Overview blog</a>.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h2>FIREFIGHT CUSTOM GAME MODE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of (from left-to-right) a Brute, Hunter, and Jackal on a dark map" class="wp-image-84630" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-FF-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



When setting up a custom game for
Firefight, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got the right mode set up to
have the optimal experience. Sometimes you can use one that’s more “general,”
but sometimes there will be maps that use their own specific mode variant(s).
Some even come with difficulty levels.



For a good general Firefight mode where
the player simply needs to survive ten rounds, be sure to bookmark the
following:



<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/0c02c58e-dea7-4e73-82c5-4a244602209b">FIREFIGHT
– WoodComet673577</a>



For others which are more map-specific,
you will find these included below.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/feab8eb6-c485-42ba-84dd-d754fdcd63cb">INCLEMENCY</a> Credits: MadmanEpic Mode: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/4b2708ac-e929-479e-9667-8516a8a396bc">Inclemency Campaign</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/feab8eb6-c485-42ba-84dd-d754fdcd63cb"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-0.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Inclemency Forge map" class="wp-image-84546" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-0.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-0-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-0-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-0-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-0-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-0-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



An early example of what a “custom
campaign mission”-type experience using Forge AI looks like, where you’ll be
fighting Banished in the snow.



There’s a vehicular section as you
navigate through several Banished checkpoints; there are some narrow bridges
and walkways; you’ll storm a Banished facility and fight a hammer-wielding Chieftain
in close-quarters, before heading to the extraction point and fighting off
several waves of tough enemies.



Either jump in solo or grab a couple of
friends and try it out!



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/f36bfa5c-6654-4a4d-b9c2-7fc88c7ff587">FIREFIGHT HALO REVAMPED</a> Credits: JAYZEN0009, ghostlyswat12



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/f36bfa5c-6654-4a4d-b9c2-7fc88c7ff587"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-1.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Firefight Halo Revamped Forge map" class="wp-image-84560" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-1.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-1-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Battlecruisers and corvettes are inbound
with enemy troops! Survive five rounds against an onslaught of enemies and hold
the line to claim victory.



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/59476aa0-1a37-4f20-bb94-fe3d3870e52d">H2 OUTSKIRTS FIREFIGHT</a> Credits: Ju Jitsu X, Squishiop9, tttwyson Mode: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/2a3f2858-6713-4d9c-8dac-fc831bfae9d8">Easy</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/9aaccaf7-df6f-4bcc-b611-500b6b64ff84">Normal</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/3d3d4314-f6c1-4efe-a435-b8895a5f4709">Heroic</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/b141e55e-8e0f-433e-9644-4e0c5802e536">Legendary</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/59476aa0-1a37-4f20-bb94-fe3d3870e52d"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-3.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of Jackals, Skirmishers, and Elites in the Halo 2 Outskirts courtyard created in Forge" class="wp-image-84588" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-3.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-3-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



“We’ve got Jackals in the courtyard!”



It’s the holdout section from Halo 2’s
Outskirts mission, featuring some adjustments to the overall layout. You can
bookmark different modes which scale the AI difficulty, so maybe you’re looking
for an easy time ploughing through enemy waves, or perhaps you’ve gathered a
group of friends and you’re looking for a challenge to test your mettle on
Legendary.



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/85a81bf5-4b11-402d-b952-b08f4ba9274c">INFINITE FIREFIGHT REFUGE</a> Credits: Cousin Tim, InfiniteForges, Michael B 2K8, NightAvenger01, I Crush All, CertifiedChamp, ItzSkittz3964



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/85a81bf5-4b11-402d-b952-b08f4ba9274c"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-2.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of a Phantom on the Infinite Firefight Refuge Forge map" class="wp-image-84574" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-2.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-2-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Just when you thought you couldn’t be
more in awe of the maps this crew puts together, they deliver this…



Abandoned and overgrown, Halo 2’s
Headlong has become a battleground for the Banished.



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/6ad1375f-b425-4b73-ae26-ef5a9efd6fd0">INSTALLATION 07 FIREFIGHT</a> Credits: TJtheForger



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/6ad1375f-b425-4b73-ae26-ef5a9efd6fd0"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-4.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Installation 07 Firefight map created in Forge" class="wp-image-84602" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-4.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-4-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-4-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



One of the encounters that Firefight
naturally ended up evolving out of were the holdout sections in Halo: CE’s
second mission, where the Master Chief must seek out and protect Marine
survivors from several waves of Covenant dropships while exploring the
Forerunner structures and beam towers that almost serve as “lighthouses” for
these encounters.



It is only natural, then, that this experience
has been recreated with Forge AI in Halo Infinite.



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/07ab2435-ba9f-42f3-8374-f6bfc1cab5e3">PVPVE BLOODGULCH</a> Credits: ghostlyswat12, DaringMacil, AlphaEpsilon



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/07ab2435-ba9f-42f3-8374-f6bfc1cab5e3"><img src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-5.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the PvPvE Bloodgulch map created in Forge" class="wp-image-84616" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-5.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-5-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-5-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-5-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-5-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/FF20-5-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Many years ago, I remember one of the
first videos of Halo modding that I ever saw was of a big AI battle on
Blood Gulch where Hunters were sat on Scorpion tanks and all manner of
explosive green chaos ensued.



That was well over fifteen years ago, and
now you can actually create this experience for yourself in Halo Infinite.



This PvPvE experience offers 12v12 for players
and 16v16 AI—with some being aligned to your team, and others on the enemy’s.
It is, perhaps, one of the purest possible expressions of Halo
imaginable.



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<h2>TUTORIAL
TRAINING</h2>



Interested in making maps that utilize the Forge AI Toolkit for yourself? Well, there’s a variety of video guides you can watch to get a greater understanding of the systems and options that are at your disposal.



<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/6NLZw-BL8hg?si=z1kpOaYZ8ozvUPBK&t=4720">FORGE
FUNDAMENTALS: SEASON 5 & AI TOOLKIT</a>



First up, we did our own showcase of the Forge AI Toolkit during a Community Stage panel at the 2023 Halo World Championship.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="HaloWC 2023 Community Stage – Day 1 (Forge, Steve Downes, Jen Taylor, Keith David, Lore, Digsite +)" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6NLZw-BL8hg?start=4720&feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Join 343 staff John Junyszek (Sr.
Community Manager), Michael Schorr (Forge Lord), and Connor Kennelly (Forge
Technical Designer) as they dive into the details of what’s new to Forge in
Season 5 and how you can use it.



<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K29fMJodXP0">HOW TO SPAWN AI IN FORGE |
BEGINNER TUTORIAL</a>



Ducain23 has been putting together a series of tutorials on the Forge AI Toolkit, and this is a great place to start—how to spawn AI on your map and make them move around.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="How To Spawn AI In Forge | Beginner Halo Infinite AI Tutorial" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K29fMJodXP0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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This video will give you a good
understanding of things like nav mesh and move zones (how AI movement on the
map works), the various methods of spawning (like whether they arrive by drop
pod, Phantom dropship, or fade in), and how to put these things to the test.



<a href="https://youtu.be/mDdTG9z1ic4?si=j7Kkm5T0jAo5ar98">HALO INFINITE FORGE PVE
CAMPAIGN SCRIPTING GUIDE</a>



For something a little more advanced and
long-form, check out MadmanEpic’s video on how he put together the scripting
for his Inclemency campaign-style mission experience.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="A Rambling Halo Infinite Forge PvE Campaign Scripting Guide (Inclemency)" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mDdTG9z1ic4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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As MadmanEpic puts it himself, the
Inclemency map isn’t copy protected and he encourages players to jump into
Forge to fiddle around with the map and see how he put it all together.



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That rounds us out for this issue of
Forge Features, which has now become even more exciting with the new kinds of
maps and experiences that players are able to create using these new tools.



It’s not even been two weeks since Season 5 launched and we’re already seeing some incredible creations from the community—we can’t even begin to imagine just how much farther there is to push the envelope, which just means that we’re every bit as excited as you are.



Now, if you’ll excuse me, the next wave’s
droppin’ in and it’s about to get hot!

Alex Wakeford

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