343 Industries has been keeping Halo Infinite gameplay close to its chest since the poor reception to its first demo last year. Today, that changed during the Xbox and Bethesda E3 showcase, with the studio showing off a decent chunk of the multiplayer this time, find the trailer above. Unfortunately, the game still doesn"t have a fixed release date attached to it, with the studio once again saying holiday 2021.
The free-to-play experience will be releasing alongside the premium campaign, and it was revealed today that both Arena and Big Team Battle modes (with 24 players) are returning. Similar to the support given to The Master Chief Collection, the studio promises continued post-launch updates for this multiplayer portion, with year one updates already in the works.
To make any inexperienced players" journey into Halo multiplayer for the first time a smoother one, the Spartan Academy is being introduced as a way to get a handle on the maps, weapons, and equipment like the new grappling hooks. AI bot matches are coming in too, giving another way to get some practice in.
As expected, Spartan Armor customization with various pieces and components will also be a big part of multiplayer. While purchasing cosmetic content will be an option alongside earning them via gameplay, 343 once again confirmed "loot boxes or elements of chance" will not be a part of Halo Infinite.
The studio will be holding technical preview events later this summer and fans can try to get a slot by signing up to be a Halo Insider. Also, you can find a deep dive of today"s multiplayer reveal over at Halo Waypoint here.
Halo Infinite is coming to PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The PC version will be available across the Microsoft Store and Steam. Plus, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to jump in to Master Chief"s boots on day one.