Games

Alex Wakeford

Cutting Room MORE!

Digsite Discoveries | Halo: MCC

Kusini Bay

Vallaheim

Rat's Nest

Waterworks

Exiled

If you find Big Team Battle too chaotic at 12v12 but 4v4 is just not enough, then let us introduce you to the new Squad Battle playlist!



Resembling the BTB of old, Squad Battle pits 8v8 in a mix of Slayer and Objective modes on community made maps that lend themselves well to both infantry and vehicular combat. Some might even look a little familiar to Halo veterans…



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



If you’ve played past titles, Halo 3 in particular, then this should be a walk down memory lane. If not, that’s okay! There’s no better time than now to jump in and experience the chaos.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/4eb7a3ac-81f7-4faa-acd8-ce6bbba667af">Kusini Bay</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/players/Mr%20Kwatz">Mr Kwatz</a></h4>



Available modes:



<ul><li>One Flag CTF</li><li>Slayer</li><li>King of the Hill</li></ul>





<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/4eb7a3ac-81f7-4faa-acd8-ce6bbba667af">Bookmark Link</a>



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<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/79387d10-be2d-4beb-9099-9b112ca326ed">Vallaheim</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Rick_LopVeg">HaiseOz</a></h4>



Available modes:



<ul><li>CTF (3 captures)</li><li>Slayer</li><li>Total Control</li></ul>





<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/79387d10-be2d-4beb-9099-9b112ca326ed">Bookmark Link</a>



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<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/6ba0d5f2-b330-47f3-ba62-265e46ec304e">Rat’s Nest</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Barnson_art">MastermetaleX</a></h4>



Available modes:



<ul><li>CTF (5 captures)</li><li>Slayer</li><li>King of the Hill</li></ul>





<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/6ba0d5f2-b330-47f3-ba62-265e46ec304e">Bookmark Link</a>



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<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/18025a9e-3c9c-4d50-9bf9-8eb5def66688">Waterworks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamBosleyDM">Greater Pain</a></h4>



Available modes:



<ul><li>CTF (3 captures)</li><li>Slayer</li><li>Total Control</li></ul>





<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/18025a9e-3c9c-4d50-9bf9-8eb5def66688">Bookmark Link</a>



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<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/7df48409-8026-4820-bf37-da08ebe4fa0f">Exiled</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/_Epetr0">Epetro</a>, <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/players/SandoChoKUN">SandoChoKun</a></h4>



Available Modes:



<ul><li>CTF (3 captures)</li><li>Slayer</li><li>Total Control</li></ul>





<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/7df48409-8026-4820-bf37-da08ebe4fa0f">Bookmark Link</a>



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Grab your crew, squad up, and hit the battlefield for some carnage in this latest rotational playlist!

snickerdoodle

Squad Battle | Halo Infinite

HALO 4 CAMPAIGN THEATER

Halo: MCC | July 2023 Update

Community

Community Update

Cutting Room Galore

Digsite Deliveries | Halo: MCC

Forge Features

Welcome back to a new edition of Forge Features! It’s been a little while since we last caught up, as the spotlight has very much been on Season 4: Infection’s arrival in Halo Infinite a few weeks ago, but as the dust settles the time has come to take a look at more community creations.



Let’s start things off with something that might just blow your mind…



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THE MAW Credits: KingNothing2005 Bookmark: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/d1c61577-8244-441c-a29c-b4eedaeaed51">The Maw map</a> | <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/modes/93833a17-9e63-4f70-b49b-f4cdc9917985">Warthog Run mode</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/d1c61577-8244-441c-a29c-b4eedaeaed51"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13TheMaw.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of a remake of The Maw from Halo: CE made in Forge" class="wp-image-70854" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13TheMaw.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13TheMaw-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13TheMaw-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13TheMaw-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13TheMaw-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13TheMaw-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



“Analyzing… We have six minutes before the fusion drives detonate. We need to evac, now! Activating final countdown timer. When it reaches zero, the engines will detonate. The explosion will generate a temperature of almost one-hundred-million degrees. Don’t be here when it blows.”



And yes, somehow—through the unholy alchemy of Forge and fan creativity—this is an exact recreation of the entire Warthog Run from Halo: CE.



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SMALLHALLA Credits: nkdape, Okom1, Micheal B 2K8, Mr Kwatz, Virus11010, Scrubulba, daedalus7932, MikRips, Cousin Tim Bookmark: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/46a9df21-1b5e-447e-82be-b12c119781ac">Smallhalla</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/46a9df21-1b5e-447e-82be-b12c119781ac"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Smallhalla.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of a smaller version of Valhalla from Halo 3 made in Forge" class="wp-image-70840" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Smallhalla.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Smallhalla-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Smallhalla-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Smallhalla-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Smallhalla-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Smallhalla-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Forge gives players the power to answer many creative questions. Smallhalla dares to ask one of the most game-changing of all… what if Valhalla was really small?



(And also, what if the crashed Pelican was actually a paper airplane?)



<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="Smallhalla Release Trailer | Halo Infinite" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ePl8xLwNIzI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



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ABANDON Credits: bullet2thehead9, DISTORTED JACKAL, C0mmnder, TheChunx, xLoud Mary Jane Bookmark: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/6ee344cb-b49e-4604-93f2-8e4e73ccadde">Abandon</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/6ee344cb-b49e-4604-93f2-8e4e73ccadde"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Abandon.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of a remake of Halo 4's map Abandon made in Forge" class="wp-image-70798" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Abandon.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Abandon-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Abandon-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Abandon-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Abandon-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13Abandon-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Take a trip back to the creepy alien jungles of Erebus VII. Mind the anglers!



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LONE WOLF Credits: bullet2thehead9, Va1kyrie, Nomino33 Bookmark: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/5291c5f5-032a-435e-a04a-b77dd2ac6198">Lone Wolf</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/ugc/maps/5291c5f5-032a-435e-a04a-b77dd2ac6198"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13LoneWolf.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of a remake of the Lone Wolf mission from Halo: Reach in Forge" class="wp-image-70826" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13LoneWolf.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13LoneWolf-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13LoneWolf-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13LoneWolf-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13LoneWolf-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/07/FF13LoneWolf-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></a></figure>



Objective: survive.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">COMMUNITY CREATIONS</h2>



Looking to find out what new objects came to Halo Infinite’s Forge in Season 4? Gravemind’s got you covered with this video overview—a most helpful and informative turn after giving up his ambitions of infecting the universe!



<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 - New Season 4 Forge Items!" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h-86BgagxMU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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DEWtheMCCOY continues to showcase more of the incredible work we’ve been seeing from community cartographers, and in one of his latest videos he looks at some campaign levels which have been recreated in Forge. These include The Silent Cartographer from Halo: CE, Regret from Halo 2, and Mombasa Streets from Halo 3: ODST.



<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 CE, 2 and ODST CAMPAIGN LEVELS - Remade in Halo Infinite Forge" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fnndJSr7ksM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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That closes us out for this issue of Forge Features. Go bookmark some new maps and modes, grab your friends, and get a custom games night going.



Whether you’re looking to escape the Pillar of Autumn, make a noble final stand, or you’re just looking to embrace the sheer chaos of Lightspeed Halo, the Custom Games Browser is just one click away!

Community Cartography 013

Forge Features: July 5, 2023

Canon Fodder

Issue 142

Canon Fodder: System Shocks

Suit up, Spartans. It’s time for some hazard pay!



Season 4: Infection released last week, which means it’s time to kick off its first event, which features a free Event Pass with 10 tiers of customization rewards for your HAZMAT armor.



Let’s get you a full debriefing…



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HAZMAT EVENT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2160" height="2160" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards.jpg" alt="Image of the HAZMAT Event's Reward Track" class="wp-image-70444" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards.jpg 2160w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards-300x300.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards-150x150.jpg 150w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards-768x768.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HAZMATRewards-1568x1568.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px" /></figure>



From June 27-July 11, the HAZMAT event will be active. This is a free event that anybody can jump into, featuring a 10-tier Event Pass full of customization items to outfit your Spartan’s new HAZMAT armor.



 You know the drill: complete Event Challenges to earn tiers in your Event Pass and outfit your HAZMAT armor with your rewards!



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PLAYLISTS ‘N’ PLAZA</h2>



A new season means new content—new maps, modes, and more! You can jump right into the latest and greatest seasonal action with the New Arena Unlimited and New BTB Unlimited playlists. 



<ul><li>WEEK ONE – New Arena Unlimited: June 27-July 4 </li><li>WEEK TWO – New BTB Unlimited: July 4-11</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Solitude Map Preview | Season 4: Infection | Halo Infinite" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_7dgdhM7Eqk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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In addition to all the new Season 4 goodness included in the New Arena Unlimited playlist will be Solitude, our remake of the fan-favorite map Plaza from Halo 5: Guardians created in Halo Infinite’s Forge.



For a closer look at Solitude with some of our multiplayer designers, check out our Q&A blog below!



<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/solitude-preview-season-4">SOLITUDE PREVIEW | SEASON 4</a>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HAZMAT ARMOR</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/S4HazmatCore.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the HAZMAT Armor Core" class="wp-image-69912" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/S4HazmatCore.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/S4HazmatCore-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/S4HazmatCore-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/S4HazmatCore-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/S4HazmatCore-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/S4HazmatCore-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Built to stand against all manner of threats and dangerous conditions, designed to be used by both super-soldiers and unaugmented personnel, HAZMAT armor comes to Halo Infinite in Season 4.



OSTEO combat engineering suits incorporate an array of contingency systems focused on surviving extended operations in extraordinarily harsh working and combat environments. HAZMAT armor is for those who specialize in delving into the heart of dying Forerunner facilities, for hunters operating in blighted waters and poisoned winds, search teams exploring sites scarred by chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons used in the Covenant War, and even more insidious threats the galaxy has to offer.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SHOP & ULTIMATE REWARD</h2>



SHOP: SECOND CHANCE BUNDLE



Available in the Shop this week is the Second Chance bundle, which features:



<ul><li>Second Chance chest attachment (HAZMAT)</li><li>FAM-90 Stabilizer shoulder pads (HAZMAT)</li><li>Can Do stance</li><li>Jacknife armor coating (for all Armor Cores)</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SecondChanceBundle.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the Second Chance bundle" class="wp-image-70458" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SecondChanceBundle.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SecondChanceBundle-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SecondChanceBundle-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SecondChanceBundle-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SecondChanceBundle-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SecondChanceBundle-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



ULTIMATE REWARD



Complete all your challenges for the week and you’ll unlock this week’s Ultimate Reward: the Solarian Legend weapon coating for your M41 SPNKr.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolarianLegendSPNKrUlt.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the Solarian Legend weapon coating for the M41 SPNKr" class="wp-image-70472" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolarianLegendSPNKrUlt.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolarianLegendSPNKrUlt-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolarianLegendSPNKrUlt-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolarianLegendSPNKrUlt-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolarianLegendSPNKrUlt-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolarianLegendSPNKrUlt-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



FREE GIFT!



Log in at any time during the HAZMAT Event and you’ll unlock the War Storage backdrop for your Spartan ID.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HI_S4_Hazmat_Gift_WarStorage_Social_16x9-1024x576.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite image of the HAZMAT Event's free gift: the War Storage backdrop" class="wp-image-70548" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HI_S4_Hazmat_Gift_WarStorage_Social_16x9-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HI_S4_Hazmat_Gift_WarStorage_Social_16x9-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HI_S4_Hazmat_Gift_WarStorage_Social_16x9-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HI_S4_Hazmat_Gift_WarStorage_Social_16x9-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HI_S4_Hazmat_Gift_WarStorage_Social_16x9-1568x882.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/HI_S4_Hazmat_Gift_WarStorage_Social_16x9.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



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The HAZMAT Event is now live! Jump into Halo Infinite and complete your challenges to progress that Event Pass and unlock free HAZMAT-themed rewards.



The Containment Event will arrive later in Season 4, starting on August 29, which will also run for two weeks (through September 12) and offers an additional 10 tiers of free HAZMAT-themed rewards.



See you out there, HAZMAT honchos!

HAZMAT Event Launch

Season 4: Infection was released just last week, bringing a plethora of new content to Halo Infinite, and we’ve got a little something extra to share with you all in the form of Solitude—a remake of Plaza from Halo 5: Guardians—which you’ll be able to jump into… tomorrow! 



To help celebrate the arrival of Solitude for tomorrow, we’ve sat down with multiplayer designers Cayle George (Lead Level Designer), Cliff Schuldt (Level Designer), and Ryan Bergstrom (Level Designer) to learn a little bit more about the creation of this new take on a fan-favorite map. 



<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="Solitude Map Preview | Season 4: Infection | Halo Infinite" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_7dgdhM7Eqk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



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Let’s kick things off with some Plaza appreciation: what are some of the elements of this map that you think make it such a fan-favorite?



The first thing to say here is that Plaza really was one of the best Strongholds maps in Halo 5. Contesting and controlling zones on Plaza was incredibly fun, in no small part because traversal of the map was so interesting—there were lots of different flanking routes that always kept players on their toes while on the defense and open to a lot of engagement opportunities while on the offense. That made it work well for a bunch of different modes and gave it a lot of replayability.



Out of all of that, we really saw a lot of cool trick jumps emerge out of Halo 5’s movement on Plaza, which added a whole new layer of competitiveness that made it an instant favorite.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview1.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of Solitude" class="wp-image-70515" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview1.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview1-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



In Halo 5, Plaza is a neon-lit city street. In Halo Infinite, we see that Solitude looks very different. What inspired this new visual direction?



From the outset, our philosophy with remakes is that we want to explore these familiar spaces with alternate themes.



Part of that is just because it’s fun and interesting from an artistic standpoint, especially when we’re working with the new assets and palettes of Halo Infinite’s Forge mode, but it also makes it easier for players to parse some of the adjustments and tweaks to sandbox, scale, and other factors that inevitably happen across games.



If you go into a remake of a map and it looks exactly the same but the game plays differently (which Halo Infinite does compared to Halo 5), your brain can run into some “uncanny valley” territory where it just doesn’t quite feel right.



As a result of all those things, we thought it would be interesting to explore what Plaza would look like in a more desolate, abandoned setting.



Visuals aside, are there any notable differences in geometry between Plaza and Solitude, or is this a 1:1 remake?



Solitude is very close to being a 1:1 remake in terms of spacing, but the height and overall verticality of the map has been adjusted. There are some pieces of gameplay that inevitably won’t translate between Halo 5 and Halo Infinite because they play quite differently, but this is a map that aims to be true to the original with lots of cool new gameplay opportunities afforded by Halo Infinite’s sandbox toys.



Like Empyrean (the remake of The Pit), Solitude was made using Halo Infinite’s Forge. What are some of the advantages we’ve found internally that come with using this tool to create new multiplayer maps?



Forge is a tremendously useful tool when it comes to playtesting maps and making quick adjustments, which has definitely been a great advantage to have. If something isn’t feeling quite right or we want to experiment with an idea, Forge can simply make that process of ideation and iteration happen with greater speed than you’d have with a more “traditional” dev-made map.



How have we been finding that Solitude plays with Halo Infinite’s sandbox? Any fun playtesting stories to share?



At the very beginning, we put the Stalker Rifle where the Lightrifle used to be in Halo 5. As it’s so open in that middle area, the Stalker Rifle actually ended up annihilating anyone and everyone who walked into that space—especially in-combination with the Sniper.



That’s all part of the fun when it comes to creating remakes in a new game with a new sandbox. The Stalker Rifle seemed like a reasonable weapon to put in the Lightrifle spot, only for us to end up discovering that we’d basically created a new power weapon.



We pivoted that to the M392 Bandit, which players got their hands on as a new sandbox toy in Season 3.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview2.jpg" alt="Halo Infinite screenshot of Solitude" class="wp-image-70529" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview2.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/SolitudePreview2-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Which modes have we found are particularly fun to play on this map?



Just like Halo 5, we found that Strongholds is a really good time on Solitude. King of the Hill is a close second, and we hope players will find this map to overall be just as versatile and fun as its Halo 5 counterpart.



Are there any cool Easter eggs that fans should keep an eye out for on this map?



Yes? 😉



With Empyrean in last year’s Winter Update and now Solitude, can you share anything more about future Forge maps from the dev-side?



We are working on maps in the Forge tool to release to players. What that means is that we’re constantly playtesting and internally reviewing what maps we think will resonate with fans, and we’re also keeping our eyes on what the community is making in Forge to be featured in the Community Collection playlist.



We have to really weigh what the biggest bang for our buck is in terms of the value that we can add to the constantly growing content pool, and those are plate tectonics that are constantly shifting.



Thank you for joining us once again to tell us more about the process of creating these awesome maps. Do you have any parting words to share?



We hope you’ve all been enjoying Season 4 so far. It’s been great seeing people share their clips online of amazing plays in Infection or looking under the bridge on Forest (despite our warnings not to!)



Keep creating, keep sharing, and we hope you have a good time on Solitude.



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



New Arena Unlimited will be arriving tomorrow as the featured playlist for the next week, featuring a range of modes that will be playable on Forest and Solitude, so you’ll have the opportunity to jump straight into this new map and start slaying.



Let’s see how well you remember this dance…

Solitude Preview | Season 4

Season 4: Infection Launch

Since the beginning of the year we’ve been collecting
feedback from ranked players and working on updating our strategy to start
addressing some of the biggest topics. Today, we’re going to shed light on some
key updates that we’re making to Ranked Rotationals specifically and what you
can expect from them for the rest of the year. As always, our goal is to
deliver the best experience that we can to you, the players – and so we will be
continuing to monitor feedback and make adjustments as we go. 



Note that today we’re NOT going to be talking about the Ranking System and Ranked Matchmaking, this will be mostly focused on the experience offerings and content. 



To start, here are the key themes around feedback that we’ve
been seeing:



<ul><li>“Rotationals are too short, I barely even have
time to finish my placement matches and play a few games before it’s gone.”</li><li>“These playlists should just be permanent.”</li><li>“We want [Insert Playlist Here]”</li><li>“Ranked Arena should not be just HCS maps and
modes”</li><li>“When are we going to see more Community maps in
Ranked”</li></ul>



When we looked at all this feedback we knew that we weren’t going to be able to address everything all at once. We can’t just add 10+ more playlists, have them all be permanent, and then also instantly just add more maps to everything. So, in order to address as much of this feedback as possible, we’ve gone ahead of reworked our Ranked Rotational strategy in order to deliver the best experience that we can to players. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Updated Rotational Length</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1024x576-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-70066" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1024x576-1.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1024x576-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_Ranked_TeamDoubles_1920x1080-1024x576-1-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Starting with Season 4, we’ve updated the length of rotationals from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. What we hope to do with this change is provide more time for folks to sink their teeth into the experience, actually get placed and have plenty of time to rank up. Ideally by the end of the month, players feel like they got their fill with this experience, they’ve reached a high rank that they’re satisfied with, and are ready for the next rotational to be slotted in. Ranks will still reset with each game season.



Due to the length of rotationals, this also means that you’ll be seeing your favorite rotationals less often. We know this is already something are players are passionate about (see feedback above around more permanent ranked playlists). However, again, we hope 4 weeks is enough time to get your fill and then we can bring it back later once you’ve grown hungry for that experience again. And when we do bring it back, we are committed to ensuring there is always going to be fresh content for you to play so that the playlist offering is evolving over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Updated Rotationals</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_RankedSlayer_4K-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-70010" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_RankedSlayer_4K-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_RankedSlayer_4K-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_RankedSlayer_4K-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_RankedSlayer_4K-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_RankedSlayer_4K-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/Playlist_RankedSlayer_4K-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



As part of our strategy update, we’re going to bring in some new rotationals into the mix and we are going to be saying goodbye to others. 



Our first new addition will be
Ranked Slayer.



Ranked Slayer: First to 50
kills wins. Assault Rifle primary, Bandit Rifle secondary. Radar is enabled.
Friendly fire is enabled.



Maps:



<ul><li>Forest (New Map for Season 4)</li><li>Aquarius</li><li>Argyle</li><li>Bazaar</li><li>Behemoth</li><li>Detachment</li><li>Empyrean</li><li>Live Fire</li><li>Recharge</li><li>Streets</li><li>Starboard</li><li>Catalyst</li><li>Cliffhanger</li></ul>



This playlist has been requested for a while and we’re excited to announce that not only is this playlist on the way but is also the first rotational to start Season 4 starting on June 20. Our hope is that this playlist provides a fair and balanced home for players who like to compete but don’t feel like Ranked Arena is quite the experience they’re interested in. At the same time, we wanted the experience to scale up for when high skilled players are playing against other high skilled players.



Finally, many players just like
to focus on getting kills and that’s why this playlist will only feature Slayer
on a variety of 343 and community-made maps, which will expand over time.



Returning rotationals:



<ul><li>Ranked Doubles</li><li>Ranked Snipers</li><li>Ranked Tactical Slayer (SWAT)</li></ul>



Retired Rotationals:



<ul><li>Ranked FFA</li><li>Ranked Survivors</li><li>Ranked Lone Wolves</li><li>Ranked Elimination</li></ul>



Why are
these being retired? There were a couple main reasons that went into our
decision to retire these rotational playlists. 



<ol><li>From a population and engagement standpoint, these performed significantly worse than the others. And while we know there’s a passionate community that enjoys playing these, we need to ensure that there’s enough interest to maintain a strong matchmaking experience where players can find matches in a timely manner, play on lower ping, and against opponents of similar skill. </li><li>At the moment, our strategy remains that there will be Ranked Arena and then 1 Ranked Rotational live at all times. Because of that and because of our increase from 2 weeks to 4 weeks in terms of length, we simply had to remove some in order for the most popular rotationals to come back around more often. </li></ol>



At the same time, we are working on ways where some of these playlists and experiences with cult followings can return, but do so in a way that brings more excitement to them than in the past (and thus more players) and fits into this updated rotational strategy. Stay tuned for more information later this year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Community Maps</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="560" height="320" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/thumbnail.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-70052" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/thumbnail.jpg 560w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/thumbnail-300x171.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px" /><figcaption>Starboard by PWN Jones</figcaption></figure></div>



With regards to Community maps specifically, we are integrated into the main playlists processes so that we can also see what maps are being considered already for social matchmaking (like Starboard, for example). This will help us identify even more good ranked candidates, not just for Ranked Arena, but other playlists like Doubles, Snipers, and more. Over the course of the year, you should start to see more and more Community made maps entering the Ranked Playlists. 



Be sure to follow all of the guidelines already established for social playlists <a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/14796740242708">HERE</a> but also be sure to tag <a href="https://twitter.com/RichieHeinz">@RichieHeinz</a> on Twitter who will be working on bringing more Community maps into Ranked.  



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



If you weren’t watching the Halo Infinite Season 4 Preview livestream on Friday, you may have missed that we just launched Ranked Leaderboards right here on Waypoint. Head to <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-infinite/leaderboards/csrseason3-1/edfef3ac-9cbe-4fa2-b949-8f29deafd483">Halo.gg/Ranked</a> to see it in action. 



Some key pieces of info:



<ul><li>All Ranked Playlists will be tracked each on a per season basis. </li><li>At the moment, only Onxy players will appear on the leaderboards. </li><li>Each leaderboard will “refresh” on a weekly basis on Thursdays. This means that if you’re in Onyx, you will not appear on the leaderboards until you play at least one game after each Thursday refresh. This is to ensure that people aren’t squatting on the leaderboard but rather have to continue to play. </li><li>Sign in is not required to view the leaderboards</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="592" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/image-1024x592.png" alt="" class="wp-image-70038" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/image-1024x592.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/image-300x173.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/image-768x444.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/06/image.png 1516w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Best of luck to all players!



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



We’re very excited about the
direction that Ranked will be going in starting with Season 4 and beyond,
including a meta shift coming after the Halo World Championship 2023. As
always, we here to listen to players and deliver the best experience that we can
so your feedback throughout this year is very much appreciated. 



See you online!



Thanks,



Tashi

Tashi

Ranked Rotationals Update