Prior to the launch of Halo Infinite in 2021, Xbox fans were very excited for a new era of Halo multiplayer, especially when it contained consumer-friendly features like free-to-play online access and battle pass progression that never expired. Over the course of the game's life cycle, Halo Infinite has had a mixed reception overall - but that battle pass feature is being remembered fondly after two huge 2024 titles have now copied it.
The recently-released Marvel Rivals and Sony PlayStation's Helldivers 2 have been some of the biggest live service games of the last year-or-so, and they both feature battle pass-like progression systems that don't have a time limit. These two new releases have gotten some recognition online for this feature - with Xbox fans quick to remind folks that it was actually 2021's Halo Infinite that implemented it first.
There are absolutely loads of ongoing live service games out there these days, so this sort of never-ending battle pass feature has been implemented elsewhere since Halo Infinite's launch. For now though, Marvel Rivals and Helldivers 2 are getting lots of credit for allowing players to take their time when tackling battle pass progression - even though 343 pioneered the move.
Still, it's pretty cool to see fans shout out the 2021 Xbox title for trying this first - in the end, Halo Infinite multiplayer probably got a lot less recognition than it ultimately deserved. The team is still delivering updates as well, even with its recent rebranding to 'Halo Studios' over at Microsoft HQ.
Does Halo Infinite deserve some love for this feature? Talk to us about all of this down below.
Comments 15
Still, it's pretty cool to see fans shout out the 2021 Xbox title for trying this first
Pretty cool indeed. Alas nothing its a first unless is done by a company unrelated to Xbox/Microsoft😉...
Halo Infinite was a great game that simply lacked content at launch and for a very long time afterwards. This feature was a big deal for a minute, and then collectively the internet has tried to retroactively change the narrative to the game being bad from the start. Reviewers loved it, and gamers loved it giving it the player voted GOTY at the dorito pope award show.
Yeah this needs to be the standard. Games like Fortnite are starting to feel the sting of relying on FOMO as there's loads of new and returning players who'd happily pay big bucks for some of the old Battle Pass content (Iron man, Darth Vader, etc.) but can't.
Though now they've been starting to put old content in the cash shop to the cries of long time players.
Live service games can do one. They're all trying to be the next fornite cash cow. Any praise directed at Halo Infinite for making a play into this field just saddens me.
It 100% could have worked for them, but they should have cooked it for at least another year before releasing. Releasing with rapid battle passes would have been entry level live service, hut they dropped that ball big style, what was it? 8 months before season 2? Being able to revisit a battle pass when you'd been given godly amounts of time to complete one completely negates the feature. Much as I love Halo, they don't deserve the credit for a feature negated by their own inaction.
Let's all be honest. Battle pass existence is an absolute bane to gaming. Period.
Granted I'm not knocking anyone that enjoys paying $30-$50 for battle passes that give them a skin to use - - for FIRST PERSON shooter - - it's really their choice. Guess lot of shooters today have numerous mirrors in game I was not aware of.
I'm still popping back into Infinite from time to time. Aside from Black Ops 6, its my favorite PVP FPS. (Almost) nothing else out there feels quite as good to play, even in 2025.
@GuyinPA75 Once upon a time, I agreed with you. Alas, some of us have mild gambling problems and friends that we're constantly needing to 1-up.
That's what happens when you alienate your audience like Halo has.
People generally stop caring about it.
I had no idea battle passes expire. Seems like a slimy thing to do, anyway.
MCC did it first?
@Jenkinss who the heck is the internet
@Jark
Halo Infinite is the best Halo game 343 has made but it will never receive the recognition it deserves.
@Jenkinss that would've been a great answer, had I not felt that this practice takes synecdoches and metonymy too far. We the people who spend time online do not*compose* (not comprise) a collective called the "Internet." Ever.
@Jark There's a general sentiment/narrative that builds on the "Internet." It's composed of all of us even if we disagree. For example, I completely disagree with the narrative "the internet" built for Halo Infinite months after its launch.
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