Halo Infinite News

The first free event for Halo Infinite, Fracture: Tenrai, begins today!

Featuring the samurai-inspired Yoroi armor core and other themed rewards, the free 30-tier Event Pass is available now alongside a limited time playlist and event-specific challenges. This is the first of six total appearances Fracture: Tenrai will make over the course of Season 1, with its next appearance coming in January 2022.

But before we get into the nitty-gritty of things, we wanted to make sure to answer some of your bigger questions. For those looking for a bit more background on how Fracture events sit in the larger Halo universe, we’ve reached out to our Franchise Team to provide a bit more context.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


One of the things that you might be immediately curious about is how the items seen in the various Fractures relate to the core canon of the Halo universe. Fractures are divergent Halo universes or timelines, but for the most part, they all orbit the same themes. Each particular Fracture can share a variety of elements in common with core canon, but recast in a different light or interpreted in a new way. It was important to maintain key touchstones so that they all remain authentic to Halo, whether the Fracture happened to have dragons or was simply a twisted timeline that saw a markedly different outcome.

The first Fracture for Halo Infinite is called “Tenrai,” where blessed suits of YOROI are forged using ancient karakuri arts from the raw energies of the land—each hand-crafted for eager young samurai of unimpeachable honor to defend their clan and lands from the barbaric Covenant invaders. This is an example of the world-building “seed” used to inspire a particular Fracture theme — a small overview that gives a flavor of what’s possible in this alternate reality, with further details sprinkled throughout the in-game lore strings that accompany various customization items associated with their respective theme.

The Fracture: Tenrai – Fiesta playlist will give players plenty of ways to unleash chaos.

Embroiled in bitter clan wars for generations, the warlords of the Tenrai Fracture now stand united against the invading Covenant barbarians. Forced into an alliance against the relentless Covenant and their colossal glass dragons, the 343 clans of the Imperial Court have shared once-secret knowledge to create new armor and weapons forged by mortal hands but blessed with divine force. It is through these new tools of war, unimpeachable honor, and peerless skill that the clans will fight and win against the invaders and reclaim the seven provinces lost to their depredations.


The Fracture: Tenrai Event Pass is 100% free and offers players themed, limited time rewards for playing multiplayer matches and completing event challenges while the event is live. During event weeks it will appear in your season progress menu between the battle pass and challenges. The Fracture: Tenrai Event Pass will be available for one week from Tuesday, November 23 at 10am PST until Monday, November 30 at 10am PT. However, unlike other events , Fracture: Tenrai will appear a total of six times throughout the season, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to complete all 30 reward tiers of the Event Pass.

Reward tiers are unlocked by completing Event Challenges.


Progress on the Event Pass is made by completing Event Challenges which you can find on your challenges page marked with a red banner. Completing an Event Challenge will unlock an event pass tier reward, and by completing each event challenge, you will progress through the event pass. Once you have completed all available Event Challenges in a given week you will have progressed as far as possible until the next Fracture: Tenrai event.

These challenges center around the event playlist Fracture: Tenrai - Fiesta: the chaotic and fun spawn-with-random-weapons Arena experience. You can expect to play on a full suite of Arena maps including Aquarius, Recharge, Streets, and Behemoth to name just a few.


As mentioned, the Event Pass is entirely free and rewards player participation in Fracture: Tenrai over the course of multiple recurrences, meaning that your progress on this pass will carry over week-to-week.

On top of the Legendary Yoroi Armor core, players can expect to unlock the following as part of the Event Pass:

• Torii Reflection – Epic Backdrop
  
• Gatekeeper – Legendary Shoulder Pads
  
• Rare Samurai Nameplate & Emblems
  
• Sol Devil – Legendary Weapon Coating (MA40 AR)
  
• Whispered Sky – Epic Weapon Coating (Sidekick and BR75 Battle Rifle)
  
• Spring Blossom Filter – Legendary Helmet Attachment
  
• Swordsman’s Belt – Legendary Utility for Yoroi Armor Core
  

Players can find this in the Backdrop section of their Spartan ID.

To celebrate the start of this event we are also going to be gifting all players who login the legendary Fracture backdrop which players can equip as part of their Spartan ID. Jump in anytime during this first week of Fracture: Tenrai to receive it.

In addition to the Free Event pass, players can earn additional Samurai-themed items by completing this week’s Ultimate Challenge.

The Halo Infinite shop will also feature limited time, premium Samurai-themed cosmetics.


The Fracture: Event touches and inspires more than just the Event Pass, you will also see its influence across the weekly Ultimate Challenge and in-game store offerings.

[h3]Ultimate Reward[/h3]
Event Challenges will not replace all standard weekly challenges, and you can still progress towards the weekly Ultimate Reward. Willow Tea, an armor coating for the Mark VII armor core, will be the Ultimate Reward for the week of November 23 and is just as lovely (and samurai-inspired) as the items you can find in the Event Pass.



[h3]In-Game Shop[/h3]
While both the Event Pass and weekly challenges offer cosmetics, for those looking for even more options the in-game shop is the place to go. The shopfront will also be themed for Fracture: Tenrai, and you can expect to find additional offerings there throughout the week. Whether these are bundles with unique coatings and accessories, or additional emblems, there will be plenty to consider. The store will receive new batches of content every time Fracture: Tenrai comes back over the course of Season 1.




This first week of Fracture: Tenrai will close on Tuesday, November 30 as part of our regular Tuesday rotation, but it will return in early January 2022. So, you will have plenty more chances to get the Yoroi armor core and progress that free Event Pass with incredible samurai-inspired cosmetics.

The ultimate goal of Fractures is to be a springboard for new (and fun!) experiences, both in-game and out. Each one is an experiment in storytelling and art style, which we hope inspires our fans and gets them thinking about their own Halo Fractures!

Events are a key component of the multiplayer experience, and this Fracture is just one part of that larger whole; stay tuned for information on future events and content coming soon to Halo Infinite. And, to keep up to date on all Halo news, check out our official social channels (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) or join the community over on Waypoint and Discord.

[h2]Resolved Issues[/h2]
An update for the Halo Infinite multiplayer beta was released on November 19th, 2021, at 8 AM PT. The following improvements and fixes were included in this update:

• Halo Credits purchased outside of Steam, for example in the Microsoft Store, are now reflected when playing Halo Infinite on Steam
  
• Oddball rounds now have a 5-minute timer in matchmaking
  
• Stability improvements in Big Team Battle matches
  
• Various service-related improvements
  

Expected download size for the update is 130mb here on Steam.

This update must be installed to continue playing online. For instructions on how to download this update, please refer to How to update Halo Infinite.

[h2]Challenge and Progression Changes[/h2]
The team made several Challenge and progression updates on November 18th, 2021. Players now earn XP by completing matchmade games. The "Play 1 Game" Daily Challenge is worth 50 XP each match. The pool of available Challenges was also updated to better serve players of all skill levels.

XP Boosts were increased to 1 hour. The in-game tooltip may continue to show 30 minutes, but the Boost's timer will start from 60 minutes once activated.

The team also resolved issues with the following Challenges that meant progress was not tracked:

• Heat of the Moment
  
• It Bears Repeating
  
• Jorge Would Be Proud
  
• Ultra Tech

[h2]Login Reward[/h2]
All players who sign-in between November 23-30 will receive this week's Ultimate Reward: The Sigil Mark VII Visor.

On behalf of the entire Halo Infinite team, and in celebration of Halo’s 20th anniversary, I am very happy to announce that your Spartan journey begins… today! Sincerest thanks to the entire Halo community for your support, passion, and feedback. This day belongs to all of you. Whether you’ve been part of the community from the beginning or are joining with us today, welcome! Please read on or jump directly to the Halo Infinite multiplayer beta download link HERE.

Why is this release a beta? Our previous Multiplayer Technical Previews went a long way to battle-testing our services and infrastructure. But as we prepare for a significant increase in the number of players jumping into Halo Infinite on launch day, December 8th, we want to ensure all our systems are good-to-go. While you may experience some bumps and bugs during this beta period, it does mark the official start of Halo Infinite Season 1, with all day-one maps and modes enabled as well as the full Season 1 Battle Pass. This means all the Battle Pass and customization items you earn or purchase during the beta will stay with you after December 8th.

When you start playing the beta, you will notice in the Battle Pass UI that Season 1 will last from now until May 2022, which is a change from our original goal of shipping a new Season every three months. We made the decision to extend Season 1 to give ourselves more time to ensure Season 2 meets our high quality bar and so we can finish development for Season 2 in a healthy and sustainable way for our team.

Importantly, with the Season 1 extension, we aren’t just stretching-out our original Season 1 plan. Indeed, we took this opportunity to add additional events, customization items and other content to Season 1 to make it an even richer experience from start to finish. For example, starting today and through the first week, you can log-in to Halo Infinite to unlock a free collection of 20th anniversary themed cosmetics. Following this free reward period, the start of our Season 1 opening event, “Fracture: Tenrai”, will kick off on November 23. This will be your first of multiple opportunities to earn Season 1’s samurai-themed armor pieces and other customization items.

In January, after all of you have had a chance to play Halo Infinite’s expansive and adventure-filled campaign starting December 8th, and all of us on the Halo Infinite team have had an opportunity to recharge our energy shields over the holidays, we will have more details to share about the Season 1 event calendar as well as our Season 2, campaign co-op, and Forge release plans.

Again, sincere thanks to all of you in the Halo community for joining with us to celebrate this 20th anniversary milestone. We are incredibly excited to have reached this first step on our Halo Infinite adventure, and we can’t wait to share more about where your Spartan journey goes from here.

– Joseph Staten, Head of Creative, Halo Infinite

[h2]Begin Your Spartan Journey
[/h2]
Halo Infinite’s free to play multiplayer beta is available on Xbox and PC beginning today! Jump in to experience the next era of Halo multiplayer including the all-new Academy, Arena, Big Team Battle, and the complete Season 1 Battle Pass. Your progress, cosmetics, unlocks, and multiplayer stats will all carry-over when Halo Infinite officially launches on December 8.

Download and Play Now!

[h3]Academy[/h3]
New recruits and returning veterans alike will start their journey via the Academy under the watchful eye of Spartan Commander Agryna. After you select your own personal AI and complete a basic tutorial, suit up and take advantage of the Academy to prepare for battle before venturing into matchmaking.

Halo Infinite personal AI in the Academy

Get acquainted with your Spartan’s arsenal via Weapon Drills and square off against Bot targets to hone your skills. Do you have what it takes to achieve a 3-star rating and outscore your friends? Share your results on Twitter and show us what you’ve got!

Training Mode is a great way to get familiar with each of Halo Infinite’s multiplayer maps while putting your weapon and equipment skills to the test in a highly customizable experience with Bots.

[h2]Season 1: Heroes of Reach[/h2]
Halo Infinite’s first season, “Heroes of Reach”, begins today and runs through May 2, 2022. Infinite’s Battle Pass offers free and premium tracks accounting for more than 100 unlockable items. If you purchase a Halo Infinite Premium Battle Pass, it will not expire – so if you jump in later in the season or can’t complete it by May, no worries – you’ll be able to progress on your own terms. Start playing today and begin building your own personal Spartan by unlocking additional armor pieces, weapon charms, visors, coatings, emblems, Armor FX, and more!

Halo Infinite S1 Heroes of Reach battle pass example

And, keeping true to this season’s theme, you’ll be able to unlock armor kits for each of the original heroes from Halo: Reach. Which Noble Team member will you rep online?

Emile armor kit from Halo Infinite S1

[h3]Face the Challenge[/h3]
Complete daily and weekly challenges to earn XP and unlock free and premium content throughout the Battle Pass. Challenge Swaps can be used to replace a challenge and you can apply XP Boosts to temporarily earn double experience points for each challenge you complete.

Once you complete all of your weekly challenges, a special Ultimate Reward challenge will unlock and completing this will earn you a free cosmetic reward each and every week. Weekly challenges will reset every Tuesday so don’t miss out on these special, free rewards! To read more about challenges and overall Spartan progression, check out the September 2021 edition of our Inside Infinite blog series.

Halo Infinite Ultimate Reward visor

[h3]Halo Waypoint[/h3]
Keep track of your challenge progress, manage your Spartan customization, monitor your multiplayer stats and more here on the new Halo Waypoint website and via the mobile app (available on iOS and Android). Learn more about the new Waypoint experience HERE.

[h2]Matchmaking Overview[/h2]
Once you’re ready to heed the call of battle, gear up and jump into matchmaking to test your mettle against players around the world in the 4v4 Arena (Bot, Social, and Ranked) or 12v12 Big Team Battle offerings. If matchmaking isn’t your cup of tea, grab some friends and jump into custom games (online or via local splitscreen) with maps and settings of your choice.

[h3]All for One[/h3]
Halo Infinite is the first title in the series to launch simultaneously on Xbox and PC and features support for cross-generation, cross-platform, and cross-input play. No matter which platform you’re on – or whether you use a controller or mouse and keyboard – there are no barriers to playing together. And, with cross-progression support, you can move between console or PC and seamlessly retain your progression, stats, and more.

First person screenshot from Blueprint multiplayer map

[h3]Playlists[/h3]
As part of Halo Infinite’s multiplayer beta launch today, we’re excited to debut our matchmaking playlist lineup. In this section you can read up on the playlists, their settings, and the map and mode pairings you’ll find within each one.

Our approach to Halo Infinite’s launch playlists was fairly simple – start with a focused offering to ensure healthy matchmaking and be prepared to adjust as needed. It is truly a live game, so we will be monitoring all playlists, including event playlists, to see which ones are performing well and which ones aren’t. Using that data, combined with player feedback, we will be able to identify opportunities to add or remove playlists (or even certain map and mode pairings within a playlist), to ensure a quality experience when playing Halo Infinite matchmaking. Launch is just the beginning – Halo Infinite’s online multiplayer experience will grow and evolve over time!

Without further ado, here are the launch playlists for multiplayer:

[h3]Big Team Battle[/h3]
Featuring 12v12 combat on large maps with a wide array of vehicles, Halo Infinite brings the beloved Big Team Battle experience to new heights.

• Capture the Flag on Fragmentation, Highpower, Deadlock
  
• Slayer on Fragmentation, Highpower, Deadlock
  
• Total Control on Fragmentation, Highpower, Deadlock
  
• Stockpile on Fragmentation, Highpower, Deadlock
  

Image from a multiplayer game picturing a large cannon, turret, and a warthog

[h3]Quick Play[/h3]
Enter the Arena with an MA40 AR & Mk50 Sidekick and play 4v4 matches for fun.

• Capture The Flag on Aquarius, Bazaar, Behemoth
  
• One Flag CTF on Launch Site
  
• Oddball on Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  
• Slayer on Aquarius, Bazaar, Behemoth, Launch Site, Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  
• Strongholds on Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  

[h3]Bot Bootcamp [/h3]
Hone your skills and practice new strategies in 4v4 matches that pit players against Bots.

• Capture The Flag on Aquarius, Bazaar, Behemoth
  
• Oddball on Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  
• Slayer on Aquarius, Bazaar, Behemoth, Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  
• Strongholds on Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  

[h3]Event Playlists[/h3]
Throughout Halo Infinite’s seasons, there will be events that feature special playlists, challenges, and free rewards. In general, an event will be available from one to multiple weeks, offering plenty of time to enjoy the playlist, go after challenges, and unlock its rewards.

Fracture: Tenrai, which will be Halo Infinite’s first event, kicks off next week on November 23. To learn more about it, be sure to read its section further below.

[h3]Ranked Arena (Controller | Solo/Duo) (KBM | Solo/Duo) (Cross-input | Up to full parties)[/h3]
Start with a BR75 (Battle Rifle), Combat Sensor disabled, friendly fire on, grenade hitmarkers disabled, and static item spawns in these competitive 4v4 settings.

• Capture The Flag on Aquarius, Bazaar, Behemoth
  
• Oddball on Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  
• Slayer on Aquarius, Bazaar, Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  
• Strongholds on Live Fire, Recharge, Streets
  

Halo Infinite S1 ranked emblems and nameplates

Within Ranked Arena, players may select between Controller Solo/Duo Queue, KBM Solo/Duo Queue, and cross-input with any party size. We believe that the Solo/Duo queue options will provide a home for competitive players who want to face off against opponents with nearly the exact same team composition as them. On the other hand, the cross-input option with no party size limit provides an opportunity for players to see how they stack up against people with different input types or full squads of similar skill.

We’ll share a deeper dive into the inner-workings of Halo Infinite’s ranking system soon. In the meantime, jump in, get your placement matches in, and start climbing that ladder!

For more competitive Halo goodness, read about the upcoming Halo Infinite esports program, Raleigh Major 2021, and be sure to follow @HCS on Twitter.

Oddball multiplayer screenshot

[h2]Celebrating 20 Years of Halo[/h2]
On this day 20 years ago, Halo: Combat Evolved launched alongside the original Xbox and forever changed the gaming landscape. To celebrate this historic occasion, and as a special token of gratitude to Halo fans around the world, we’re excited to offer free commemorative rewards to everyone who plays this week. Simply log in any time by November 22 and you’ll automatically receive the following exclusive items in your in your cosmetic inventory:

• Platinum Anniversary Coatings (Armor, AR, and Warthog)
  
• I Love Bees Emblems
  
• “Assembled” Emblems
  
• Blue Team Weapon Charm
  
• Heart Emblem Set
  

Halo 20th Anniversary rewards available in Halo Infinite

[h2]Fracture: Tenrai[/h2]
In addition to the regular matchmaking playlist options noted above, Halo Infinite will feature special events at various times throughout the season. Events will often include a featured, special playlist and an event-specific Pass with unique rewards.

The first event, Fracture: Tenrai, is scheduled to begin on November 23 and will run for one week. This FREE event will include the Yoroi (Samurai) armor core and an Event Pass that can be progressed while the event is active. The Fracture: Tenrai event will return multiple times throughout the season, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to earn and adorn your armor. Additionally, special Yoroi-specific premium customization offerings will be featured in the store during the event.

We’ll share more details about future Fracture: Tenrai dates and additional Season 1 events once the dust has settled from launch on December 8.

Artistic render of Halo Infinite "Yoroi" armor from Fracture: Tenrai event

[h2]Halo Support[/h2]
With help from Halo Insiders, the team was able to learn a lot and make great strides to overall launch readiness but given the huge increase in scope with today’s beta launch, there could be some bumps on the road to launch on December 8. Please visit the Halo Support site to get more insights and valuable resources. You can find Known Issues, installation instructions, new player guides, and everything else Halo Infinite MP beta related by visiting aka.ms/HaloInfiniteUpdate. And, be sure to follow @HaloSupport on Twitter for important updates.

If you encounter a bug or issue that isn’t called out on the Known Issues list, please file a support ticket which is hugely helpful for the team to track and investigate.

[h3]PC Recommended Specs[/h3]
For the optimal PC experience please ensure your machine at least meets the minimum requirements noted below. For more insights into the work 343 Industries has done to deliver a native, best-in-class PC experience, check out our PC Overview.

Halo Infinite PC hardware specs

[h2]Adventure Awaits[/h2]
Master Chief faces the Banished and seeks to unravel the mysteries of Zeta Halo when the most expansive Halo campaign to date arrives on December 8 for Xbox, Windows PCs, and Steam. Multiplayer fans should take note that over the course of the campaign, you will unlock additional customization items for your personal Spartan.

Check out the Halo Infinite Campaign Overview to learn more and head HERE to pre-order!

Sweeping views of Zeta Halo from Halo Infinite Campaign

[h2]Thank You![/h2]
On behalf of the entire team at 343 Industries and all of our partners around the globe – thank you for your continued support! Your passion for Halo is a constant source of inspiration and we’re eager to start the next leg of our Halo Infinite journey together and continue evolving season after season in partnership with our players.

We’ll see you online, Spartans!

[h3]Additional Reading & Resources[/h3]
Join the Halo Insider Program for a chance to participate in pre-release previews/flights, share insights via surveys, and stay informed about Halo happenings. Help shape the future of Halo!

Check out the the Campaign, competitive gameplay, live-action marketing videos, and more on YouTube:

• Halo Infinite Campaign Overview
• Halo Infinite PC Overview
• Multiplayer Season 1 Cinematic Intro
• Halo Infinite Competitive Settings/Gameplay Reveal
• UNSC Archives: Unspoken
• UNSC Archives: Project Magnes
• UNSC Archives: Lightbringers
• “The Banished Rise”
• Halo Infinite Esports Official Partnered Teams Reveal

Go behind the scenes and hear from members of the team about their work on Halo Infinite in our “Inside Infinite” blog series:

• Sandbox
• Campaign
• Audio
• PC
• Live and Waypoint vNext
• Flighting
• Multiplayer and Bots
• Big Team Battle, Academy, and Progression
• Characters & UXUI

Read about key feedback themes and the team’s responses from the Halo Infinite Multiplayer Technical Previews: Outcomes 1 | Outcomes 2

Join the conversation and stay up to date by following Halo on social and web:

• @Halo Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• @HCS on Twitter
• @HaloGear on Twitter
• @HaloSupport on Twitter
• Halo Waypoint Forums
• Official Halo Discord server

Welcome to our latest installment of Inside Infinite – our monthly blog series devoted to celebrating some of the tremendous work happening to bring Halo Infinite to life. So much has happened since we kicked this off back in December and we’re so grateful to have you with us on this journey. We’ve covered a lot of ground together over the past 9 months digging into Halo Infinite’s development and getting to know some of the talented people across the team. We’re super eager to be in the final stretch now, with our December 8 launch quickly approaching, but there are still stories to be told.

This month we’re excited to welcome members of the UXUI and Character Teams to share insights about their work on Halo Infinite. But, before we jump into that, if you haven’t yet seen the recently released Campaign Overview video, you should stop what you’re doing and give it a watch!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

If this is your first time joining us, be sure to check out our past blogs to learn even more about the work going into our most ambitious Halo game yet:

• Art, Graphics, and Live
• Sandbox
• Campaign
• Audio
• PC
• Live and Waypoint vNext
• Flighting
• Multiplayer and Bots
• Big Team Battle, Academy, and Progression

For even more Halo Infinite goodness, be sure to check out our recent PC Overview or if Competitive Multiplayer is more your speed, don’t miss the Competitive Settings/Gameplay Reveal!

To kick things off, we’re joined by several folks on the Halo Infinite Character Team to talk about their approach and process to create some of the familiar and brand-new characters seen in the Campaign Overview video. Then, we’ll switch things up and hear from members of the UXUI Team to learn about their broad range of work and contributions to the game. Lastly, to wrap things up, we’ll get another quick rundown of Tales from the Trenches and welcome back Joseph Staten, Head of Creative, for some closing thoughts.

This month we really are pushing the limits of “how much blog is too much blog?” so, get comfy - we’ve got another heaping dose of behind-the-scenes info and beautiful visuals in store, so without further ado, let’s talk characters!

[h2]Character Study[/h2]
Whether it’s our favorite super soldier, a menacing cloaked Elite, supportive Marines, or wise-cracking Grunts, the characters of Halo connect us to the stories, adventures, and gameplay we’ve come to know and love for nearly 20 years. This month we sat down with a few members of the Character Team at 343 Industries to learn more about their work, their approach, and how they are bringing familiar and brand-new characters to life in Halo Infinite’s expansive Campaign.