Games

We’ve got two changes coming to Halo Infinite’s playlist line up next Tuesday, September 20: The Yappening BTB shenanigans will continue, and we’ll be rotating out the dedicated Land Grab playlist.



Before we jump into those specifics, we wanted to share some insights around how the current playlists are performing, as well as the team’s philosophy and priorities for ongoing playlist management, as these are questions we hear often.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Playlist Fundamentals</h2>



Ever since Halo 2, matchmaking playlists have been at the heart of Halo’s online multiplayer and that remains true today in both MCC and Halo Infinite. Likewise, for as long as there have been Halo playlists, there have been rotational plans that see various modes coming and going at regular intervals. With Infinite, we haven’t seen a lot of rotations thus far, but as the team continues to amass a backlog of tried-and-true modes—along with brand new offerings—this will occur more regularly.



When it comes to playlist management, the team’s priorities are offering variety and breadth of experiences, focusing on the things that are most popular to players (while improving and evolving those that are less popular), and maintaining the best player experience possible.



In general, when new playlists are added, there’s a likelihood that overall match quality declines as the player population is spread across more options (unless, of course, a suitable influx of incremental new players is seen). As a result, some playlists become “unhealthy,” meaning they will experience longer than desired wait times, degraded online performance due to smaller populations around specific data centers, and/or larger than desired variances in player skill levels. Each of these factors can contribute negatively to the overall experience, with the worst case being some players have such a bad time that they move on entirely.



Most recently, Last Spartan Standing was removed as a dedicated playlist due to it no longer sustaining a suitable level of engagement to hit the match quality and player experience bars the team has set. For context, LSS accounted for less than 1% of all player activity (despite it also being some players’ personal favorite mode).



The team has to weigh all of these considerations any time a new playlist is added and/or the population changes. Meanwhile, rotational playlists will continue to play a part in matchmaking and should become more commonplace as the game continues to evolve.



Overall, playlist management is a dynamic process and our plans will continue to evolve based on data and player feedback.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PLAYLIST RANKINGS</h2>



<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/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_06_Watermarked_1920x1080.jpg" alt="A multiplayer Spartan rocking the citron white coating which is part of the Yappening Event Pass." class="wp-image-45501" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_06_Watermarked_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_06_Watermarked_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_06_Watermarked_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_06_Watermarked_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_06_Watermarked_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_06_Watermarked_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Quite a few folks were surprised to hear that Last Spartan Standing was hovering around the bottom of the list given how much they personally enjoy it. Naturally, this raises the questions of what are the most popular playlists and how do my favorite playlists currently fare?



Here’s a stack ranked list of Halo Infinite’s playlists over the past month to give you an idea of what’s most popular and where players are spending their time:



<ol><li>1) Quick Play</li><li>2) Ranked Arena</li><li>3) Fiesta</li><li>4) Team Slayer</li><li>5) Big Team Battle</li><li>6) Tactical Slayer</li><li>7) Land Grab</li><li>8) Ranked Doubles</li><li>9) Team Doubles</li><li>10) Team Snipers</li><li>11) Rumble Pit</li><li>12) Bot Bootcamp</li></ol>



Anytime we have an active event, we see significant impact and shifts across matchmaking. Since it debuted, the Yappening playlist has been the overwhelming favorite playlist (nearly 4x as popular as the #2 playlist).



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE YAPPENING KEEPS ON HAPPENING</h2>



<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/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_04_Watermarked_1920x1080.jpg" alt="A multiplayer Spartan rocking the Quilhawk cosmetic item which is part of the Yappening Event Pass." class="wp-image-45473" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_04_Watermarked_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_04_Watermarked_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_04_Watermarked_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_04_Watermarked_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_04_Watermarked_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_2022_Yappening_04_Watermarked_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



It’s been great to see so many people enjoying BTB antics as part of the Yappening event (which we’ve also been having a blast playing!). Our pal Flipflop the Grunt has thrown one heckuva party and, with his permission, we’re going to keep the good times rolling with a minor change in branding.



When the Yappening officially ends on Tuesday, September 20, the new “BTB Social” playlist will emerge as the new home for the shenanigans you’ve come to know and love in the event playlist.



The Yappening has been a huge success in terms of popularity and engagement, but we’ve also seen the core BTB playlist activity significantly decline in its shadow. The team will be monitoring closely to see how both playlists hold up together and what the overall player experience is to determine what future steps may be needed.



In order to maintain a positive player experience and optimal playlist health, we may need to consolidate and/or rotate things around while we also apply the insights gathered during the Yappening to further improve BTB as a whole further down the road. We’re eager to see how things go and as always, look forward to your feedback.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Land Grab</h2>



On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the dedicated Land Grab playlist will be rotated out of matchmaking. While we know many players have enjoyed this new mode introduced in Season 2, at this stage it’s been steadily declining and starting to fall short of the quality bar for a positive player experience.



Land Grab will be back as part of the Entrenched event with Week 5 kicking off Sept. 27, and the final week slated to begin on Oct. 25. Looking further ahead, Land Grab will roll into Quick Play as part of the Winter Update coming Nov. 8.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">LOOKING AHEAD</h2>



As Halo Infinite continues to evolve and we see new modes brought online we expect to see more regular rotations to offer experiences players want while also maintaining that high quality bar we have set for ourselves. We can’t always offer everything that every individual player wants today, but we’ll continue doing our best to focus on the breadth Infinite has to offer, the modes that are most popular to players, and keep addressing areas that negatively impact your online experience.



We’ll see you online, and thank you for your continued support!

343 INDUSTRIES

Halo Infinite – September Playlist Update

Community

Community Update

Alex Wakeford

Future Factors

Get your armor clothes on, Demons—the Yappening is happening!



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Halo Infinite | The Yappening Event Launch Trailer" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QlX4TFBnYd8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Running for two human calendar weeks from September 6-20, you can jump into the salty bogs of the Methane Menagerie playlist for some big ol’ 12v12 Big Team Fiesta action with a free Event Pass containing ten new whimsical rewards worthy of a disciple of the great Yapyap.



All ya gotta do is be completin’ those Event Challenges and I’ll give ya these cool knickknacks I picked up on the way here.



<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/HIMPS2_EVENT_YAPPENING_REWARDS_1920x1080.jpg" alt="The Yappening Event Pass includes a variety of cosmetics." class="wp-image-45558" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HIMPS2_EVENT_YAPPENING_REWARDS_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HIMPS2_EVENT_YAPPENING_REWARDS_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HIMPS2_EVENT_YAPPENING_REWARDS_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HIMPS2_EVENT_YAPPENING_REWARDS_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HIMPS2_EVENT_YAPPENING_REWARDS_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HIMPS2_EVENT_YAPPENING_REWARDS_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">METHANE MENAGERIE</h3>



You humans are always doin’ big fights ‘n’ stuff, so you gotta be provin’ yourself in the biggest, baddest, most Gruntiest fight of all in the Methane Menagerie playlist!



Lemme get ya a list of the modes… *puts on Unggoy-sized reading glasses*



<ul>
<li>BTB Fiesta CTF</li>



<li>BTB Fiesta Slayer</li>



<li>BTB Fiesta Stockpile</li>



<li>BTB Fiesta Total Control</li>



<li>BTB Shotty Snipes</li>



<li>BTB Skockets Slayer</li>



<li>BTB Team Snipers</li>
</ul>



That’s alotta big fightin’ goin’ on there—feels better when you’re shootin’ at each other rather than tryin’ to make us Unggoy get on the “endangered species” list…



Oh, and if you wanna be playin’ these modes with your bestest ever pals in Custom Games, you can do that!



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">GRUNTY GIFTS FOR A BALAHO BONANZA</h3>



If there’s one big learn that I’ve been doin’ in my time helpin’ the galaxy’s good guys, it’s that humans sure do love gifts! I drew a smiley face on a rock one time and gave it to a human, and he didn’t throw it back at me or nothin’—not like those ungrateful Kig-Yar…



Anyway, all you gotta do is log in and you can get some free stuff. How about this nifty Yappening emblem and nameplate to show how much of a big friend you are to Unggoy across the galaxy and make your enemies run off crying with scaredness!



<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/Yappening1_1920x1080.jpg" alt="The Yappening Event in-game gift for logging in." class="wp-image-45572" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Yappening1_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Yappening1_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Yappening1_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Yappening1_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Yappening1_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Yappening1_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Let’s see, uh, (*rummages in gift bag*) if you complete all your challenges this week, I’ll give you this weapon charm from back in my Covenant days. Got it from the High Charity gift shop before the space zombies put it out of business…



<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/Wort_WeaponCharm_S2_Ultimate_1920x1080.jpg" alt="The WORT weapon charm." class="wp-image-45600" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Wort_WeaponCharm_S2_Ultimate_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Wort_WeaponCharm_S2_Ultimate_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Wort_WeaponCharm_S2_Ultimate_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Wort_WeaponCharm_S2_Ultimate_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Wort_WeaponCharm_S2_Ultimate_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/Wort_WeaponCharm_S2_Ultimate_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



And speaking of shops, you gotta check out this set! I dunno what “Opulent Display” means, but it looks cool!



<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/OpulentDisplay_FXandPose_S2_Shop_Social_1920x1080.jpg" alt="The Opulent Display shop bundle." class="wp-image-45586" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/OpulentDisplay_FXandPose_S2_Shop_Social_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/OpulentDisplay_FXandPose_S2_Shop_Social_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/OpulentDisplay_FXandPose_S2_Shop_Social_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/OpulentDisplay_FXandPose_S2_Shop_Social_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/OpulentDisplay_FXandPose_S2_Shop_Social_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/OpulentDisplay_FXandPose_S2_Shop_Social_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">FLIPFLOP’S FACTOIDS</h3>



You wanna know more about me? Really? Mostly do dealings with the Sangheili who are all about honors and learning how to wave glowy blue swords around, very honorable to be waving glowy sticks, but they not much for doin’ talks and getting’ to know you and stuff…



Anyways, you’re gonna wanna check out our Unggoy historical and cultural enrichment postings <a href="https://twitter.com/Halo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Read on your local chatternets here">on your local chatternets</a>!



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">INCOMING TRANSMISSION: The Yappening? Is happening. September 6. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HaloLoneWolves?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HaloLoneWolves</a> <a href="https://t.co/TY8y4iV19E">pic.twitter.com/TY8y4iV19E</a>— Halo (@Halo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Halo/status/1564644386293645317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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For now, that’s all from me—your new Unggoy friend, Flipflop. I gotta head back to that big dangerous war we got goin’ on soon, so I got you some pictures to be doin’ me a remember!



See you in the methane springs!



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The Yappening is Happening!

With the end of Season 2 drawing ever closer, we want to provide you with an update on the future of all things Halo Infinite.



Joseph Staten, Sean Baron, and Brian Jarrard sat down for a roundtable discussion about the current state of the game, priorities, and player experience goals. Also covered is the upcoming “Winter Update,” Season 3, and other features (such as the Forge Beta and Campaign Network Co-Op) which you can check out in the video below.



<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 Infinite | Update – September 2022" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ramqlt7vxJ8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



In addition, we have also updated the roadmap for what’s coming in the Winter Update and Season 3, featuring new maps, modes, weapons, armor, and much more.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1594" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_Roadmap_Sep2022.png" alt="Halo Infinite roadmap update for September 2022" class="wp-image-45372" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_Roadmap_Sep2022.png 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_Roadmap_Sep2022-300x249.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_Roadmap_Sep2022-1024x850.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_Roadmap_Sep2022-768x638.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_Roadmap_Sep2022-1536x1275.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/09/HaloInfinite_Roadmap_Sep2022-1568x1302.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



We continue to be grateful for the community’s passion and patience as we look to what’s coming on the horizon. Nothing excites us more than being able to deliver the experiences of everything that’s coming on the roadmap (and beyond!), and for your creativity to soar when Forge is in your hands, knowing that our best days are yet ahead of us!

Halo Infinite Update – September 2022

Last week, we gave you a preview of what’s coming in the latest update to MCC. Today, that update arrives—ready for installation to bring an array of exciting additions and improvements to your experience!



As a quick overview, here are some of the things coming with the August update:



<ul><li>Five new Spartan armor sets for Halo 2: Anniversary</li><li>Golden Moa campaign collectibles in Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach</li><li>Acrophobia and Bandana skulls added to Halo: Reach</li><li>Main menu background video customization</li><li>New Forge options in Halo: Reach, Halo 4, and Halo 2: Anniversary (object duplication, delete all, location name markers, “hold to bake lighting,” and more)</li><li>Career menu UI overhaul</li><li>Post-match poses</li><li>Unified subtitle improvements</li><li>Live playlist hopper data refresh at weekly reset</li><li>“Season” naming changed to “Series”</li><li>Bug fixes</li></ul>



For expanded detail on each of these items (and much more), <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-mcc-august-update" target="_blank">head over to our August Update Preview blog</a>!



<a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/8955559396372">Check out the full patch notes for the MCC August update here.</a>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A NOTE ON HALO: REACH MOD TOOLS</h2>



In the August Update Preview blog, we stated that mod tools for Halo: Reach were still in the process of being locked down and may come just a little bit later in order to ensure that they are up to the highest possible standard for public release.



This is still the case and Reach mod tools will unfortunately not be making today’s update. But worry not! You won’t be kept waiting very long for this feature, as we are aiming to release it in the coming weeks.



UPDATE: 9/6/2022



Halo: Reach mod tools are now available. Go forth and unleash your creativity!



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With all that said, it’s time to go once more unto the breach and dive back into MCC! Unlock some new armor, get cozy with the new UI furniture, say goodbye to even more previous limits in Forge, make the main menu your own with your choice of background video…



We’ll see you on the other side!

Halo: MCC – August Update Is Live

Halo: MCC – August Update

In our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/august-drop-pod-preview" target="_blank">August Drop Pod preview blog</a>, we outlined a few upcoming changes to Halo Infinite matchmaking that would be landing this month. As these updates draw nearer, we wanted to outline them again and provide a little more detail. The focus over the next week will be to improve matchmaking in Ranked and update our playlist offerings.



To get things started, let’s take a closer look at everything happening in matchmaking over the next few days. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg" alt="Two Spartans holding BRs stand at the ready." class="wp-image-43622" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Ranked Doubles</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ranked Experience </h2>



In preparation for Ranked Doubles, we’ll be updating how we determine skill (MMR), which will help us make better matches and improve the accuracy of CSR ranks. This will require additional maintenance that involves resetting CSR ranks. We plan on deploying these changes early on Aug 23, with the maintenance window lasting a few hours. During this time, Ranked Arena will not be available, though all other playlists and online services should be available. 



In the days leading up to the maintenance window, we will have two other small changes rolling out as well. The first change, which has started today, is a small Ranked experiment with CSR that will be running until we close out this current ranked period. The impact should be minimal, but it will help us gather information for potential future ranked improvements. The second change is that the Fireteam CSR Limit, which has been active in both Solo/Duo playlists, will begin to take effect in Open Crossplay starting Monday, Aug 22. To learn more about the Fireteam CSR Limit, please visit <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/6492534068884" target="_blank">this page</a> on the Halo Support site.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Social_TeamDoubles_1920x1080.jpg" alt="Two Spartans stand back-to-back. One is holding an Energy Sword while the other holds an MA40 AR." class="wp-image-44714" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Social_TeamDoubles_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Social_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Social_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Social_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Social_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Social_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption>Team Doubles</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Playlist Offerings </h2>



Next Tuesday will also bring about the addition of two new playlists: Ranked Doubles and Team Doubles. In order to help make room for these two new additions, the Last Spartan Standing playlist will be rotating out of the lineup. As with all playlists, we will continue to monitor their individual health in addition to the health of the entire matchmaking experience. If all these playlists perform well, we will continue experimenting with adding or rotating more playlists in the future. 



Since that was quite a bit of info all at once, here’s a quick summary of the timeline for the matchmaking updates:



<ul><li>Friday, Aug 19 – Ranked experiment begins (should have minimal player-facing impact) </li><li>Monday, Aug 22 @ 11am – Fireteam CSR Limit applies to Open Crossplay </li><li>Tuesday, Aug 23 @ 10am PT – CSR rank reset occurs and Ranked maintenance begins, taking Ranked Arena offline for ~3hrs </li><li>Tuesday, Aug 23 @ 10am PT – Team Doubles (social) goes live </li><li>Tuesday, Aug 23 @ 11am PT – Last Spartan Standing comes down </li><li>Tuesday, Aug 23 @ 1pm PT – Ranked Arena, Ranked Doubles, Team Doubles come online </li></ul>



If you have any feedback around these changes when they go live, please be sure to share your thoughts right <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://forums.halowaypoint.com/c/games/halo-infinite/8" target="_blank">here on our Forums.</a>



We’ll see you all online for some Doubles action soon!

Unyshek

August Matchmaking Updates

Drop Disclosure

Arriving next Tuesday, August 9, our next Drop Pod will focus on improving the player experience on multiple fronts. This update is set to expand each player’s customization options, include QoL improvements, and will lay the groundwork for even more community-requested features. 



Let’s take a look at what’s inside! 



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



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">LIVE</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">VISORS WILL NOW WORK ON ALL CORES</h4>



At present, there are a multitude of visors in the game split across the 5 armor cores. If you’ve wanted to use the shiny gold Noble visor (which has hitherto been locked to the Mark V [B] armor core) to complete your look on any of your other cores, you’ll be able to make that happen when the August Drop Pod lands. 



What this means is that all visors that are currently in the game, and all future visors to come, will work across all helmets from all armor cores.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Eaglestrike-to-MarkV_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080.jpg" alt="A Mark V [B] Spartan with a bright yellow visor stands in the Armor Hall." class="wp-image-43552" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Eaglestrike-to-MarkV_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Eaglestrike-to-MarkV_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Eaglestrike-to-MarkV_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Eaglestrike-to-MarkV_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Eaglestrike-to-MarkV_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Eaglestrike-to-MarkV_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption> EAGLESTRIKE’S Night Wisp visor on a Mark V [B] helmet. </figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Rakshasa-to-Yoroi_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080.jpg" alt="A Yoroi Spartan with a gold visor stands in the Armor Hall." class="wp-image-43566" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Rakshasa-to-Yoroi_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Rakshasa-to-Yoroi_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Rakshasa-to-Yoroi_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Rakshasa-to-Yoroi_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Rakshasa-to-Yoroi_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Rakshasa-to-Yoroi_Visors_no_GT_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption> RAKSHASA’s Athena’s Mirror visor on a YOROI helmet. </figcaption></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">MARK VII HELMET ATTACHMENTS</h4>



Continuing with the theme of improving customization options, this Drop Pod will also allow for certain Mark VII helmet attachments to be worn across multiple Mark VII helmets.



This is a response to player feedback we’ve seen requesting an expansion of the compatibility of Mark VII helmet attachments. Naturally, this move came with some complexities because most helmet attachments for the Mark VII core are designed to fit a specific helmet, but some happen to also fit well on other Mark VII helmets.



The Live Team took some time with our Artists to find out which helmet attachments look best and fit without clipping awkwardly or having large holes. Since certain combinations could have clipping or large gaps, not every Mark VII helmet will be able to use every helmet attachment – but the total number of options has been greatly increased.



If you’ve already unlocked these helmets and helmet attachments, they will automatically be usable. If you unlock them in the future, all the possible combinations will be unlocked for you. There will not be a need to unlock them on a per-use basis.



A full list of the helmet and helmet attachment combinations will be included in the Drop Pod patch notes when it goes live.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/SoldierHelmetAttachmentOnRampartVisorM7HA_Rampart_no_GT_1920x1080.jpg" alt="A Mark VII Spartan stands in the Armor Hall while wearing a helmet attachment.." class="wp-image-43594" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/SoldierHelmetAttachmentOnRampartVisorM7HA_Rampart_no_GT_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/SoldierHelmetAttachmentOnRampartVisorM7HA_Rampart_no_GT_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/SoldierHelmetAttachmentOnRampartVisorM7HA_Rampart_no_GT_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/SoldierHelmetAttachmentOnRampartVisorM7HA_Rampart_no_GT_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/SoldierHelmetAttachmentOnRampartVisorM7HA_Rampart_no_GT_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/SoldierHelmetAttachmentOnRampartVisorM7HA_Rampart_no_GT_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption> Soldier helmet attachment on a Rampart helmet. Mark V [B]’s Stalwart visor on a Mark VII helmet.</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/WarmasterHelmetAttachmentOnFirefall-VisorM7HA_Firefall_no_GT_1920x1080.jpg" alt="A Mark VII Spartan stands in the Armor Hall while wearing a helmet attachment." class="wp-image-43608" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/WarmasterHelmetAttachmentOnFirefall-VisorM7HA_Firefall_no_GT_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/WarmasterHelmetAttachmentOnFirefall-VisorM7HA_Firefall_no_GT_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/WarmasterHelmetAttachmentOnFirefall-VisorM7HA_Firefall_no_GT_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/WarmasterHelmetAttachmentOnFirefall-VisorM7HA_Firefall_no_GT_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/WarmasterHelmetAttachmentOnFirefall-VisorM7HA_Firefall_no_GT_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/WarmasterHelmetAttachmentOnFirefall-VisorM7HA_Firefall_no_GT_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption> Warmaster helmet attachment on Firefall helmet. RAKSHASA’s Sapphire Front visor on a Mark VII helmet.</figcaption></figure>



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



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">MULTIPLAYER</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">ADDITIONAL RANKED PLAYLISTS </h4>



On the multiplayer experience front, this update will make it easier for us to implement more Ranked playlists moving forward. Kicking things off will be Ranked Doubles, which is set to land two weeks after the Drop Pod’s release – along with a CSR reset. Additionally, a social Team Doubles playlist will be accompanying Ranked Doubles on its launch day, meaning Halo Infinite will be getting twice the 2v2 fun.



We’ll monitor the health of Ranked Doubles and all our playlists after its addition to the matchmaking lineup. If all playlists continue to perform as expected, we’ll keep these additions and continue experimenting with adding more Ranked playlists in the future.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080.jpg" alt="Two Spartans holding BRs stand at the ready." class="wp-image-43622" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">REGION SELECT GROUNDWORK</h4>



In the opening of this blog, we mentioned that we were laying some groundwork for the future as well. While there is no player-facing change here just yet, this Drop Pod does contain a lot of the groundwork required to turn Region Select on in the future. This would allow players to select between all searching across all regions (faster search times) or their local region (better pings). 



This feature is still some time away, but players may spot some of the backend work that has been done to start putting things in place. We’ll have more to share about Region Select as we get closer to its launch. 



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



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">PRESENTATION</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CHALLENGES ON THE PAUSE MENU</h4>



With this Drop Pod release, your active Challenges will be viewable while in a match on the pause menu. We know it’s helpful to be able to quickly glance at your active Challenges (as well as their descriptions) at any given time during a match, so we’re very happy to get this implemented.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/MP_pause_challenges_1920x1080.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the pause menu, which shows Challenges on the right side." class="wp-image-43636" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/MP_pause_challenges_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/MP_pause_challenges_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/MP_pause_challenges_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/MP_pause_challenges_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/MP_pause_challenges_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/08/MP_pause_challenges_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption> Note: This placeholder text is not indicative of future Challenges.</figcaption></figure>



Please note: this screen will not show the exact numbers (remaining or total) for your Challenges just yet. Since Challenges currently update at the end of a match, we chose not to display the numbers intentionally to avoid any confusion around not seeing them update in real-time. We are working to make it so Challenges do tick during a match, but we wanted to get this helpful first step out to all of you since it was ready.



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



As always, we’ll have the full patch notes available on the Halo Support site (<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://aka.ms/HaloInfiniteUpdate" target="_blank">aka.ms/HaloInfiniteUpdate</a>) when the update is released.



Thank you for your continued feedback on our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://forums.halowaypoint.com/c/games/halo-infinite/8" target="_blank">Waypoint Forums</a>, Twitter, Reddit, and more as we keep pushing to make Halo Infinite the best experience it can be. We look forward to seeing you online when the Drop Pod lands next Tuesday, August 9!

August Drop Pod Preview

Book Preview

Fiction

After the devastating ambush the Banished unleashed upon the UNSC Infinity (which we showed in our first preview), many members of the crew evacuated the ship and made their way to the surface of Zeta Halo.



With Cortana sacrificing herself to destroy a portion of the ring and send it through slipspace, the Banished have moved in to occupy this deadly and mysterious installation while the UNSC survivors attempt to regroup. It is on the eighth day that sanctuary is found in the wreckage of the downed UNSC Mortal Reverie. But for how long?



Halo: The Rubicon Protocol, the latest novel from acclaimed author Kelly Gay, releases August 9, 2022, and further explores some of the events in the six months before the Master Chief is reawakened, and the game’s campaign begins.



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



December 2559. Humanity has its back against the wall after the United Nations Space Command flagship Infinity drops out of slipspace into a devastating ambush launched by the Banished. As this fierce enemy alliance seeks to claim a mysterious object hidden within the ancient Forerunner construct known as Zeta Halo, the surviving UNSC corps now find itself compromised and its leadership out of reach—with remaining personnel forced to abandon ship and take their chances on the fractured, unpredictable surface of the Halo ring.



Now survival in this strange, alien environment—whether for Spartan super-soldiers or those who never thought they would see the battle up close—is measured day to day against a relentless and brutal adversary that always has the upper hand. Desperation grows, but the will to keep on fighting and enduring no matter the odds is never in doubt… even as the Banished seek to unleash a frightening new enemy that could doom them all….



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



In this second of three previews, we follow a group of survivors who have—after a grueling week of fighting for survival—finally found safe harbor at the UNSC Mortal Reverie.



Halo: The Rubicon Protocol releases August 9 and is available in <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-The-Rubicon-Protocol/Kelly-Gay/Halo/9781982147884" target="_blank">trade paperback</a>, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-The-Rubicon-Protocol/Kelly-Gay/Halo/9781982147891" target="_blank">ebook</a>, and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-The-Rubicon-Protocol/Kelly-Gay/Halo/9781797133515" target="_blank">unabridged audiobook</a> formats.



Our third and final preview will be featured in a special Canon Fodder issue next week, alongside an interview with author Kelly Gay herself!



<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 Rubicon Protocol - Preview 02" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q3qzy_4e3Zs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



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



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CHAPTER 8</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1440" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2-scaled.jpg" alt="Image of the crashed UNSC Mortal Reverie with Zeta Halo in the background" class="wp-image-43434" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/07/Reverie2-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></a></figure>



UNSC Mortal Reverie Zeta Halo December 19, 2559 Day 8



The first glimpse of the Mortal Reverie struck Lucas with awe. He paused along the mountainous ridgeline with the rest of the team. He was no expert, but it seemed like a good location, dominating the end of a pass littered with a few sparse grass patches and thin alpine trees clinging to loose soil, rocky outcroppings, and strange hexagonal stacks of Forerunner alloy that rose from the ground in groups and seemed to slowly shift and adjust. They were still several klicks away, according to Murphy, but from their higher position on the ridge, their view was unobstructed.



The frigate lay at the edge of an unnatural cliff where a fracture had split part of the mountainous area in two, her bow hanging over the open chasm. Her center was buckled and part of her belly had lodged deep into the landscape, as though she’d hit the ground hard and fast, plowing her way through to the very precipice.



The overwhelming relief at seeing her weakened his legs and actually hurt his chest; after what had happened in the woods, Lucas was surprised he could feel anything at all. Despite his cuts and bruises and exhaustion, the entire journey he’d been feeling numb and dumbfounded that their small crew had actually made it out alive while others more trained and able had not.



Survivor’s guilt settled firmly into place as he remembered each loss from the moment Infinity had been attacked.



Spartan Horvath followed on the heels of those memories, and Lucas wondered if the lifeboat’s would-be rescuer had survived the ring’s destruction, if he continued to search for them, if he’d found the empty shuttle, or had met a terrible fate at the hands of Banished patrols and scavengers.



Jo stopped next to him, interrupting the direction of his maudlin thoughts. The petty officer was extremely pale and gaunt. Everything about him shouted that he was done, mentally and physically. Some of the intense shock of the brutal forest attack had worn off, and they’d washed away as much Jackal blood as they could without wasting too much water, but traces of purple still clung dark and crusty in the crevices of Jo’s skin and stayed dried on his clothes. His dark eyes were lost, dazed, consistently red-rimmed.



“Surprised we made it,” he remarked in a flat tone.



Lucas plastered a hopeful expression on his face even though he too wasn’t feeling especially bright. “It’s going to be good,” he said as they continued walking, Bender and Dimik ahead of them, Murphy and Cam behind. Spartan Stone was keeping pace at the head of the pack and Spartan Kovan was more visible this time, following Murphy but keeping to the higher rocks. “We’ll regroup, you know? Clean up, shave, finally sleep without looking over our shoulders all the time, eat warm food . . . things will turn around.”



Jo snorted. “It’ll be a miracle if we survive. We’re scattered and outnumbered . . . and we don’t even know when or if help is coming.”



Lucas didn’t know how to respond to that, mostly because deep down, he couldn’t argue with Jo’s logic.



They went a few more steps before Jo said, “I’m sorry. I’m just being realistic—to a fault, I know. And trust me, I’ve heard it my entire life. No one likes to hear the truth or look at the world through unfiltered lenses. I don’t like it either,” he said hoarsely, “I hate it—I hate . . . this. But—”



“It’s not in your nature to sugarcoat things. That’s why you’re good at what you do. Just the facts, right?”



Jo glanced over and Lucas was surprised to see that his eyes had grown glassy and his mouth was spread into a thin, grief-stricken line. He dipped his head, grateful to be understood. “Right.” An errant tear slipped down his cheek, carving a clean trail through days of dirt, smoke, sweat, and blood. “So, what’s left to hold on to for a person like me?” He laughed and wiped it away. “I hate this goddamn place.”



The true weight of what Jo was going through hit Lucas hard. Jo didn’t want to feel the way he did—who would? But if you lived in the land of raw facts and unbiased odds—if that was just part of your DNA—then it sure was going to be a struggle to find hope amid the chaos and grief and the constant stresses of war.



Lucas’s training had included PTSD, of course. But seeing it firsthand over the past few days had made him realize how unprepared he was to be the effective medical figure everyone needed him to be. At twenty-five, he was the youngest one on the crew and at times felt like he had no business helping anyone at all.



He hadn’t realized he’d stopped walking again while Jo continued without him.



A tight sensation squeezed Lucas’s chest. He was familiar with this feeling—the anxiety that came from questioning his worth, whether he was good enough to make a difference, to survive. Imposter syndrome, they called it. All he’d ever wanted to do was save people, and right now he certainly didn’t think he had what it took.



And also right now, just like Jo, he wasn’t sure if that was even possible in the end.



The air was thinner up here and cooler, grayer. Lucas drew it deeply into his lungs and released it slowly, attempting to push out the doubts. No matter the outcome, he’d do what he could, ease pain and suffering, offer a shoulder to cry on. A little attention and comfort could go a long way—he’d seen it up close, knew it to be true after growing up in a house full of nurses and caregivers. He’d focus on those things and take it one step at a time. And leave the big-picture worries for the ones in charge.



“You all right?” Murphy asked, catching up to him. “You’ve stopped twice.”



Murphy was just as dirty and beaten and exhausted as the rest of them, yet through the busted lip and scruff, the nasty bruise under his left eye, the deep claw marks on the side of his neck that continued to ooze blood, and the weight of the pack he carried, he still managed to project an aura of ease. And always that slight quirk to his mouth or humorous glint in his eyes.



It struck Lucas how much the lieutenant reminded him of his father—probably the worst realization to have when he was already swimming in emotions. He swallowed that line of thought down real quick. “Nothing’s wrong. Just . . . I don’t know, thinking, I guess.”



Murphy eyed him for a long second. “Take my advice and save the thinking for later after you’ve had some time to rest, okay?” He clapped him on the shoulder and gave a small squeeze.



Lucas responded with a nod of appreciation, then turned his attention to Cam as he approached. “How’s the knee today?”



“It’s looking forward to getting into Reverie’s med bay.” Cam actually cracked a smile and continued walking, more positive than he’d been in days.



“Come on, Doc,” Murphy said. “Chin up. The Reverie is waiting.”



The Reverie is waiting.



And that was the best damn thing he’d heard in a very long time.