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Inside Infinite – September 2021

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Updated 9/29: Full results below.



Halo: Combat Evolved launched on the original Xbox in 2001 and once players were finished fighting against the Flood and the Covenant, they quickly turned their crosshairs against each other for pure competitive bliss. What started as rivalry in the household quickly escalated to the neighborhood, local schools and in what seemed like a blink of an eye, Halo esports became a global phenomenon with the level of competition and stakes increasing year after year.



We see Halo Infinite as a continuation of Halo esports’ long lineage, and thus wanted to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the incredible players that paved the way and those that are still dominating today. This is where the Halo Top 25 Greatest Players of All Time list comes in.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/hcs/body/04132021_visid_twitterheader_15000x500-9266b9976e2148cca742b7851197476f.jpg" alt="Keyart for the H C S Top 25 program"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">JUDGING</h2>



A panel of judges outside of the HCS team and across all Halo generations were selected and tasked with creating their own individual Top 25 lists.



They are:



<ul><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Brav/" target="_blank">Bravo </a>– Former Halo Pro Coach, and Commentator</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Elamite/" target="_blank">Elamite </a>– Former Halo Pro, and Commentator</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/GoldenboyFTW/" target="_blank">Goldenboy </a>– Halo Commentator (Also a Global Icon and National Treasure)</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Wes_Clutch" target="_blank">Clutch </a>– Former Halo Pro, and Commentator</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Walshy/" target="_blank">Walshy </a>– Former Halo Pro, and Commentator</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/ggoofy" target="_blank">Goofy </a>– Former Halo Pro, and Commentator</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Mikwen" target="_blank">Mikwen </a>– Former Halo Pro</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/DanGaskin" target="_blank">Gaskin </a>– Halo Commentator</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/RichieHeinz" target="_blank">Heinz </a>– Former Halo Pro.</li></ul>



From there, we assigned a point value to each placing for each one of their lists. The 25th player on each of their lists received 1 point, and the 1st player on each of their lists received 25 points. We then tallied up the points for each of the players to create the final and official Top 25 list. The player with the highest total point value was named the Greatest Halo Player of All Time. The player with the 25th highest point value was named the 25th Greatest Halo Player of All Time.



In the case of the two players having the same exact point total, the tie was broken based on which of the tied players received the single highest ranking from one of the judges. For example, imagine two players were tied for 17th. Player A’s highest ranking on one of the judge’s lists was 12th. Player B’s highest ranking on one of the judge’s lists was 13th. Therefore, Player A received 17th on the list, Player B received 18th on the list.



The judges were given the following criteria and guidelines:



<ul><li>Focus on greatness in competition. External greatness around sponsorships, popularity, kindness, etc should NOT be a factor.</li><li>While 4v4 is the main competition and focus, consideration for other accolades including MVPs, individual tournament wins, and more can also be made.</li><li>Where possible, you should take statistics into consideration as well as including things like Kills, Assists, average placement, winning streaks, event wins, and more.</li><li>Other intangible considerations around reputation in the game, leadership, play-making abilities, eye test, and more can also be made.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCHEDULE</h2>



The players will be announced on the <a href="https://twitter.com/HCS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HCS Twitter</a> account starting on Monday 9/6 at 10am PT, and for the first week we’ll be revealing three players a day which will then leave us with the Top 10. Along with the announcement, we’ll be celebrating the player’s success and sharing memories from their career. We encourage everyone to join the conversation online and share your favorite memories as well!



In Week 2 starting on Monday 9/13, we’ll be releasing a video each day starting with #10 and ending with #6. Each of these videos will be soley dedicated to the player, and you’ll hear from Halo legends across the ages as they talk about what makes each of these players so great.



In Week 3, starting on Monday 9/20, we’ll again be releasing a video dedicated to each player. On Thursday 9/23, we’ll open up a community poll so you can weigh in on who you think is the Greatest Player of All Time. Finally on the last day, we will reveal both #2 and #1 players on the list, and again each with their dedicated video and time in the spotlight.



Update 9/29: The full list has now been revealed! Congratulations to all players who made the 2021 list



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/hcs/body/top25-final-092bd77d368745edbc0defbd1500e41c.png" alt="HCS Top 25 calendar view of players"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FOLLOW ALONG.</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/hcs/body/hcs-haloinfinite-logos-header-1500x500-4fb886527aa840d38b9be87c19ecd25f.png" alt="HCS logo with Halo Infinite"/></figure>



 Determining the greatest Halo player of all time was no easy task and we took the process and gravity of the list very seriously. We know that each of you will have your own opinion on each of the players on the list and we encourage you all to share your thoughts with us on Twitter using the hashtag #HaloTop25. Do you think a player should have been higher on the list? Maybe there’s someone who didn’t make the cut who you thought for sure should have made it. Join the conversation!



We’ll be revealing the players one by one on the Official Halo Esports Twitter account, and to coincide with the Top 25 list, we’ve also launched the Official Halo Esports YouTube channel. We are very excited that Halo Esports will now have it’s own official home on YouTube. To start, the channel will feature  videos from this campaign, and has some historical footage to peruse as well. All of the video content we’ll create going forward (including full tournament VODs) will also be made available on the channel and accessible for fans to enjoy.



Make sure you follow and subscribe so you’re up to date with all the latest news and video content.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://twitter.com/HCS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TWITTER</a></h3>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWRlMArGqt607LYdhlrrYVA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YOUTUBE</a></h3>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE FINAL POINTS</h2>



Without revealing the names, we wanted to reveal the list and associated points so fans can see just how closely contested the list was. Halo pros both retired and current on this list are truly the Greatest Players of All Time.



Update 9/29: Names added in below. 



<ol><li>219 Points – Ogre 2</li><li>216 Points – Lethul</li><li>192 Points – Snakebite</li><li>186 Points – Pistola</li><li>174 Points – Royal 2</li><li>171 Points – Snip3down</li><li>158 Points – Roy</li><li>157 Points – Walshy</li><li>149 Points – Lunchbox</li><li>142 Points – Frosty</li><li>129 Points – Ogre 1</li><li>85 Points – Elamite</li><li>83 Points – aPG</li><li>82 Points – Shotzzy</li><li>78 Points – Heinz</li><li>72 Points – ACE</li><li>68 Points – Tsquared</li><li>64 Points – Strongside</li><li>51 Points – Karma</li><li>41 Points – Legit</li><li>39 Points – Victory X</li><li>39 Points – Mikwen</li><li>35 Points – Fearitself</li><li>33 Points – Saiyan (Ryan Danford)</li><li>28 Points – Ryanoob</li></ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CONCLUSION</h2>



At the core of it all this list is meant to recognize and celebrate the incredible achievements of these players over the course of their careers and Halo’s history. For those that are retired we say thank you on behalf of the entire Halo community for dazzling and inspiring us. For those that are still competing, thank you for the memories so far, and best of luck in Halo Infinite. And for all players that made this list of 2021, congratulations!

Official HCS

Top 25 Greatest Players of All Time

Canon Fodder

GrimBrother One

ISSUE 118

Myths & Mysteries

Tashi

Designing The Halo Esports Ecosystem – August

Inside Infinite – August 2021

The road through 2021 has been an exciting one, Spartans – but, here at the tail-end of August we’re especially glad to see you. Throughout the last year we’ve been doing our very best to keep you posted on all of our latest Halo Infinite developments, be it through the Inside Infinite blog series, the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, or of course, the annual celebration of games out in Germany – Gamescom.



We’re thankful that so many of you have joined us on this journey. Whether you just peeked your head into Halo Waypoint to take a look, or you’re a full-fledged <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/halo-insider" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halo Insider</a> that helped us test Halo Infinite during the technical preview, we couldn’t be more humbled. That’s why today we’re thrilled to announce that Halo Infinite will release on December 8, 2021 for Xbox and PC.



To help welcome you into the ranks, our very own Spartan Commander Agryna is here to set the stage:



<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 | Multiplayer Season 1 Cinematic Intro" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lOthvD1rMbQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Of course, that’s not all we’re up to this week! For the hardware inclined among you, we’ve got some brand-new tools for you to check out. Both of these will start shipping out on Halo’s 20th Anniversary, November 15th – and are available for pre-order right now (sold separately):  



<ul><li><a href="https://www.xbox.com/consoles/xbox-series-x/halo-infinite-limited-edition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Xbox Series X – Halo Infinite Limited Edition Bundle</a></li><li><a href="https://www.xbox.com/accessories/controllers/elite-wireless-controller-series-2-halo-infinite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 – Halo Infinite Limited Edition</a></li></ul>



Now, dive into the full details below and prepare to request some days off. Prost!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">MARK YOUR CALENDARS</h2>



The coming months are going to be busy for all of us here at 343 as we march towards our December 8th launch. There’s still lots to be done before we arrive in the cold clutches of December, but we couldn’t be more excited to share it with each and every one of you.



If you’re as thrilled as we are, feel free to check out these locations to pre-order the Halo Infinite Campaign, so you can join us on day one:



<ul><li><a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Xbox Game Pass</a></li><li><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/halo-infinite-campaign/9np1p1wfs0lb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft Store (Xbox and Windows PC)</a></li><li><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1240440/Halo_Infinite/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Steam</a></li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT FOR THE JOB</h2>



A Spartan’s equipment is just as important as their skills – which is why we’re doing our part to make sure you’re fully equipped and ready to ship out. To help celebrate Halo’s 20th Anniversary, we’re proud to unveil two items made in collaboration with our friends over at Xbox: The Xbox Series X – Halo Infinite Limited Edition Bundle, and the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 – Halo Infinite Limited Edition.



Both of these items are up for pre-order today, so be sure to check your favorite retailer for more details! They will subsequently launch on the very same day of the year Halo: CE did – November 15th, 2021. Do note that each of these will be sold separately and supplies will be limited. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">XBOX SERIES X – HALO INFINITE LIMITED EDITION BUNDLE</h3>



As we kick off Gamescom 2021, we’re proud to unveil the Xbox Series X – Halo Infinite Limited Edition Bundle, which will go up for pre-order today! Featuring a Limited Edition Xbox Series X console, a Limited Edition Xbox Series X Controller, and Halo Infinite (downloadable after system set-up), you’ll be fully prepared to confront the most ruthless foe the Master Chief has ever faced. Featuring a design imprinted with stars as seen from the surface of the Zeta Halo, a Cortana blue vent, and iridium gold accents around dark metallic paneling, your armory will be off to a solid start with this at its center.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/Gamescom2021/keyart_final_horiz_rgb1-feb5b2c119924a69bfbb320916e5463d.jpg" alt="Limited edition Halo Infinite Xbox Series X console and controller for pre-order "/><figcaption> The Xbox Series X – Halo Infinite Limited Edition Bundle, available for pre-order now. </figcaption></figure>



To pre-order now, <a href="https://www.xbox.com/consoles/xbox-series-x/halo-infinite-limited-edition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">head right over here to the Microsoft Store</a>.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">XBOX ELITE WIRELESS CONTROLLER SERIES 2 – HALO INFINITE LIMITED EDITION</h3>



Already have an Xbox Series X? Are you a controller collection completionist? Just looking for a new set of thumbsticks to take with you to Zeta Halo? We’ve got you covered.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/BlogPost/Gamescom2021/18066-01_xbox_elite_1920x1080-0aaff59551c143e881f8e7be081f52ca.png" alt="Halo lnfinite limited edition Xbox Elite wireless controller"/></figure>



The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 – Halo Infinite Limited Edition, available for pre-order now.



The brand-new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 – Halo Infinite Limited Edition, featuring a battle-scarred Mjolnir-themed design from team Xbox will be a welcome addition to any Spartan’s arsenal. With a look that’ll have you right at home with the UNSC, and an in-game weapon charm of the controller itself, you’ll be well on your way to having all the right equipment to battle the Banished.



To pre-order, be sure to head <a href="https://www.xbox.com/accessories/controllers/elite-wireless-controller-series-2-halo-infinite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">right over here to the Microsoft Store</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">GAMESCOM AND BEYOND</h2>



If you’re as excited about Halo Infinite as we are, do yourself a favor and sign-up to be a <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/halo-insider" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halo Insider</a>! By fully filling out your profile, opting-in to communications, and uploading your DxDiag if you’re on PC, you’ll have the chance to participate in hands-on any upcoming multiplayer previews ahead of launch.



Thanks for joining us. We’re thrilled to be marching side-by-side on our way to December. And as always, be sure to join us over on <a href="https://twitter.com/Halo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/halo/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Halo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Facebook</a> for all of the latest Halo Infinite updates right as they happen.

Start Your Spartan Journey On Dec. 8