Wintertime Wrap
Welcome back to the Halo Community Update!
The Winter Update arrived in Halo Infinite, we celebrated the tenth anniversary of Halo 4, and we’ve got plenty of extra Halo goodness to catch you up on in our latest instalment—including Craig’s debut on the Halo Gear store...
HALO INFINITE
This week, Halo Infinite celebrates its first anniversary following its Multiplayer launch on November 15, 2021, with the Campaign arriving shortly afterwards on December 8.
As you’ve no doubt seen, we got this marvelous piece of birthday key art with some of the heroes and villains of Halo Infinite, along with your multiplayer Spartan’s artificial pocket-pals!
And don’t forget that you can grab the Birthday Bash FX for free in the Shop!
WINTER UPDATE
We’re a week past the Halo Infinite Winter Update, the largest content update to the game yet. It’s free for all players and brought with it a plethora of highly anticipated experiences, from Campaign Network Co-Op and Mission Replay to the Forge and Match XP Beta, new maps, a free 30-tier Battle Pass, and more.
You can read the full details of the Winter Update in our launch blog, but to summarize...
CAMPAIGN NETWORK CO-OP, MISSION REPLAY, AND NEW ACHIEVEMENTS
Supporting crossplay across all Xbox devices and PC, you and up to three of your friends can jump into the Halo Infinite Campaign to experience the Master Chief’s journey on Zeta Halo as he battles against the Banished and uncovers some of the mysteries of the ring.
No matter what platform you’re on, no matter where you’re at in the game, all players bring their progress with them—campaign completion, collectibles unlocked, Spartan Cores found, etc—and all players progress together.
If you find yourself wanting to revisit a specific part of your odyssey from the Warship Gbraakon to the Silent Auditorium, you can hit up the TACMAP at any point and select a mission to replay.
Alongside these additions are 24 new Achievements for the Halo Infinite Campaign. Gather your friends and perform a variety of feats worthy of being a Spartan super-soldier.
And if you want to get a closer look at some of the requirements for these Achievements in video form, featuring members of the Halo Community Team, go and give our YouTube Shorts a watch!
FORGE BETA
It’s been a week since the Winter Update and every day since it feels like some new community custom game is being made that completely blows us away. That means one thing: the Forge Beta has come!
The Halo Infinite Forge Beta launched with six canvas maps, a new visual scripting engine, object scaling, lighting and audio tools, bot support, huge budget increases, file sharing capabilities, and much more to help you create and share your maps, modes, and prefabs.
Got more questions about Forge? We’ve got answers! Be sure to give our Forge FAQ blog a read for further insights into the mode.
Keep an eye on the Community tab to find and bookmark Forge creations and 343 recommended content in the weeks ahead, which you can do both in-game and on the Halo Waypoint Content Browser.
BATTLE PASS & EVENTS
The Winter Update’s Battle Pass brings 30-tiers of free Halo: Reach-themed cosmetics. This Battle Pass is free for all players and will never expire.
We’ve also got two new events coming over the next couple of months: Winter Contingency II arrives in December to bring some Holiday-themed Halo goodness, and then January will play host to the Joint Fire event which will center around the JFO-class Mjolnir armor.
Like the Winter Update Battle Pass, these events are also free for all players!
MATCH XP BETA & PROGRESSION
With a new Battle Pass comes a new opportunity to try out the Match XP Beta, our first step in evolving the player progression experience in Halo Infinite.
Acting on player feedback around XP and progression, this system grants XP for completing matches and provides additional XP for your performance, shifting the focus of progression away from Challenges (which have been altered to be more general and playlist agnostic). Weekly Ultimate Rewards have also had the Challenge completion requirement slashed from twenty to ten.
NEW MAPS & MODE
The Winter Update additionally brings with it two new maps, Argyle and Detachment, both of which were made with Forge as a starting showcase of just what this tool can do.
Covert One Flag arrives as a unique variant of CTF. In this round-based mode, attackers and defenders swap sides as they battle for control of a single flag.
Asymmetric team loadouts equip attackers with Active Camo to help sneak their way past enemy defense while defenders possess Threat Sensors to help spot the intruders. The team who wins the majority of rounds wins the match.
Head to the Joint Ops playlist to try the mode out!
SANDBOX, PLAYLIST & MATCHMAKING UPDATES
Halo Infinite is getting some overarching adjustments and improvements to the overall player experience on multiple fronts. Check out the following blogs for all the details:
- Sandbox Balance Updates - learn more about changes to sandbox balancing based on player feedback and our own findings
- Playlist Schedule - learn more about the rotational rework to playlists that aim to keep things fresh for players week-to-week
- Matchmaking & Ranked Improvements - learn more about local region matchmaking, CSR progression logic, improved quitting rules, and more
LONE WOLVES INTEL
Throughout Season 2 of Halo Infinite, we released Intel drops connected to peripheral elements of the season’s story to provide breadcrumbs of intrigue and insight into various aspects of the ongoing narrative—such as the Banished AI Iratus and Spartan newcomers Hieu Dinh and Sigrid Eklund.
As we’ve rolled into the Winter Update now, the Waypoint hub page has changed to set the stage for new Intel to be added. As such, we’ve preserved this particular lore fixture in blog form for posterity.
RAY-TRACING X AMD
Ray-tracing is coming to Halo Infinite. During a livestream showcase for their next generation GPUs, AMD talked about how Halo Infinite will support ray traced shadows in its Multiplayer experience (in both arena and BTB modes).
Owners of the RX 7000 series can expect to see sharper shadows, improved lighting, and increased performance. You can expect to see this update come alongside Season 3 in March 2023.
SHOP
Head to the Shop in Halo Infinite this week to get the party started with the Fiesta Fury FX bundle.
And finally, complete all your Challenges this week (and remember, that’s just ten Challenges now instead of twenty!) and the Ultimate Challenge to unlock the Wolf Fang chest attachment.
MCC
This year, Halo 4 turned ten years old—an anniversary that makes us all feel aged!
To mark the occasion for 343’s debut mainline Halo game, we had a few special things to announce and release.
How many of you recall a certain concept art trailer that teased Halo 4 all the way back during Halo Fest 2011? This trailer gave us a sense of the mood and tone that Halo 4 was building on as its foundation, with Requiem as its central “character.” Naturally, with the game having so many of its environments match so closely to the concept art, our tenth anniversary tribute video plays into that element.
We’ve also put together a retrospective blog on Halo 4, featuring several fine folks involved in various roles in the development of the game.
It’s Neil Davidge, co-composer for Halo 4, who really brings it all together as he recalls how working on the soundtrack of the game was what brought him and his wife Claire (whose incredible voice you hear throughout the Forerunner tracks) together, and how their son is turning ten-years-old alongside the game.
Additionally, we touch a bit on further support coming to Halo 4 as part of MCC, which includes the return of some legacy perks and the addition of the Bandana and Acrophobia Skulls in our upcoming update, as well as Theater mode support for Halo 4’s Campaign and Spartan Ops further down the line!
Alongside these tenth anniversary celebrations, we also wrote a new online short story taking place during Halo 4’s Spartan Ops alongside the mission “Everything Has Gone Wrong” (Episode 5, Mission 3).
During the in-game mission, Fireteam Crimson are deployed to Requiem’s “Refuge” site to protect a science team from a zealot group known as the Silent Blade, with a Covenant cruiser looming over them in the skies above. Fireteam Shadow are called upon to support Crimson by infiltrating the cruiser and destroying it from within.
We’ve never seen Shadow’s part of the mission—until now.
Return to Requiem with Spartans Horatio Fry, Nina Kovan, Bonita Stone, and Jason Kidman as they assault Panom’s Canticle and face its shipmaster, Ryn ‘Alun.
HALO THE SERIES
In a war for humanity’s survival, our deadliest weapon is our greatest hope. Master Chief, Cortana, the Covenant, and the Spartans of Silver Team weave a personal story with action, adventure, and a richly imagined vision of the future.
The complete first season of the Halo television series is now available for you to own on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD or the Limited-Edition 4K UHD Steelbook, that includes a special set of collectible art cards.
In addition to containing all nine episodes, the complete Season 1 also features over five hours of special bonus content.
HALO ESPORTS
OpTic Halo Invitational
OpTic Gaming are hosting an invitational event, running from December 10-11. Those in Texas can watch in-person at Esports Stadium Arlington.
More details are set to come very soon from OpTic, but you can purchase spectator tickets here!
Halo Infinite – Greatest Plays of the Year Montage | AMD Power Plays #10
Relive the best of competitive Halo over this past year with the latest montage.
HALO GEAR
Happy Halodays
Looking for that perfect gift this holiday season? Be sure to explore the Holiday Gift Guide on the Xbox Gear Shop, where you’ll find festive seasonal favorites like holiday themed apparel, Halo: The Official Cookbook, and new items such as the Xbox Puffin Drink holders. And, if you can’t pick from all the awesomeness opt for an eGift card!
Also, new to the Halo Gear Shop is this legendary concert merch from the one and only Craig. Commemorate his Zeta Halo Tour with the Craig Rock Tee.
Haworth x Halo Fern Gaming Chair
The Haworth x Halo Fern is more than a gaming chair, it's #ComfortEvolved.
This ergonomic performance chair is engineered to provide maximum support and comfort during long those work days and gaming sessions. Take advantage of Haworth’s early Black Friday special and get 15% now through December 12, just in time to treat yourself or a loved one for the holidays.
Halo Warthog Ride On
The Halo Warthog Electric Ride On is still available at select Walmart stores and online (US).
MEGA Halo UNSC Forward Unto Dawn Collectible Set
Head to Target to snag the buildable UNSC Forward Unto Dawn replica which features a highly detailed design, a super-poseable Miranda Keyes micro action figure, and a display stand.
Halo Infinite Adidas NMD V3
For the shoe lover, be sure to check out our collaboration with adidas for the Halo Infinite NMD V3 sneakers. Inspired by the AI companions in Halo Infinite Multiplayer, these sneakers include various easter eggs any Halo fan will love to discover.
PARTNERSHIPS
HALO X TROLLI
In case you missed it, Trolli has stayed delivering delicious weirdness. Most recently, Trolli showed up at HaloWC with a booth featuring a real-life Feedler, Trolli-themed Lovesacs, and lots of darkly delightful sugar-coated Feedler content.
If you missed your chance to see the Feedler up-close and personal, Halo Gear has you covered—literally—with this limited edition Feedler T-shirt, available in the Xbox Gear Shop.
You can still enter to win an exclusive Trolli Gaming Bundle, and every Halo-themed bag gets you consumables to support your Winter Update journey in Halo Infinite MP in the form of Challenge Swaps and 2XP.
Oh, and while we’re on this topic, I am compelled to once again share this iconic Ske7ch moment at the Halo World Championship 2022, where the devastating effects of the Feedler can be witnessed.
DORITOS & ROCKSTAR
In the US and select global markets through December 31, Xbox is in partnership with Doritos and Rockstar, and Halo is happy to be a part of it!
You’ll find special edition cans and packaging on shelves featuring art from your favorite Xbox games, including Halo Infinite. Enter to win thousands of prizes, and in select regions, get your hands on your choice of in-game content from popular Xbox titles, including the Tasteful Sensation Razorback coating.
Get more info here for US: Doritos + Rockstar Energy, and—as always—check your region’s Rockstar and Doritos socials to see if they are participating, and what they have planned.
HONDA FAN CUP TOURNAMENT
The Honda Fan Cup tournament featuring Halo Infinite gives you a chance to show off your skills and take a shot at the massive $20,000 prize pool. In addition to the prize money, the top finisher in the Finals will win an exclusive Haworth x Halo: Fern Gaming Chair.
The tournament kicks off with four Qualifiers on November 27, December 4, December 11, and December 18. The top players from the qualifiers will secure a spot in the Finals on January 7.
All the Qualifiers and the Finals will consist of 1v1 matches, so get ready for tense action—where every decision and every move are critical! Register now!
Whether you compete or not, we hope you’ll tune in to watch the Finals, which will be livestreamed on the Xbox Twitch channel on January 7 at 10am PT.
For Halo fans who aren’t able to compete in the tournament, we have you covered with the Honda Fan Cup Play & Win sweepstakes, where you have a chance to win cool prizes including an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Halo Infinite Limited Edition controller, the Halo x Haworth: Fern Gaming Chair, the Spartan Tech Backpack, and Game Pass subscriptions codes.
Note: Game Pass subscribers can enter the Honda Fan Cup Play & Win by clicking on the Honda Fan Cup banner on the Xbox home screen (tip: hit home refresh if you don’t see it).
RADAR BLIPS
- CANON FODDER – FOURWARD UNTO DAWN: In this month's Canon Fodder, we talk the Didact's return in Halo: Epitaph (Kelly Gay's next novel), open the vault of unseen concept art as we celebrate Halo 4's tenth anniversary, detail the lore of the Winter Update's maps, and more!
- VETERAN’S DAY 2022: As we honor and thank veterans of all branches for their bravery, service, and sacrifice, we have released a new art piece to commemorate this day.
THE ARTIST’S CORNER
This month’s piece comes from Chase Toole’s depiction of the battle of Charum Hakkor in Halo Mythos.
One hundred and ten thousand years ago, the Forerunners fought a devastating war against the Ancestors—humanity’s ancient spacefaring civilization. Conceived by the esoteric Precursors of the same base stock millions of years prior, one of the species they created would one day be split apart to evolve separately where we would come to know them as humans and Forerunners.
Humans would settle their empire across the galactic margin, losing much knowledge of their history—even the location of Earth—following multiple mysterious technological dark ages which scattered their populations. Emerging from this diasporic period, the Ancestors made Charum Hakkor their capital world, as it housed the greatest known presence of seemingly immortal Precursor constructs in the galaxy. It was, in essence, humanity’s ancient equivalent to Reach.
Upon encountering the Forerunners, who were themselves expanding their ecumene throughout the Orion Arm of the galaxy, millennia of religious and political tensions would divide the two species that were once brothers. And as an ancient game of vengeance was enacted by the last known remnant of the Precursors, who were driven to extinction by the Forerunners, it was humanity and their allies—the San’Shyuum—who would be the first to see the emergence of their creators’ new form, a virulent parasite known as the Flood.
Spreading across and beyond human space, the Ancestors’ retreat led to Forerunner-occupied territory where the Flood followed, and the humans’ scorched earth approach to annihilating whole worlds—bombarding them from orbit—led to a war on two fronts that would see its conclusive battle take place on Charum Hakkor for fifty-three years.
You can dive into more lore about this in our latest Canon Fodder issue, but to go straight to the source you should absolutely read Greg Bear’s Forerunner Saga (Halo: Cryptum, Halo: Primordium, and Halo: Silentium).
That brings another Community Update to its end.
What, you’re still here? I said we’re done! Go jump into the Winter Update—build some cool stuff in Forge, get to work on that free Battle Pass, explore Zeta Halo with your friends, and if we encounter each other on opposing teams in matchmaking then you should definitely let me win...
Until the next time!