Ever sincePUBGexploded in popularity, it seems the vast majority of major publishers have been attempting to get their own piece of the battle royale pie. Epic Games has had the most success with itsFortnitebattle royale, but Activision has also thrown its hat in the ring withCall of Duty: Warzone, and Ubisoft is also entering the BR market withHyper Scape, set to launch within the next week.
Considering how much success other companies have had in the battle royale market, it’s no surprise that there have been persistent rumors aboutHalo Infinitehaving a battle royale mode as well. While Microsoft and 343 Industries have pushed back against theHalo Infinitebattle royale rumors in the past, they won’t seem to go away, and even the Japanese store listing for the game has battle royale mentioned as a feature. It’s possible that’s just an error, but to some it would be a shame ifHalo Infinitedidn’t have a battle royale, as it could provide something truly compelling for the genre.
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With that in mind, here is how aHalo Infinitebattle royale mode could be awesome.
Classic Halo Weapons and Combat
The vast majority of battle royale games follow the example set by titles likeH1Z1andPlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. This means that they are all focused quite heavily on inventory management and the like, but aHalo Infinitebattle royalecould stand apart from the pack by dropping this aspect of the genre. Imagine taking the standardHalomultiplayer experience and dropping it onto a massive map instead of twisting it to fit the battle royale mold by bogging things down with a traditional inventory system.
An extension of that could be theHalo Infinitebattle royale mode featuring classicHalogameplay, which will emphasize skill instead of giving the advantage to players that manage to find superior armor and items. That being said, players would still findclassicHaloweaponson the battle royale map that could give them the competitive edge, like the energy sword or the rocket launcher.
Halohas many iconic weapons with unique functionality that could all help theHalo Infinitebattle royale carve out an identity of its own in the increasingly-crowded battle royale market. Seeing how these weapons perform on a larger map with battle royale-style gameplay would be interesting, to say the least.
Forge
One of the unique features in theHalofranchise is itsForge mode, which lets players essentially create their own maps in the games. Forge has continued to evolve since its introduction inHalo 3, with theHalocommunity putting together some truly impressive creations. While it hasn’t been shown in action just yet, it has been confirmed by 343 Industries and Microsoft that Forge will be returning inHalo Infinite, and it could provide a unique opportunity for the rumored battle royale mode as well.
Forge could be used to allow theHalocommunity to create their own battle royale maps, with the top maps highlighted in a special, curated playlist. This would giveHalo Infinitean edge over the competition because it would theoretically have an endless supply of new maps and experiences for players, but those wanting to stick to 343-made content could do so as well. Something like this may be a little bit too ambitious, but if 343 could pull it off, it would potentially be a huge selling point for BR fans.
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Beyond creating maps, Forge could also be used to create custom match types for theHalo Infinitebattle royale mode. Imagine a massive-scale game ofInfectionor some other uniqueHalomatch type. Assuming it’s possible to implement Forge tools on the scale necessary for this to work, Forge could really be the thing that makesHalo Infinitethe must-play battle royale when it comes out.
Halo Vehicles
WhenHalo: Combat Evolvedfirst arrived on the scene in 2001, one of the big ways that its multiplayer stood out was due to its focus on vehicular combat mixed with traditional first-person shooter gameplay. Similarly,classicHalovehiclescould really help theHalo Infinitebattle royale mode stand out, especially if flying vehicles like the Banshee are thrown into the mix. There may be some balancing issues to sort out, but it could make for an especially entertaining BR experience.
ODST
In the vast majority of battle royale games, matches start with players jumping out of a flying vehicle of some kind, usually a plane (or in the case ofFortnite, a Battle Bus). However, theHalofranchise has the perfect in-universe way to get players on the BR map.Orbital Drop Shock Troopers(ODST), an elite unit of the UNSC, are shot to the ground in specialized drop pods, and it seems like that would be a fun way forHalo Infiniteplayers to land on the map and jump into the action.
Xbox Series X Power
And finally, theHalo Infinitebattle royale could take full advantage of the next-generation power provided by Microsoft’s Xbox Series X console. It’s already been confirmed that theHalo Infinitemultiplayer will run at 120 frames per secondon Xbox Series X, and similarly, that horsepower could be used to bolster the game’s BR experience as well. Whether that be through it simply hitting that impressive 120 frames per second benchmark or featuring way more players than the standard BR game is known for.
Whether or notHalo Infinitehas a battle royale mode at all remains to be seen, but there is definitely potential for it to be something special. Fans should learn more about 343’s plans for theHalo Infinitemultiplayerexperience at some point within the next few months.
Halo Infinitelaunches this holiday season for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
