Well, rumours were abound over the past few days that it was perhaps gonna happen and finally, during last night's Xbox 20th Anniversary stream, Halo Infinite's multiplayer mode did indeed drop a full three weeks earlier than originally scheduled.
The mode, which was due to launch on December 8th, immediately drew huge interest from fans and even managed to hit the lofty heights of 272k concurrent players over on Steam during its first few hours live, making it Xbox Game Studios' most successful title of all time on the platform. Not too shabby for a Monday evening, folks.
There were a few teething problems on Xbox, with some players being met with a blue screen upon launching the game - a problem quickly solved by hard-resetting your console and updating the Halo Infinite launcher - but overall, from what we've seen through social media and from our own time spent blasting through the twelve modes currently on offer, this one is off to a very positive start.
As you can see from that last tweet above, there has also been a little criticism on social media and on Reddit, with regards to the game's Battle Pass progression system as it currently operates. Some players were quick to jump online to complain that the grind here is just a little too slow and needs to be worked on in order to make things feel a little more satisfying with regards to unlocking new gear, boosts and cosmetic items.
Personally, we didn't find too much to complain about with this aspect of proceedings, we managed to unlock a new epic suit of armour on the Premium Battle Pass (which will set you back £7.99) after just four matches, but it'll be interesting to see how this works out going forward and whether 343 Industries takes note and makes some tweaks to this part of its game.
Overall though, it seems it's been a very bright start for Halo Infinite's multiplayer, the core gameplay here is fantastically tight and exciting stuff and there's plenty of modes to dig into day one. We were also very surprised that the servers managed to hold it together through the first few hours with few problems involved in jumping into matches for a blast.
With the first planned event, Fracture: Tenrai, due to launch next week, things are certainly looking good ahead of the full game's launch next month.
Have you managed to jump into Halo Infinite's multiplayer already? How are you finding the mix of game modes and is that Battle Pass progression too slow for your tastes? Let us know in the comments.
Comments 41
That Tenrai armour is just 😍🔥
Gameplay is great, graphics are great, game modes are good but the progression system is terrible. You can go 50-0 and still get no xp which means no levelling up. You're forced to do certain challenges to go through battle pass. Some of those challenges require you to play in game modes you don't like. If they just fix this and bring in a traditional levelling up system, this would honestly become the best fps Multiplayer available
Never really enjoyed the Halo MP historically but am excited to give this a go, especially after this level of praise. I will admit that if it's a case of dying ever 3 seconds it won't last long 😂
@SplooshDmg the career progression is exactly what it needs, military rankings like what Halo 3 had but judging by the wording of that post, sounds like that would be implemented in the very far future. Might be too late by then, a lot of New games could be out.
I haven't played it, waiting for campaign, and have no skin in this game. But I did notice my gaming Twitter feed take a sharp turn from the jubilation of last nights launch to a LOT of complaints about the F2P and BP aspects this morning. Hopefully they balance this a little better for those MP players.
I think it's brilliant so far! I had a blast last night with some friends. Can't wait to play more tonight. Great job 343!
I managed to show a LOT of restraint and only stayed up playing until midnight.
Same again tonight.
Same again every night 😁
The gameplay is fantastic, as expected from the flight tests. The Battle Pass progression is undoubtedly a bit slow if you're just playing organically. If you focus on completing the challenges, you can level up reasonably quickly.
I get that they want to make players really invested in getting rewards and the Battle Pass program, but it feels too much for me. The door is open to a blatant cash grab.
I had a lot of fun in my 2 losing matches. I really haven't played Halo mp in ages, so I figured I'd be rusty but I can't speak to the slow progression as I didn't really pay any attention to that aspect of it.
On the brightside, because the gameplay is amazing, if we now get a good story, then the campaign could turn out to be fantastic
I really don't know how you unlocked level 1 after 4 matches! I think I did like 10 before I got it lol maybe I'm a bit bad, but I was doing multiple challenges and that was my main complaint yesterday! The grind seems too big! For people like me with limited time it's a bummer because I don't know if I'll get the cool level 100 rewards!
Anyway, the game is good fun! The time to kill is a bit inconsistent but I had a blast playing! Everything looks great and the hook feels nice to use!
Excited for future updates!
Anyone wants to be my friend on Xbox? Mainly because of the Forza Horizon 5 drivatars lol I have literally no friends on that account cause I have no irl friends with Xbox
love the game so far, but the progression sucks.
Having some extra challenges for extra xp would be great.
But playing matches without completing a challenge leaves you with a match played that did contribute nothing to the progression. (0xp)
I think that simply completing/winning should reward some xp, just like earned medals.
@AFCC what's your gamertag?
Halo is amazing. I didn't even know about leveling and I understand the progression very little besides just doing challenges. The gameplay is amazing. The maps are amazing. Gunplay is great. I guess leveling would be cool but I don't see how it's that important. Game is fun and had me and my mates laughing and playing together.
Going to give a try after work, something like battle pass progression can easily be fixed and this is why the beta exists, to fix any problems ready for full release
I agree with the general consensus. The game is fantastic, but the progression doesn't feel good.
Just played for a half hour on my phone. Runs great in the cloud.
@Chaudy This is my biggest complaint as well. They don't even have to reward for kills or anything like that. I would be happy if they just set a baseline of 100-200 xp for completing a match. That way anyone who buys the battle pass can potentially unlock everything (with a lot of grinding) without completing all of challenges.
@AFCC what’s your tag, I’ll add you in (if I can remember how!)
Edit: just found it on your profile page, I’ll add you later 😁
@AFCC I'm not good, and i'm in the US, but i really don't have people to play with either. my gamertag is cherryghost41, if you want to add me.
just wanted to post, not sure why people are bitching its a grind the season goes till MAY!!!!!!!! you have 6 freaking months take your damn time youll finish it in 6 months....its not like its the COD one that ill never buy as that is a damn grind and you got like 45 days to do and thats a grind or you have to play modes you dont enjoy to level up by completing missions
Agreed on the progression (it's almost like achievement hunting) but lord, is it good fun rumbling around and getting up to speed (also, the lovely bots are a good way to get some killstreak confidence back when getting slapped in the main MP)
I'm not really into halo MP (I think I played Halo 3 online once for like 20 minutes back in 2009 or whatever?) so Halo doesn't drop for a few more weeks for me, and the only online games I ever really got into were TESO, Quake 1, and Splatoon, the only current online shooter I get sucked into. But what I keep reading about these F2P mechanics seems really off-putting. Granted, this whole concept of "XP" and "progression" is alien to me in an online shooter. You play a match, you win or loose, there's nothing else in there. Sure, Splatoon has "levels", "XP" and "unlocks" but it's little more than a timer to get all the weapons and then doesn't matter, after that, rank is just about W/L. I'm not quite sure I get, or am interested in RPG-ifying an FPS. But between that, and the armor packs (samurai in Halo? Ok, Japan legit would do that after an apocalypse....) but it all seems so much more Fortnite and so much less Halo. I was never going to be interested in online Halo, but these things kind of kill any spark of interest.
@Medic_Alert LOL, do you realize the entire time I've been replying to "Zag_Man" I had absolutely no idea that was you? I didn't even know you were outside NL
@SplooshDmg Fair point. Still waiting for the campaign either way, I wouldn't want to kill the newness of it by messing around in multi first. And might not really dig into it until coop is added anyway.
FH5 kills too many hours as it is. Heck, I have to finish the remaining Yakuza/Judgement series, and I'm still working on finishing all those Sony exclusives I never actually bothered finishing last gen, so I really shouldn't bother with new games until like 2029... But I will...
@SplooshDmg I "game snack" (not to be confused with "Bugsnax" which I only snacked for like 3 hours before wondering what exactly I'm doing with my life.) to paraphrase His Highness, The Exalted Lord Bezos on "information snacking." I play like 5 hours of 50 different games at once and never finish any of them unless it REALLY pulls me in.
So right now, FH5 sucked me in (I'm not even sucked in, it's just....I play and can't stop? Though I do have an Forza problem. On "Average" difficulty, I win everything without really even trying. If I bump to "Above Average", I'm crushed, Soulsborne style, and playing over and over and over moves me maybe from 11th to 10th. It kind of becomes unfun so then I go back to Average and it's too easy. But at least I stupidly grin the whole time.)
So right now there's FH5, I'm still working on GoT, technically HzD though I still never got that far in it yet....I'll get to it. I really like the game...I'm just never in the mood to play it more than anything else. I kind of just bot bored with Gawd of Boi ages ago and stopped half way through....can't really get motivated ti pick it up again. Chris Judge is the only reason I'll really pick it up again. Teal'c Reborn is too cool to miss out on. I haven't even started AC Valhalla. I have like 5 Yakazuas and 2 Judgements to go. Clock says I'm 90 hours into 0. I'm still on Majima's second chapter. The darned cabaret mini game is all consuming....but if you want the moves you need the cash and if you want the cash you need to collect all the girls. That sounds wrong. Ok, it's Yakuza, it is wrong. Meanwhile the new Skyrim graphics actually look really good! They fixed the faffing lighting. It only took 11 years and a VR version to finally figure it out. Todd's improving. It makes me want to finally finish that. But Halo drops soon. And I haven't even finished the end of DQ11. ANDOMG I'm still playing Great Ace Atty 2 and SMTV just dropped and I haven't even bought Arise, waiting for a sale, and I hate Souls but Elden Ring is actually kind of appealing and there's like 30 games in 2022 that are all games that interest me and OMGFMLMAOWOLOLO
@Medic_Alert Yeah, I remember "new butler" here/PS, and vaguely remember that name changing to zag_man at some point. But somehow never realized it was you the whole time, lol. Basically I look at the avatar, and if I see the old anime nurse one it's you, and if it's not it's not, lol
I was planning on holding out but that samurai armour event next week basically means it's getting downloaded next time the Xbox goes on
@Chaudy @AJM59 @cherryghost41 I am AFCC13. I am bad af bros, don't be mad if we do play sometime lol
Like I said I just want some drivatars on Forza, would be cool to add that
It's a perfect storm, for halo. Bf2042 has been released with bugs galore, vanguard is more of the same, warzone is plagued with cheats. Did I mention halo multiplayer awesome and it is free?? Welcome back Spartans!
@AFCC added
I agree the progression is slow especially when I am use to games like Call of Duty. Still this game is alot polished then Vanguard is right now.
@SplooshDmg I can't even dream of "highly skilled". I can't figure out how it's possible to win "above average", like, at all! : If power through the curves I hit the boards and fall behind, if I slow for the curves I fall behind, and at top speed on straight aways even in S1/S2 cars I can't catch up. And FU Major Nelson and your cheater Drivatar!
@oconnoclast No. Wait. Don't go....
Finding the Halo multiplayer....boring.
I don't play MP games but since it's on game pass I figured I try it out. It's just running around, shooting picking up flags, balls etc... Uninstalled and waiting for the campaign before I enjoy Halo the way I normally do.
I really don't understand what people see in MP games but its probably just me.
@SplooshDmg Ineresting. Must be the RPG fan in me but I pick by stats and a better speed and handling number = better. I'll have to try it. I assumed if I can't keep up with the pack in a top shelf car, I surely cant in a lower tier car. I didn't know they scale down with it.
I think its a bit too slow but its worth noting the pass is meant to last the whole season, you're not meant to do it all in a day or two its meant to last months. If you unlocked it all today then other then the upcoming events you will not be earning anything, the pass is a slow grind because its meant to be the thing you're always working towards.
Best Halo multiplayer online period in my humble opinion. Fantastic all around, have been waiting for something like this for years. Last gameplay loop that got me like this was Halo 1&2, COD4 then (kinda ashamed to admit) Paladins. Not a huge fan of COD, BF and the arena shooter hasn't been around for a long time
Leveling is way too slow. There's no reason to perform well and instead encourages just hunting after challenges.
@oconnoclast I get the disappointment but would you really not want to wait another year for whatever's dropping in 2022?
@AFCC I'll add you tomorrow when I wake up, if I see you or any of the other lads online I'll be sure to join ya and maybe add em too. Been playing halo solo lately anyway and no worries it's my first halo mp so I'm totally lost. I do not really play fh5 but if you're just looking for a drivatar to race against I believe that suffices.
@oconnoclast Totally understandable situation you find yourself in. I'll never get why people with a decent enough pc still get an xbox though. I mean optimization just becomes obsolete when you look at the difference in raw power.
Can't believe you can't get rid of it for a decent enough prize that's crazy, I'm still waiting for a ps5....
@oconnoclast aha I get it now. Well in any case please don't hold off on commenting on the site. And don't mind the yammering folks. Where do you live if I may ask where the pricing of hardware is so backwards? Or at least seems like it.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...