Community

Community Update

Welcome to our final Community Update for 2023!



What a year it’s been, eh? From the close of last year’s Winter Update which saw the debut of Halo Infinite’s Forge, to the delivery of multiple seasonal launches that brought new maps and modes, new armor and events, new features—and more.



And that’s just on the game front. The Digsite crew dropped their first release out of slipspace with some of the classic Halo content they’ve been restoring from the deepest reaches of the cutting room floor. We saw the return of the Arbiter and Spartan Vale in Halo: Outcasts, along with five new Waypoint Chronicles—one of which saw Steve Downes, Jen Taylor, and Keith David on-stage together at the climactic Halo World Championship to perform a whole new scene.



We’ve had exciting new partnerships with the likes of Mountain Dew (welcome back, citrus cherry!), Brawlhalla, Sea of Thieves, Dr. Squatch, Honda, Oreo, Calm…



And the Community Update has been here to keep you up to date throughout it all. So, once more unto the breach before we sign off for the year—let’s go!



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HALO INFINITE</h2>



WINTER CONTINGENCY III



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/OperationWinterContingency.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite key art for the Winter Contingency III Operation, showcasing four Spartans in the snow with the central one clad in Santa-inspired armor holding a green sack over their back" class="wp-image-82729" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/OperationWinterContingency.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/OperationWinterContingency-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/OperationWinterContingency-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/OperationWinterContingency-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/OperationWinterContingency-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/10/OperationWinterContingency-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



As the Combined Arms Operation comes to a close, it will be succeeded next week by the arrival of Winter Contingency III.



Running from December 19 through January 30, you’ll have a new 20-tier Operation Pass full of Holiday-themed customization rewards to deck the (armory) halls with!



We’ll have a full blog with all the information you need to know about Winter Contingency III dropping when the Operation goes live on December 19—stay tuned.



DECEMBER MID-SEASON UPDATE



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FFKOTHNormal.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-87190" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FFKOTHNormal.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FFKOTHNormal-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FFKOTHNormal-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FFKOTHNormal-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FFKOTHNormal-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/11/FFKOTHNormal-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



You may or may not be aware that Halo Infinite got a little mid-season update the other week…



Amongst other things, this update brought:



<ul><li>FIREFIGHT: KING OF THE HILL – The latest incarnation of the beloved mode has arrived with nine maps, including the new House of Reckoning map from Halo Infinite’s campaign. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/firefight-king-of-the-hill-preview" target="_blank">Check out our Firefight: KOTH blog for a deep dive into this new mode,</a> and give our latest Spartan Chatter episode a watch as we sit down with Michael “Forge Lord” Schorr and Technical Designer Connor Kennelly to discuss all things Firefight.</li></ul>



<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 loading="lazy" title="Spartan Chatter: Firefight: King of the Hill" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TcFPhwKyhfs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<ul><li>REPAIR FIELD – A new addition to Halo Infinite’s Equipment, the Repair Field can heal (and revive) allies, vehicles… and enemies. Be wary of those who enter its lovely green field!</li><li>FORGE UPDATES – High Value Targets and bosses from Halo Infinite’s campaign have come to the Forge AI Toolkit, along with the addition of Skull modifiers to node graphs, quality-of-life updates, and more.</li><li>RANKED IMPROVEMENTS – UI and audio elements for Ranked Extraction have been implemented to enhance the ranked experience, and CSR penalties for matches where players quit have been improved.</li><li>CUSTOM GAME BROWSER – As long as enough slots are open, the Fireteam leader can bring their entire party into a CGB session.</li><li>STABILITY & NETWORKING – A new networking system has been implemented into Halo Infinite that will be tested in the Firefight: King of the Hill playlist and is also being 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 rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/december-update-halo-infinite" target="_blank">check out our December Update preview blog</a> or head over to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/HaloSupport" target="_blank">read the Patch Notes on Halo Support</a>.



TRIAL OF RECKONING



Following the debut of Firefight: KOTH, we have a new tie-in Waypoint Chronicle set within the House of Reckoning itself.



Trial of Reckoning is available <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-trial-of-reckoning" target="_blank">here on Halo Waypoint</a>, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/REckoningPDF" target="_blank">as a free PDF</a>, and in <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/ReckoningAudio" target="_blank">audiobook format 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 loading="lazy" title="Halo: Trial of Reckoning | Audiobook" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RE9f-zRLy_o?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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“February 2560. The wreckage of the UNSC Mortal Reverie served as a central rally point and home to human survivors on Zeta Halo, but it was only a matter of time before it was also overrun by the Banished.



A handful of survivors from the battle have been brought to the iron halls of the House of Reckoning where they are forced to take part in a twisted new war game…”



INTEL



Our third piece of Intel for Season 5 has gone live, providing some additional information on Gunnery Sergeant Elena Bobrov—the protagonist of Trial of Reckoning.



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/reckoning-intel#S5Intel3" target="_blank">INTEL #3 – MISSING IN ACTION</a>



FORGE AHEAD



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfiniteForge.jpg" alt="Header image for the Halo Infinite Forge series showing a Monitor" class="wp-image-45890" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfiniteForge.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfiniteForge-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfiniteForge-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfiniteForge-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfiniteForge-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfiniteForge-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Forge in Halo Infinite has crossed the threshold of being a year old—and what a year it has been!



In no time at all, the cartographers in the community set about creating all sorts of maps and experiences with more powerful and versatile tools than ever before. And over the course of this year, we have continued to build on those capabilities with new canvases, new objects and palettes, various improvements and fixes… and, of course, the AI Toolkit, which has well and truly changed the game for Forge.



We’ve seen recreations of previous campaign missions and entirely new ones built from scratch; tower defense modes with extensive upgrade systems; zombie modes and the old Custom Games you remember from the old days (you can’t beat a bit of Lightspeed Halo!); classic map remakes from across the series, and so much more.



2.3 million unique maps have been created in Forge since its launch last year.



3.2 million hours (approximately 7.2 million matches!) have been spent playing Custom Games on Forge maps since the mode launched.



From February 2023, there have been 44 community maps brought into our official matchmaking playlists—from Quick Play to Super Fiesta, Husky Raid, Squad Battle, Doubles, Halo 3 Refueled, Firefight: KOTH, and beyond.



And we’re not done yet. Forge will continue to be supported in 2024, and we’ll have more to share with you on that front in the new year.



Until then, keep on Forgin’! We see new creations to fall in love with every single day, and the holidays are the perfect time to lose oneself in the Customs Browser!



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HALO TV SERIES</h2>



Earlier this month, Paramount+ released the first teaser for Season Two of the Halo television series.



Due to release on February 8, 2024, the teaser that premiered at CCXP 2023 promises eight new episodes filled with intense action to come as the Covenant threat to humanity escalates.



For a full breakdown, be sure to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/silver-debrief-season-2-reveal" target="_blank">check out our latest Silver Debrief issue</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 loading="lazy" 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>
</div></figure>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HALO GEAR</h2>



Happy Halodays! As you continue to enjoy Season 5, we wanted to share the final design of the exclusive <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/halogearrewards_s5backpack" target="_blank">Halo Gear Rewards Season 5 Tactical Carrier Backpack</a>. The UNSC-style backpack is designed with utility in mind and loaded with design features and Easter eggs to give you that Halo universe look and feel. Check out the new images below!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="http://aka.ms/halogearrewards_s5backpack"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2400" height="1350" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack.jpg" alt="Image of the Halo Tactical Backpack and optional Season 5 patches" class="wp-image-89003" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack.jpg 2400w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px" /></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="http://aka.ms/halogearrewards_s5backpack"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2400" height="1350" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack1.jpg" alt="Image of details and decals on the Halo Tactical Backpack" class="wp-image-89017" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack1.jpg 2400w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack1-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HaloGear_TacticalBackpack1-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px" /></a></figure>



There’s still time to earn access to the exclusive Halo Gear Rewards Season 5 Tactical Carrier Backpack and Reckoning Insignia patch. Just complete the full 50-tier Premium Battle Pass and you’ll receive a code in your Waypoint notifications.



After receiving your code, head to the Halo Gear shop to complete your purchase ($140 backpack). Players will also have the option to add-on the Operation: Combined Arms Patch and the Operation: Winter Contingency III Patch for an additional $10 per patch.



The last day to purchase the Tactical Carrier Backpack will be January 29, 2024.



<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/TwXOuHfAyvc?si=Yr81vm24Y4z03MIS">For a closer look at some of the amazing Halo gifts that are perfect to stuff your stockings with, check out our end-of-year community playdate livestream!</a>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">RADAR BLIPS</h2>



<ul><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/ForgeFeatures023" target="_blank">FORGE FEATURES 023</a> – In our final issue of Forge Features for 2023, we take a look at some of the latest and greatest creations from the community.</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/S5CommunityMontage" target="_blank">COMMUNITY MONTAGE</a> – Send us your showstopping captures from Season 5: Reckoning for a chance to be featured in our Community Montage! Submission ends January 12 at 11:59pm PT.</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/spotlight-december-2023" target="_blank">END-OF-YEAR SPOTLIGHT</a> – Our final Community Spotlight for 2023 has gone live! Check out our collection of the latest and greatest community creations.</li><li>CANON FODDER: Coming on December 18, our final issue of Canon Fodder will see us out for the year.</li></ul>



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Aaaaand that’s a wrap for 2023!



Thank you all for joining us on this Great Journey, whether you’ve just (re)joined us recently or been here from the beginning. We here at 343 Industries wish you all a safe and happy holidays.



See you in 2024.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HappyHalodays2023Card.jpg" alt="2023 Holiday Card from 343 depicting Spartan Santa riding a sleigh pulled by Unggoy with text that reads "Happy Halo-days! From 343 Industries"" class="wp-image-88989" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HappyHalodays2023Card.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HappyHalodays2023Card-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HappyHalodays2023Card-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HappyHalodays2023Card-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HappyHalodays2023Card-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/HappyHalodays2023Card-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>

Alex Wakeford

Wintertime Wonders

Forge Features

Games

Halo Infinite

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… time to spend the holidays exploring the wonders of the Custom Game Browser!



If you’re looking for a place to start, I got you—let’s check some out together.



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/0b647a3e-a5ac-4f12-8222-566409c18430">WAKA WAKA</a> <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/3b794534-6c89-4226-9760-feb5018bf3e2">Mode Download</a> Author: McElgun



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/0b647a3e-a5ac-4f12-8222-566409c18430"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/WakaWaka.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Waka Waka map made in Forge" class="wp-image-88929" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/WakaWaka.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/WakaWaka-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/WakaWaka-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/WakaWaka-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/WakaWaka-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/WakaWaka-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



This infection map/mode combo is just the right amount of neon RGB for all gamers. There are cubbies with weapons for survivors and lots of twists and turns for zombies to hide. Keep your wits about you as you skulk around in the dark!



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/755ad181-e505-4023-b470-5d41f7d49832">DUCK HUNT MINECRAFT</a> <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/20e85e97-1067-410a-a202-81575483a686">Mode Download</a> Author: Kirby Oofss



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/755ad181-e505-4023-b470-5d41f7d49832"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/DuckHunt.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Minecraft-themed Duck Hunt map made in Forge" class="wp-image-88887" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/DuckHunt.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/DuckHunt-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/DuckHunt-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/DuckHunt-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/DuckHunt-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/DuckHunt-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



It’s the classic “get-from-point-A-to-point-B-while-not-being-sniped” mode with a blocky twist. Each level brings a new challenge in this cat-and-mouse game of sliding, running, jumping, and dodging to get to the end for a brief moment of respite before continuing through the maze. Good luck!



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/53aa6c36-22c3-47a1-ade0-76ec3232ec46">GOOSE HALO</a> <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/14ce711b-2bb9-4673-a2cb-c16b2bbb64d4">Mode Download</a> Authors: ArturBloodshot, Hitbox Unknown



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/53aa6c36-22c3-47a1-ade0-76ec3232ec46"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/GooseHalo.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of Goose Halo map made in Forge" class="wp-image-88901" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/GooseHalo.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/GooseHalo-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/GooseHalo-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/GooseHalo-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/GooseHalo-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/GooseHalo-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



The classic “Halo on Halo” returns in Halo Infinite. (Does that make it “Halo on Halo on Halo”? Say that three times fast.) You, a Mongoose, and your driving skills vs the eagle-eyed sharpshooter above.



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/a12d6d0f-2ff1-4927-b85c-b37b43dbdd07">ARCTIC POINT | FIREFIGHT OPS</a> Mode: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/ce3ae052-8806-48d4-9f7e-f5d46dc84a4d">Easy</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/583a02e4-5073-48c9-a83b-b591ff75860a">Medium</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/ca723f5b-2513-4d05-b170-f2d7ee46a686">Hard</a> Authors: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, Azwilko1997, Artifice7285



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/a12d6d0f-2ff1-4927-b85c-b37b43dbdd07"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/ArcticPoint.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Arctic Point map made in Forge" class="wp-image-88873" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/ArcticPoint.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/ArcticPoint-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/ArcticPoint-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/ArcticPoint-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/ArcticPoint-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/ArcticPoint-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Jump into Arctic Point and take on the enemy as you progress through this community-created campaign mission. How long can you survive the onslaught? If it’s too easy, try ramping up the difficulty!



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/3dca1327-2b01-4203-aa64-fa690f7e6b46">CAMPAIGN OP: SNOW SPEAR</a> Mode: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/c22d0ffe-6130-49c7-a6de-6aabbb7330d5">Heroic</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/34cb31b0-5fdb-4fae-90fc-12f2fcf36907">Mythic</a> Author: seanonix



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/3dca1327-2b01-4203-aa64-fa690f7e6b46"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/SnowSpear.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of the Snow Spear map made in Forge" class="wp-image-88915" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/SnowSpear.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/SnowSpear-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/SnowSpear-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/SnowSpear-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/SnowSpear-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/SnowSpear-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Squad up and take on the enemy in this custom campaign level! Battle Bassus, juke with Jega (and more!) as you try to survive and make it to the end.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TUTORIAL TRAINING</h2>



‘Tis the season, and you can just call Ducain23 “Santa Forge” because he’s back with yet another tutorial for us!



If you want to properly winter-ize your maps but aren’t sure how to go about it, he’s got you covered and you’ll be decking the halls in no time.



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Christmas Themed Perfection! (Snow Ground)" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ddr4aV3fkSg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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SEND NODES



/u/Bricklemore says “no one asked for this,” but after checking it out <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/halo/comments/18dghfe/forge_infographics_the_anatomy_of_a_node_my_last/">Node Anatomy 101</a> is something I think a lot of aspiring Forgers will certainly appreciate. Nodes can be confusing and this helpful diagram breaks it down into smaller, more manageable chunks.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/halo/comments/18dghfe/forge_infographics_the_anatomy_of_a_node_my_last/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1888" height="1345" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/NodeGraph.jpg" alt="Community-made infographic containing details about node graphs" class="wp-image-88943" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/NodeGraph.jpg 1888w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/NodeGraph-300x214.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/NodeGraph-1024x729.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/NodeGraph-768x547.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/NodeGraph-1536x1094.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/12/NodeGraph-1568x1117.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1888px) 100vw, 1888px" /></a></figure>



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That’s a wrap on Forge Features for the year! We’ll be back with more next year—in the meantime, play hard, win well.



Happy Halodays!

snickerdoodle

Community Cartography 023

Forge Features: December 15, 2023

With the launch of the <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/december-update-halo-infinite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">December Mid-Season Update</a>, we included the latest updates to our networking model in the <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/firefight-king-of-the-hill-preview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Firefight: King of the Hill (opens in a new tab)">Firefight: King of the Hill</a> mode. 



We wanted to roll it out in this PvE experience first to have a safe testbed to see how it behaves at scale before enabling it in a PvP mode. However, after listening to player feedback and getting many requests to try this in multiplayer, we decided to expand the experiment to the Squad Battle playlist. 



That’s right, the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/squad-battle" target="_blank">Squad Battle</a> experience you know and love has been updated to run on our updated networking model for a limited time in the Combat Workshop. The Combat Workshop is your one-shop stop to check out work-in-progress maps, modes, and other new experiences. In this playlist you’ll be able to enjoy a mix of Slayer and objective modes on fan-favorite maps while we gather feedback and data about the online experience.



If you’ve already jumped in to play in the Workshop: Squad Battle Networking playlist, we want your feedback!







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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://aka.ms/SquadBattleNetSurveyWaypoint" target="_blank">-> START THE SURVEY <-</a></h2>



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And, if you experience any technical issues, please be sure to report them to us by using the Halo Support site at <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://aka.ms/HaloSupport" target="_blank">aka.ms/HaloSupport</a>.



Thank you for your continued feedback, and we’ll see you online in Squad Battle!

Unyshek

Combat Workshop: Squad Battle Networking

Community Spotlight

Spotlight: December 14, 2023

The long-awaited PvE Firefight experience has arrived to Halo Infinite.



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Spartan Chatter: Firefight: King of the Hill" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TcFPhwKyhfs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Michael “Forge Lord” Schorr and Technical Designer Connor Kennelly joined us to talk about the mode and the evolution of Firefight from the survival round-based nature in Halo 3: ODST to the King of the Hill version in Halo Infinite. If you missed it, you can catch up on the chatter below. 



Some key highlights include:  



<ul><li>Design philosophy behind Firefight: KOTH </li><li>Addition of High Value Targets from campaign </li><li>Match XP and Career Rank improvements on the way</li><li>Exploring the addition of FF Challenges </li><li>…and more! </li></ul>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/firefight-king-of-the-hill-preview" target="_blank">You can read more about Firefight: King of the Hill in our deep dive here.</a> 



— 



Spartan Chatter is an audio series, a podcast if you will, hosted on our <a href="http://discord.gg/Halo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">official Halo Discord</a> which brings members of the studio together to discuss all things Halo with a live audience. 



You can find previous episodes of Spartan Chatter on our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SWLEPaTx4c&list=PLn5QvCoiY3w7t84T_MFkGl8qvYI_q148-" target="_blank">YouTube channel’s Podcasts page</a> and on our Discord server.



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Episode 1: Forge & Multiplayer with Michael Schorr  <a href="https://youtu.be/7QNHxDg0c9A" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://discord.com/channels/471722331820130324/471730128335142912/1104135351133552664" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discord</a> 



Episode 2: Infection, Season 4, & Career Rank with Sean Baron  <a href="https://youtu.be/4SWLEPaTx4c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://discord.com/channels/471722331820130324/471730128335142912/1109279140449894501" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discord</a> 



Episode 3: Ranked Matchmaking with Tashi Hasandjekic  <a href="https://youtu.be/fQn8wuvz6P0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://discord.com/channels/471722331820130324/471730128335142912/1129534622267613216" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discord</a> 



Episode 4: Halo: Outcasts with Jeff Easterling and Alex Wakeford  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL2mK1cZhi8&list=PLn5QvCoiY3w7t84T_MFkGl8qvYI_q148-" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://discord.com/channels/471722331820130324/471730128335142912/1139676521884286986" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discord</a>

Firefight: King of the Hill | Spartan Chatter

Fiction

“February 2560. The wreckage of the UNSC Mortal Reverie served as a central rally point and home to human survivors on Zeta Halo, but it was only a matter of time before it was also overrun by the Banished.



A handful of survivors from the battle have been brought to the iron halls of the House of Reckoning where they are forced to take part in a twisted new war game…”



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Halo: Trial of Reckoning is available here on Halo Waypoint, <a href="http://aka.ms/REckoningPDF">as a free PDF</a>, and in <a href="http://aka.ms/ReckoningAudio">audiobook format on YouTube</a>.



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Halo: Trial of Reckoning | Audiobook" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RE9f-zRLy_o?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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HISTORIAN’S NOTE



Trial of Reckoning takes place in February 2560, immediately following the Banished assault on the crashed UNSC Mortal Reverie which served as a central command post for UNSC survivors on Zeta Halo.



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“Awaken, valiant warriors!”



Gunnery Sergeant Elena Bobrov winced as she slowly regained consciousness. Everything had happened so fast since the Banished had descended upon them—the attack on the UNSC Mortal Reverie had spanned two harrowing days of almost ceaseless combat. Even though they had known the battle was coming, they’d had only hours to prepare.



The Reverie had been downed during the initial Banished naval assault, but the Mulsanne-class frigate’s surviving wreckage had become a fortified rally point for the UNSC personnel stranded on this local fragment of Zeta Halo. The installation itself had been violently fractured as a result of the escalating conflict on its surface and the accompanying emergency slipspace jump to who-knows-where. Under an unfamiliar field of stars, the Reverie had quickly become the only thing that resembled a “home.”



And in the blink of an eye, the Banished had taken that too.



Bobrov had been in the thick of the fighting when a group of Brute Berserkers were set upon her squad, tearing into them with mindless abandon—driven by a violence-fueled disregard for anything but their next target. She recalled hearing the dire sound of bones snapping, feeling the spray of Ensign Daniels’s blood across her face, and the next thing Bobrov knew she was drifting in and out of consciousness, recalling only fleeting impressions of being dragged across the verdant terrain of Zeta Halo before being loaded onto a skiff and taken to… wherever the hell this place was.



“Hey,” a man’s voice cut through her musings. “Gunny’s waking up, Doc.”



A medical scanner passed over her a moment later, followed by a small shot of fast-acting morphine which quickly and mercifully diminished the throbbing in her head.



“Can’t see.” Blinking rapidly, she tried to quell the rising panic in her chest.



“Be calm, your eyes will quickly adjust,” a deep voice soothed. “I suspect the lights will soon come on.”



Squinting through the darkness, unable to see much further than three meters ahead or so, Bobrov relied on her other senses. Beneath her hands she felt the roughness of dirt-covered ground, but the sound of movement around her echoed in ways more indicative of being inside a large building. A hangar, perhaps? That didn’t make any sense.



But then again, nothing did anymore.



As her vision continued to adjust, Bobrov was able to finally make out the one who had been seeing to her injuries.



Being tended to by a Sangheili was certainly one of the stranger wake-up scenarios she had ever experienced. Clad in simple armor, its saurian face barely seemed to register her as he decided he was satisfied that his patient’s wits and faculties had returned.



“Roll call,” Bobrov said through a strained grimace as she shifted herself into a sitting position. “Who have we got here and what the hell is going on?”



“Lance Corporal Singh,” came the voice that had first announced her awakening. “And we’re, uh, pretty much screwed, ma’am.”



“Spartan Hedge, Fireteam Lancer,” came another, causing Bobrov to swell with a momentary flutter of hope. On any other day, she’d have passed it off as an involuntary reaction, but she knew more directly of Spartan Hedge, as the two of them had fought on Requiem.



Bobrov had served two tours of the Forerunner shield world, having been aboard the UNSC Infinity when it was first pulled into the hollow sphere back in ‘57.



Terry Hedge had joined the UNSC Infinity crew as a Spartan recruit soon after the New Phoenix incident. Bobrov had read some of the mission debriefs on Fireteam Lancer’s activities, where they had been led by Hedge and taken part in some of the thickest fighting against Promethean and Covenant remnant forces.



“And our medic?” Bobrov asked, turning to the Sangheili. “You’re a warrior, right?”



The Sangheili appraised her and closed his first aid kit with a crisp snap, the case comically small in the alien’s large hands.



“No.”



Firm. Definite.



“No?” Bobrov repeated, her brow furrowing.



“I am a healer of wounds, not a deliverer of them. Not anymore.”



“You got a name?”



“Yes.”



When he did not continue, Singh interjected. “We just call him Doc. He seems alright with that.”



At that moment, the lights lining the ceiling above flickered on and the truth of their situation was laid acutely bare.



They were indeed inside a room as large as a hangar bay, but there were no vessels docked here. Instead, the area was akin to a UNSC field base—a flat prefabricated structure covered in sand and dirt, a couple of large rocks on the outer edges where groupings of sandbags were haphazardly laid out.



A small building nearby housed a handful of ammunition and weapons crates, prompting Bobrov to grab an assault rifle, sidekick pistol, and a couple of grenades. As she had been the last to awaken, the choices were slim, but the familiar weight of the rifle in her hand returned some semblance of comfort to her.



Beyond the base structure, a series of doors covered the boundaries of the room—two at each edge. They at least knew where their enemy would come from… but with only three fighters among them, and limited ammunition and cover, things certainly weren’t looking good.



“Ah, there you are.”



The booming, sonorous voice that had originally awakened her now returned, this time accompanied by a hologram at the far edge of the room, resolving into the blood-red image of an aged Jiralhanae. His right eye was milky and clouded, but the other—even in holographic form—glinted with malice as his mouth curled into a sharp-toothed smile. A grey beard covered his chin, and his forehead was branded with a symbol of his kind.



“I am Escharum, War Chief of the Banished. I welcome you to the House of Reckoning.”



“Ugly bastard,” Singh spat on the ground, tightening his grip on his battle rifle to mask a fearful tremor.



“Within these iron halls, through the Trials of Atriox, all shall know what it is to be Banished—our living history, how we once served the Covenant. All shall know what it is to be meat.”



Wasting no time, Spartan Hedge sprang into action, signaling Doc to assist in fortifying their position with sandbags and anything else they could grab with what little time and resources they had at their disposal. It wasn’t going to be much protection, but under the circumstances it was the best they could get.



“The trial is King of the Hill. One side holds the advantage of territory and must hold it while forty Banished brothers are sent to stake their claim. Survive, and you shall be granted a boon. You have played your little war games long enough. Now, you will play mine.”



With a final sinister grin, Escharum crossed his arms over his chest and the hologram faded.



Spartan Hedge motioned for Bobrov and the others to join him. “No retreat, no surrender, and no quarter. That’s what’s on the menu for us today, and it’s our job to damn well make sure it’s the same for them.”



“Four of us against forty of them,” Singh interjected and made an exaggerated show of counting on his fingers. “We’re outnumbered ten-to-one, man.”



Bobrov considered what she had read on military maneuvers back in basic training. As the ancient military strategist Sun Tzu had roughly put it: when surrounding an enemy, leave a way of escape. A retreating enemy is one that isn’t putting everything they’ve got into retaliation, but an enemy that knows they’ve been forced into a position to make a final stand is going to fight with every ounce of strength they have to the bitter end.



Either Escharum hadn’t figured that out, or—more likely—the Banished war chief was perfectly aware and that was exactly what he wanted from his captives.



“Let’s be real,” Bobrov interjected. “It’s entirely likely that none of us are making it through this. So you’d better make peace with the prospect of an unceremonious death right now, because if you freeze up and fail to make your shot count, you might as well be on their damn side.”



Doc fidgeted with his medical vambraces, his mandibles tightly formed together, giving way to a sigh. “I shall ensure that you are each stocked with ammunition, and provide you with the enemy’s weaponry when yours runs out. There is no honor in allowing one’s allies to perish for the sake of vanity.”



Bobrov couldn’t help but wonder what this guy’s story was. She could read the subtext as well as anyone and it seemed that even now, even when facing such crushing odds, the good doctor was firmly set against doing harm. 



In her experience, the Sangheili held martial prowess and their concept of “honor” as a matter of life and death. Decades of fighting against them had taught her that. Her more recent years, doing training drills with some of the Swords of Sanghelios personnel, had just confirmed that knowledge. Perhaps Doc had been amongst that cohort aboard the UNSC Infinity? Bobrov drew a sharp breath at the thought.



Infinity.



The name alone conjured an unexpected stab of nostalgia.



How she missed that ship.



UNSC vessels of all kinds throughout the Covenant War had been hell to live on—strictly utilitarian in design to serve as cold metal coffins ferrying troops from one battlefield to the next, never knowing how far you were going to make it. But the quiet hum of the Infinity’s engines, the beauty of the atrium park while cruising through vibrant nebulae in deep space that formed the “night sky” through the transparent observation dome, the chili cook-off that she and Lieutenant Gomez had attained a respectable fourth place in…



That had been the first ship she had ever been able to call home.



She thought back to the first hard touchdown on Requiem. The Covenant faction they’d fought there had thrown themselves at defensive lines they had no tactical chance of overcoming, driven by a zealous fervor that came from the belief that they were literally serving one of their gods in the flesh. She’d been the designated driver for the six-wheeled death machine that was an M510 Mammoth, which had been deployed to destroy a network of particle cannons, ferrying the then-Commander Lasky and the Master Chief himself towards a gravity well that was keeping them grounded.



It had seemed like a lifetime ago… and nobody knew what had happened to either of them. As far as Bobrov knew, no word from Captain Lasky had reached the Mortal Reverie, and the Chief had been missing-in-action since the ambush on Infinity.



All she could do—all she knew how to do—was keep fighting. Whatever hopes there had been for an age of peace after the fall of the Covenant had been shattered, and between remnant factions and rebel groups, ancient Forerunner constructs, renegade artificial intelligences, and now the Banished… “king of the hill” seemed a remarkably apt summary for the state of things, jockeying for power over the biggest and baddest guns in the galaxy. And to what end?



“Hey, ugly,” Lance Corporal Singh called out into the emptiness, knowing Escharum was still watching. “You said we get a boon if we win.”



Escharum did not reappear, but his voice snaked its way across the walls of the House of Reckoning—lowered, as if to confide a secret. “It is the same prize that Atriox received for surviving the countless battles that claimed his brothers.”



“And what’s that?”



“A new day shall dawn over the House of Reckoning. You shall be fed and watered, and tomorrow… you will fight again.”



“You bastard.”



“Take heart, human. With every moment you stand and fight, you shall know Atriox. You shall know the Banished. You shall know the Jiralhanae way of immolation.”



As the war chief’s words faded, the doors around the edges of the room slid open.



Bobrov tensed, fearing that they were about to get instantaneously swarmed from all sides… but the passages remained clear.



Then they heard it.



Like the thunderous start of an engine in the depths of an ancient machine—a dreadful, clanking heartbeat from what must have been a dozen or more gravity hammer pommels striking the ground in unison.



They began slowly, Bobrov counted the seconds between beats…



One, two, three, four—clang! One, two, three, four—clang!



The sound filled the air around them, rolled through the space with the insistence of a rising tide.



Powerful. Unstoppable.



It was not long before four seconds became three.



One, two, three – clang! One, two, three – clang!



Bobrov felt the tension twist in her gut, felt the hair on the back of her neck stand-up as the three beside her shifted, bracing for the inevitable.



Three seconds became two.



One, two – clang! One, two – clang!



Their enemy would be upon them soon.



She knew it.



And yet, in this whisper of time, Bobrov found reality crystallized with a sudden serene clarity, even as she knew this invocation was soon to culminate in a furious release of barbarism. As a Marine who had fought through the Covenant War and had known only a fleeting glimpse of peace before she had been called upon to serve once more, she greeted this moment as a friend.



The choice was simple. The priorities were clear.



Adapt. Survive. And…



She exhaled, glanced at her fireteam, and saw her own grim resolve mirrored in their expressions.



Accept whatever may come.



The pounding reached fever pitch, the hammers clanging repeatedly as the sound drew closer, grew louder, reaching its crescendo.



One second.



One. Final. Exhale.



Then came the stampeding feet. Bloodthirsty roars. The sudden sharp crack of firepower as Bobrov and her team made their stand.



Escharum’s voice echoed above it all.



“Fight hard. Die well.”

343 INDUSTRIES

Halo: Trial of Reckoning

PRESS KIT

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 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT’S NEW?</h2>



FIREFIGHT: KING OF THE HILL



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<iframe loading="lazy" 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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1363" 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 class="wp-block-heading">PRESS KIT</h2>



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

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.”



<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 loading="lazy" 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>
</div></figure>



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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1406" 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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1668" 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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 class="wp-block-heading">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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 class="wp-block-heading">FIREFIGHT: KING OF THE HILL</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 class="wp-block-heading">REPAIR FIELD</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 class="wp-block-heading">RANKED IMPROVEMENTS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 class="wp-block-heading">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 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 class="wp-block-heading">CUSTOM GAME BROWSER</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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 class="wp-block-heading">STABILITY & NETWORKING</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" 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!