Games

Halo has always been about heroism, hope, and the Master Chief, Spartan-117. In Halo Infinite, Chief is going head-to-head with the toughest foes he’s ever faced, in the most expansive, awe-inspiring, Halo story ever told. Today, we’re thrilled to give you a fresh look at just some of the action you’ll be able to dive into when Halo Infinite launches on December 8, 2021: 



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Pre-order Halo Infinite on <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/halo-infinite" target="_blank">Xbox</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1240440/Halo_Infinite/" target="_blank">PC</a> today, and be ready to fight Escharum and the mighty Banished forces that have made Zeta Halo their base of operations.

Andy Salisbury

Master Chief’s Story Continues, December 8, 2021

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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE GREAT JOURNEY ON PC</h2>



Almost two years ago, 343 Industries and Xbox embarked on a journey to bring the entirety of Halo: The Master Chief Collection to Windows PCs and Steam. After 23 months, six game launches, eight seasons of content and countless flights, 343 Industries and Halo have entered a new era of play where PC is at the center of everything we do, alongside console. While we’re still listening and growing, the process of taking Halo: The Master Chief Collection to PC was invaluable in helping us learn what to do (and not to do) to create a game that looks, feels, and plays like a PC shooter should, all the while honoring the legacy of what makes Halo, Halo.



Today, we’re thrilled to share with Halo fans and the PC gaming community at large how we’re taking everything we’ve learned from The Master Chief Collection to make Halo Infinite a truly PC-first experience from day one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HALO INFINITE – PC OVERVIEW VIDEO</h2>



Watch the PC Overview video below to hear directly from both the PC team and the Sandbox team at 343 Industries to learn more about how we’ve built Halo Infinite to be a great PC experience in-game, out-of-game, and off the screen.



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Halo Infinite | PC Overview" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fax-YPAvuq0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AMD – THE EXCLUSIVE PC PARTNER OF HALO INFINITE</h2>



Engineering Partnership: For over two years, we’ve been working closely with AMD to make Halo Infinite a spectacular experience for PC players. Working with AMD allowed us to make game title optimizations that benefit a vast range of hardware and device endpoints. From ultra-spec gaming powerhouses to older and cost-effective gaming machines as well as our entire family of consoles, something that only partnering with AMD could help us achieve.



AMD is passionate about player-first development choices. They’re exceptionally open to working with us to bring new rendering features across all hardware as well as performance improvements for all our players, even if they’re not using an AMD-powered device. We’re excited for all Halo Infinite’s players to benefit from AMD’s passion for making player-first development choices.



However, in the words of humanity’s most iconic hero; we’re just getting started. AMD understood and believed in our vision to build a Halo experience over time. Launch is just the beginning for Halo Infinite on PC. As such, AMD was willing to pursue a close, long-term partnership with Halo across both engineering and marketing efforts. Looking ahead,we’ve identified opportunities for additional configuration options, performance tweaks, and memory improvements across both PC as well as console and we’re working together on more optimization solutions that should benefit all platforms. Most excitingly though, we’re looking forward to working closely with AMD bring Ray Tracing to Halo Infinite. Ray Tracing is one our top development priorities post-launch and look forward to sharing more soon.



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Marketing Partnership & AMD Radeon™ RX 6900 XT Halo Infinite Limited Edition: One of the many great things about partnering with AMD is not just our shared passion for PC gaming, but our shared passion for Halo as well. Like us, AMD understood the significance of Halo Infinite being the first main-line Halo title to launch day-and-date across both Xbox consoles as well as Windows PCs and Steam. To celebrate the next era of Halo on PC, we’re thrilled to unveil the AMD Radeon™ RX 6900 XT Halo Infinite Limited Edition!



Inspired by his Mark VII Mjolnir armor, this custom 6900XT shroud bears several unmistakable features from the Master Chief himself. Including a reflective, iridium gold fan border, the iconic “117” Spartan callsign, as well as a Cortana-blue light to signify the AI slot on the back of the Master Chief’s helmet.



The 6900XT is the perfect GPU to celebrate the release of Halo Infinite on all platforms. The AMD RDNA™ 2 gaming architecture powering our Xbox Series X|S consoles is the same architecture powering the AMD Radeon™ RX 6900 XT Halo Infinite Limited Edition graphics card, for high frame-rate 4K gaming.



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From the start, it was vitally important to both AMD and 343 Industries that a card this special ended up in the hands of our players. Rest assured, while the AMD Radeon™ RX 6900 XT Halo Infinite Limited Edition won’t be going on sale, AMD, Halo and other partners will be offering players multiple opportunities over the coming weeks to get their hands on one. Stay tuned for an announcement later today on your first opportunity to enter and win!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER</h2>



Those of us that work on Halo Infinite’s PC presence are seriously passionate about the franchise, the platform and our friends in the PC Gaming community. We’ve come together across multiple disciplines from art, engineering, production, licensing, marketing, and community to ensure every touch point PC players have with our game is crafted with a passion for the platform as our central focus.



In game, we’ve created an experience that supports a wide range of hardware and device endpoints while still supporting all the PC-specific features players have come to expect. From baseline expectations like ultrawide / super ultrawide support (including cinematics), FOV adjustment and framerate customization, to niche enthusiast touches like weapon offset control, triple key-binds and PC LAN support, Halo Infinite was built from the ground-up for PC.



Out-of-game, we’ve partnered closely with services like Discord and Razer Chroma as well as platforms like Steam and Xbox Game Pass to ensure Infinite takes advantage of the most each has to offer for PC players. Including rich presence in Steam and deep integration with Discord, featuring support for in-game Discord server invites. What’s more, all Razer customers will benefit from Halo Infinite’s integration of Razer Chroma, with in-game events triggering unique peripheral lighting to correspond to the event. Whether you’ve just had your shields popped or you’re firing a SPNKR, there’s a Chroma Effect that brings Halo Infinite to life.



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Off the screen, we’ve partnered with brands that have decades of experience building hardware that allow players to interact with the experiences they love. Razer, with their Chroma Lighting Engine and world-class peripheral design, were the perfect partners to create an <a href="https://www.razer.com/campaigns/halo-infinite">exclusive line of Halo-branded peripherals</a> that players can use to add a Halo touch to their existing rig. What’s more, for players building new machines, AMD was ideal partner to help power players’ Halo Infinite journey through their extremely capable Ryzen and Radeon product lines. Including of course, the AMD Radeon™ RX 6900 XT Halo Infinite Limited Edition.



In short, we at 343 Industries and our partners wanted to ensure that every piece of the PC experience had a Halo-touch to it. After today, we’re hoping you’re just as excited as we are to boot up Halo Infinite on a PC on December 8th.



See you on the battlefield, Spartans!

Noah Benesch

Halo Infinite’s Great Journey On PC

Esports

Tashi

Ranked / Competitive Reveal

Unleash Your Inner Warrior: MCC Season 8, Mythic

With the arrival of Halo Waypoint vNext, a brand-new digital home for your Spartan is about to be minted. With the planned launch just around the corner on November 1, you’re going to have access to a litany of new features including:



<ul><li>Access to Waypoint’s news feed, to ensure you’re up to date with the latest intel</li><li>The ability to personalize your Spartan in Halo Infinite using all the customization options you’ve unlocked</li><li>The chance to check out your service record in Halo Infinite, MCC, and Halo 5</li><li>Graphs and stats to keep track of your carnage</li><li>The ability to keep track of your Battle Pass progress</li><li>Reviewing your current ongoing Challenges in Halo Infinite</li><li>A unified experience across mobile apps and web</li><li>And much more!</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/WaypointvNextFAQBlog/halo-waypoint-showcase-1120-aa6b7fca8be943f6aa1eadb05d35d0bf.png" alt="Halo Waypoint includes the mobile App (left) and the website for your computer (center, right) or mobile web browser."/></figure>



Halo Waypoint includes the mobile App (left) and the website for your computer (center, right) or mobile web browser. [<a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/InsideInfinite-June2021/halo-waypoint-showcase-cb60f943ac2b4dbe9fd4433f218fcb47.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here to download the full-size image</a>.]



To those of you that joined us in our recent Multiplayer Tech Preview, you may have also jumped in to get an early look at our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://t.co/bdz2zJiPLc?amp=1" target="_blank">Android</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://t.co/XFvOTJaftl?amp=1" target="_blank">iOS</a> apps! Notably, these are still in a ‘soft launch’ state, so expect more features to be added in the future as we get closer to the December 8 launch of Halo Infinite. (So, do pardon some of our dust in the meantime.) And of course, if you want a full rundown from the team that’s been hard at work building this new experience from the ground-up, be sure to check out the June 2021 Edition of Inside Infinite.



Today, we’re sitting back down with one of the members of the Waypoint Team we chatted with previously, Kevin “KP” Paul. With updates of this size there’s always a lot of moving pieces and features to consider. Notably, Halo Waypoint vNext is an ongoing effort that spans across web and mobile – so, there will be iterative updates in the future, but we wanted to ensure that you knew just what to expect when the site launches.



Alright, it’s official – Waypoint vNext is arriving on November 1! For the uninitiated, what does that mean? KP: The Waypoint that you know and love will be getting a complete overhaul, rebuilt from the ground up to support the growing needs of the Halo franchise. At the surface level you’ll notice a new look and feel throughout the web, with many returning features and a few new ones sprinkled in. Behind the scenes, this shift makes us better able to focus development efforts across the website, Android, and iOS apps.



Back during the Multiplayer Tech Preview, players had a chance to dive in early to take a look at the Waypoint vNext experience. But, even with that sneak peek, is there anything they should keep an eye out for at launch? KP: Players who participated in the previews should expect a continued focus on their investments in our games. For Halo Infinite this means further investment in Customization and Progression. Additionally, MCC players can expect more connectivity with seasonal content and their progression. Even at the profile level on Halo Waypoint, we are rolling out Service Awards as way to show off your Halo career highlights.



This time around Halo Waypoint will exist as an app as well. What are some of the coolest features coming with its arrival? KP: The design team spoke eloquently to this vision and their design intent back in our Inside Infinite article and it is worth a read. At a high level you can expect a lot of shared features between the web and app because we’re committed to reaching our players no matter where they are. You can expect the usual conveniences from an app, including (but not limited to) regular updates and push notifications for content that’s important to you.  



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Halo Infinite Customization shown on App (Left), Game (Center), and Web (Right). [<a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/InsideInfinite-June2021/customization-709bc8f270a546d0afd4cc7a2d556ccd.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here to download the full-size image</a>.]



For those that don’t know, the Halo Waypoint app is already available on Android and iOS – but, the website still looks the same. How come? KP: In this case, we released the app earlier than the new website because it was our best chance to reach players diving into the Multiplayer Tech Preview! Ultimately, this does mean that we have some updates still to make throughout the entire experience. We’re hard at work preparing for launch, but if you do see any bugs be sure to file a ticket with Halo Support!



With an update of this size there’s always a lot to consider. Among all the features that are coming forward to Waypoint vNext, are there any that won’t be there at launch? KP: Whoa, comin’ at me like a grappling BXB’er straight outta the Multiplayer Tech Preview! For context, today’s current iteration of Waypoint is the result of 8-years of continued investment into a single website, while vNext has only been cooking for a few years and spans web, iOS, and Android.



While we were able to bring forward many of our most used features by players, we haven’t been able to rebuild everything. The features that will not join the transition to vNext will be: Halo 5 Spartan Companies, browsing the Halo 5 User-Generated Content (UGC) features, the Halo Wars 2 Service Record, the Universe section, and some older News articles.



For Halo 5, what’s happening specifically with Spartan Companies and User Generated Content (UGC)? KP: Spartan Companies will still appear in Halo 5 but without our interface you will no longer be able to edit your Company info or roster. (So, if you have any planned updates, we recommend you do them now.) Your Company’s Service Record and Commendations will not be visible, but they will continue to tick behind the scenes and rewards (including Achilles) will continue to be granted. Your roster will be locked with no way to add, remove, promote, or demote members. Spartan Company forums will no longer be available.



Halo 5 UGC will be unaffected in-game, to be clear, but the Waypoint interface to browse your Halo 5 game variants, map variants, and Forge object groups will no longer be available. 



For Halo Wars 2, what will happen with the Service Record? KP: As we weigh all of the potential website features against every active Halo title, we often have to make difficult trade-offs to prioritize areas that directly benefit the largest audiences in our community. As we focus on robust support for Halo Infinite, this unfortunately means that we won’t be able to maintain Halo Wars 2 service records on the new website. The good news is that the Halo Wars 2 public API and third-party services remain unaffected and that data will continue to flow.



But, if you want to archive your Halo Wars 2 Service Record, please do so soon.



Will there be any other notable parts of Waypoint that will change? KP: The Universe section is something of a relic of a prior age of Waypoint, standing now only as a monument to <a href="https://twitter.com/GrimBrotherOne" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grim</a>’s sins. Less dramatically, this content was central to previous video efforts and we have not maintained it as stand-alone web content. We also know the community has stepped in to fill this role, in greater detail and with more freedom for intrigue. Check out our friends at <a href="https://www.halopedia.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halopedia</a>, for example.



Lastly, only select News articles will be brought forward to vNext as only some will maintain relevance.



Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today, KP!



KP: Not so fast, Andy. I’ve exited the block quote to explain that we care deeply about these decisions and the users they impact. We will continue to flight regularly and review feedback to better understand what is important to you. With Infinite looming, our focus will be there for the time being, but we may yet revisit some of these features.



Ultimately, with Halo Infinite having such a long future ahead of it, we knew we’d be kicking off a brand-new chapter of Waypoint. So, this is just where this version of Waypoint begins – we won’t just be launching this then walking away. There’s more to come.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/WaypointvNextFAQBlog/progression-1120-b34afe202edd4c96b7d6e0feb7d37ebd.png" alt="Halo Infinite Progression shown on Game (left) and App (right)"/></figure>



Halo Infinite Progression shown on Game (left) and App (right). [<a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/InsideInfinite-June2021/progression-57c2e94e4e5949c88789c8c7fa79bc10.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here to download the full-size image</a>.]



At times like this, I fully endorse the dropping of decorum and hanging out here in the body text. KP, thank you and the Waypoint Team for your continued hard work in building our Spartans’ digital homes – and, for taking the time to share this information with us today!



As a reminder, with these updates arriving alongside Waypoint vNext we highly recommend taking the time to tend to your Halo 5 Spartan Companies, review your Halo Wars 2 stats in all their glory, and bookmark even more fan-favorite maps and modes in Halo 5 before November 1.



As always, if you have any feedback, thoughts, or comments – let us know on <a href="https://twitter.com/Halo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Halo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/halo/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Instagram</a>.

Waypoint vNext: FAQ

Hi Everyone,



In <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqQMLD3Pn3Q">yesterday’s live stream</a> we mentioned that there was an issue that might delay our Multiplayer Tech Preview. Well, the issue was this: we unintentionally included a group of concept art files in the Tech Preview build.



To be clear: none of these images spoil the Halo Infinite Campaign that you’ll get to play on December 8th. Indeed, we’ve already shown some of these images in previous blog posts.



This art represents a wide range of ideas that we explored early in pre-production and that we planned to share at a later date, as part of Infinite’s pre-launch promotion and other initiatives such as the upcoming “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506720080/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_KKY80G3BCND0QQAQB7WT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1">The Art of Halo Infinite</a>” from our partners at Dark Horse (check out some sample excerpts below). For a time, we used these images as loading screens for internal studio builds—and that’s how they accidentally ended up in the Tech Preview build.



Rather than delay the flight, we’ve decided to share all the files with you now. Call it an unplanned “Happy Tech Preview Day!” gift. So, please enjoy this collection of beautiful art from 343 Industries’ incredibly talented concept art team. Download the collection here: <a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/HaloInfinite/artofhaloinfinite4k-d01181a15fa24d0a9dca4824f3db7003.zip">4K Zip File</a> | <a href="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/HaloInfinite/artofhaloinfinitehd-83543864d57b4722b7844b920a805cfe.zip">HD Zip File</a>



These images have inspired us—filled our minds with wonder and possibilities—and we hope they do the same for you.



Joseph Staten



Head of Creative, Halo Infinite



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<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/HaloInfinite/dh_artbook_38-39-cae3ca811922467cab51c4457c68518a.jpg" alt="Concept art of UNSC Pelican dropping off a vehicle"/></figure>



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Master Chief’s Story Continues, December 8, 2021

Halo Infinite’s Great Journey On PC

Ranked / Competitive Reveal

Unleash Your Inner Warrior: MCC Season 8, Mythic

Waypoint vNext: FAQ

The Art of Halo Infinite

Multiplayer Technical Preview Overview

Inside Infinite – September 2021

Technical Preview Outcomes

Inside Infinite – August 2021