Community

Community Spotlight

Alex Wakeford

Spotlight: March 17, 2022

Games

343 INDUSTRIES

Closer Look: Halo Infinite’s Ranked Experience

Esports

HCS Major Kansas City 2022

Tac Ops Press Kit

Many of you are well on your way to (or have finished) outfitting your Yoroi samurai core. You’ve been remembering Reach through the Season 1 Battle Pass; you answered the call when Winter Contingency was declared over the holidays and carried your team to victory during the synthwave Cyber Showdown…



But now, the time has come to listen to a man considered so wise that the Spartans named a whole academy after him.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">“Get tactical, marines!” </h2>



The Tactical Ops event has been deployed, which means it’s time to grab your friends and jump into the Tactical Slayer event playlist for two weeks of headshot-tacular goodness! Your mission begins March 8 and concludes March 22 at 11am PT, so let’s get you a quick briefing.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HIS1MP_Event_Tactical_Ops_VisID_Rewards_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg" alt="A visual of the rewards that players can aim to unlock during the event. " class="wp-image-29520" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HIS1MP_Event_Tactical_Ops_VisID_Rewards_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HIS1MP_Event_Tactical_Ops_VisID_Rewards_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HIS1MP_Event_Tactical_Ops_VisID_Rewards_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HIS1MP_Event_Tactical_Ops_VisID_Rewards_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HIS1MP_Event_Tactical_Ops_VisID_Rewards_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HIS1MP_Event_Tactical_Ops_VisID_Rewards_1920x1080.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Many of you know the drill by now, but for all you greenhorns out there, listen up! We’re hot droppin’ you into an event where your speed and precision are the key to victory. You’ll be experiencing some classic Tactical Slayer gameplay (BRs, no radar, no shields, no grenades), but we’ve got a few extra surprise mode variants to mix things up a bit.



<ul><li>Tactical Slayer</li><li>Tactical Slayer Commandos</li><li>Tactical Slayer Sidekicks</li><li>Tactical Slayer Stalker Rifles</li><li>Tactical Slayer Manglers</li></ul>



In week one, your Tactical Slayer experience will feature the BR, Mangler, and Sidekick variants; in week two, Commando and Stalker Rifles will be added to the playlist lineup.



Of course, it’s not just about the modes, it’s about the glory—the recognition of your grade-A badassery that unlocks unique tactical-themed rewards for this operation. And, boy, do we have a treat for you…



Complete event challenges and unlock up to ten unique cosmetics for your Spartan, including the Mark V ZETA helmet for your Mark VII core. This new take on a beloved classic helmet is not to be missed, and it comes with a variety of other tactical gear—check it out in the image below. Additional event-themed items will be available in the Store.



Now what’re you waiting for, soldier? You know the mission. Get onto the battlefield, keep your eyes downrange, fingers on your triggers, and show the enemy the precise meaning of ‘regret.’



Bip, bap, bam!

Tactical Ops Event Launch

Community Update

International Women’s Day

Canon Fodder

Issue 125

Canon Fodder: Of Protocols and Prisons

Today we have some exciting news to share about the expansion of the HCS – particularly with the Team Partnership Program.



Before getting into that however, we know right now the competitive community has a growing list of feedback ranging from weapon balance, more maps/modes, continued updates to ranked and anti-cheat, and more. This blog is not the place to get into those details, but we felt it was still important to acknowledge this feedback and say the various teams at 343 are working diligently on everything listed above and more.



To hear more about what the studio is working on and what to expect in Season 2, head on over to the blog Joseph Staten released earlier today which can be found <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-infinite-update-march-2022">HERE</a>. Thank you for your continued support and patience!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Team Partnership Program</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29392" width="906" height="604" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 906px) 100vw, 906px" /></figure>



On the HCS league side, we’ve seen record viewership,
participation, and attendance since launch. Halo esports has never seen this
level of support and we can’t help but feel grateful to everyone in the
ecosystem from fans to players to partners who are all working together to make
Halo esports the success it’s been so far. This community has grown immensely. 



Another area that’s been a breakout success has been the Team Partnership Program and today we’re excited to announce that the program is officially expanding. In Year 2 of HCS we’re going to be adding 1-3 more partnered Teams into the program and the application window for aspiring Teams is open starting TODAY.



There are many Teams looking to get into the partnership program and while we wish we could bring them all in right away, we are committed to a slow and steady approach with a long-term vision. It’s critical that we don’t expand too quickly, and we are methodically expanding based on the metrics and success that we are seeing and proving out as we go. 



To learn more about what the application process entails, the deadlines, and how to submit, please see the form <a href="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HCS-Year-2-Partnership-Application-Form.pdf">HERE</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">UPCOMING EVENTS</h2>



As a reminder, this weekend we are hosting the HCS Supers for ANZ and MX, including an English stream for MX. All new Twitch Drops will be available all weekend long so make sure your accounts are linked and keep an eye on <a href="https://twitter.com/HCS">@HCS on Twitter</a> for more details. Later this month we’ll also be hosting the EU Super which will be the last regional final event that leads into the next live event, the Kansas City Major.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29378" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-1568x882.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The Kansas City Major will take place on April 29 – May 1 and will be an open event just like the Raleigh Major. We will have more details to share next week including information on when VIP, Spectator tickets, as well as Team Passes go on sale. As always, we will continue to monitor and adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines as we get closer to the event but based on current information we are planning to move forward with hosting the event. 



Once again, thank you to everyone in the Halo community and
ecosystem for supporting Halo esports. Growing this community and providing
amazing entertainment to watch is why we do this. 



Thanks,



Tashi



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

Tashi

HCS Team Partnership Expansion

Hey Everyone,



I’m here to answer two questions that we know are top of mind for the Halo community: “What is the Halo Infinite team working on right now?” and “When can we expect new content and features?” I’ll start with brief answers, and then get into more detail, including sharing some new info on what’s coming with Season 2.



This is the focus of the Halo Infinite team, in priority order:



1 – Addressing issues negatively impacting the player experience. 2 – Completing Season 2 and delivering it as promised on May 3rd. 3 – Continuing work on Campaign Co-Op, Forge, and Season 3.



We also have a “Priority Zero,” that undergirds everything we do, namely: team health, with an emphasis on getting ourselves into a sustainable development rhythm so that we can deliver great experiences to all of you while keeping a healthy work/life balance.



Priority Zero means that we sometimes need to move slower so that we can move faster later. Frankly, these last few months have been slower than we expected, and we sincerely thank you for your patience as we stay true to the priorities, above.



Now, let’s dive into specifics.



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



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Priority #1: Addressing Critical Issues</h2>



Since the launch of Halo Infinite, we have been carefully tracking and analyzing all critical issues negatively impacting players’ experience with the game and supporting services. The internal name we have for this process is the “Hotlist.” Every week, we refresh the Hotlist with new insights and review issue prioritization and progress toward fixes. The Hotlist serves as a vital internal planning tool for our monthly development sprints as well as the Hotfixes, Content Updates, and Seasons we deliver to you.



Some of the issues on the Hotlist are gaps in the Halo Infinite experience that we only fully understood close to launch and were unable to address at an acceptable quality bar before ship. An example of this kind of “known” Hotlist issue is “Spartan Career” aka score-based player progression. Examples of “unknown” issues at launch were vulnerabilities in our anti-cheat system and problems with BTB matchmaking that we didn’t realize existed until we launched the game at scale.



Thus far, we have prioritized acute, unknown-before-ship issues that have a widespread negative impact on the shipped experience. Some items have been addressed and cleared from the Hotlist (e.g., BTB matchmaking), some have had partial improvements but need more work (e.g., anti-cheat), and others are in active development but not-yet-released (e.g., Spartan Career, Campaign Co-Op, and Forge). We are working on a public facing version of the Hotlist, similar to what the studio did during the Master Chief Collection updates, so that all of you will have a clear and constant window into the status of Hotlist issues as we work to address them. 



In the meantime, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/" target="_blank">the Halo Support website</a> remains your best place for information and help, if you’re experiencing any issues with the game.



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



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Priority #2: Shipping Season 2</h2>



If you check your Season 1 Battle Pass, you will see that that Season 1 ends on May 2nd, and that’s because Season 2 will launch May 3rd. I’m very excited to announce the official name and theme for Season 2, which is… “Lone Wolves.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3786" height="1726" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/Halo-Infinite-Lone-Wolves.png" alt="Halo Infinite: Lone Wolves - Season 2 title card" class="wp-image-29303" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/Halo-Infinite-Lone-Wolves.png 3786w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/Halo-Infinite-Lone-Wolves-300x137.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/Halo-Infinite-Lone-Wolves-1024x467.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/Halo-Infinite-Lone-Wolves-768x350.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/Halo-Infinite-Lone-Wolves-1536x700.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/Halo-Infinite-Lone-Wolves-2048x934.png 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/Halo-Infinite-Lone-Wolves-1568x715.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 3786px) 100vw, 3786px" /></figure>



 By “theme” we mean a core idea that guides the creation of much, but not all, of a Season’s content. Lone Wolf Spartans are hunters. Trackers. They’re resourceful improvisers, operating deep in enemy territory without resupply or support. They’re fierce, rugged, and prefer to work alone—but they’re still loyal to the Spartan pack. Here’s an early peek at two of these Lone Wolves:



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_Characters_1920x1080.jpg" alt="Concept image of Lone Wolf Spartans: Sigrid Eklund and Hieu Dinh." class="wp-image-29275" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_Characters_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_Characters_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_Characters_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_Characters_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_Characters_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_Characters_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption>Concept for two of Halo Infinite‘s “Lone Wolves”, coming in Season 2.</figcaption></figure>



That’s Spartan Sigrid Eklund on the left, and Spartan Hieu Dinh on the right. You’ll learn more about them (and spend more time with <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.halopedia.org/Laurette_Agryna" target="_blank">Spartan Commander Laurette Agryna</a>) as you dive into Season 2’s story—a mix of cinematics, story-themed Events, Battle Pass items and more that embody the Lone Wolves theme.



But like I said, not all Season content is directly linked to the theme, and a prime example of this is our free Fracture armor core for Season 2. Here’s a concept of that core, and we can’t wait to show you all the customization options for it—and for the free Lone Wolves armor core.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_FractureCore_Concept_1920x1080.jpg" alt="Concept Image of Season 2 Fracture armor core." class="wp-image-29289" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_FractureCore_Concept_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_FractureCore_Concept_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_FractureCore_Concept_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_FractureCore_Concept_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_FractureCore_Concept_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_FractureCore_Concept_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption>Concept painting of the new free Fracture armor coming in Season 2.</figcaption></figure>



 During Season 2, we will also be shipping playlist updates, balance changes, new modes, and maps, specifically, one Arena map named “Catalyst” and one BTB map named “Breaker.” The new modes include “Last Spartan Standing”, a free-for-all elimination mode, as well as another new mode named “Land Grab,” plus the return of an updated, all-time favorite mode, “King of the Hill.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_BTBMap_Concept_1920x1080.jpg" alt="Concept painting of new BTB map "Breaker", coming in Season 2." class="wp-image-29247" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_BTBMap_Concept_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_BTBMap_Concept_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_BTBMap_Concept_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_BTBMap_Concept_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_BTBMap_Concept_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_BTBMap_Concept_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption>Concept painting for “Breaker,” a new Big Team Battle map coming to Halo Infinite in Season 2.</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/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_ArenaMap_Concept_1920x1080.jpg" alt="Concept paint-over of new Arena map "Catalyst", coming in Season 2." class="wp-image-29261" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_ArenaMap_Concept_1920x1080.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_ArenaMap_Concept_1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_ArenaMap_Concept_1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_ArenaMap_Concept_1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_ArenaMap_Concept_1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S2_ArenaMap_Concept_1920x1080-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption>A concept “paint over” of “Catalyst,” a new Arena map coming to Halo Infinite in Season 2.</figcaption></figure>



We will have a lot more to share about the Season 2 maps, modes, customization options, and narrative content in April, as our marketing and promotional campaign kicks into high gear.



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



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Priority #3: Work on Campaign co-op, Forge, and Season 3</h2>



We’re making great progress on Campaign network co-op. And to be clear, this work has been occurring in parallel to Season 2 work, as has our work on Forge.



But the reality is that it’s going to take more time to land a high-quality, full-featured 4-player network co-op experience in the massive, wide-open world of Halo Infinite. We’re also committed to a great 2-player split-screen co-op experience on all Xbox consoles, from the original Xbox One through Xbox Series X—and the non-linear, wide-open sections of the Campaign present some big challenges for split-screen that have taken us more time to solve.



All this means that we will not be able to ship Campaign network co-op on May 3rd, at the start of Season 2. But we are still aiming to deliver Campaign network co-op later in Season 2, and we will share a release date for that and for split-screen co-op as soon as we can.



We are also making great progress on Forge. Indeed, we are already flighting Forge to a small group of community creators and working closely with them to ensure that all of you have a terrific experience creating, sharing, browsing, and playing Forge content. In the near term, we will continue to privately flight Forge as we develop it while also planning for public flight(s) later this year. We still have the goal of shipping Forge with Season 3.



Speaking of Season 3, while the majority of the team is tackling Hotlist items, shipping Season 2, and working on Campaign co-op and Forge, there are also many folks already hard at work on Season 3. We’ll be sharing additional details and specifics on all of these development efforts at a later date.



Importantly, we’re not just planning to address Hotlist items at the start of Seasons. Similar to Update 1.1.1 that launched a little more than a week ago, we intend to ship fixes, features, and content in more agile ways, during our Seasons.



And speaking of great Seasonal content, our next Season 1 event, “Tactical Ops,” starts next week, so get set for variants on the Tactical Slayer mode along with new, Mark VII core-focused rewards to earn!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1440" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S1_TacticalOps-scaled.jpg" alt="Key image for Tactical Ops event." class="wp-image-29233" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S1_TacticalOps-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S1_TacticalOps-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S1_TacticalOps-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S1_TacticalOps-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S1_TacticalOps-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S1_TacticalOps-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HaloInfinite_S1_TacticalOps-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></figure>



On behalf of the entire team, thank you again for your patience and your passion. Please keep the feedback coming, know that we are listening and learning, and that we are working hard to deliver more Halo Infinite content that we hope you love to play.



Joseph Staten



Head of Creative, Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite Update – March 2022

Debrief 002

Silver Debrief: Unmasked

Spotlight: February 17, 2022