WhileHalo Infinitereceived widespread acclaim for its multiplayer PvP component on launch, since then players have been clamoring for more content after five months with no major updates.Season 2, titled “Lone Wolves,” will release in May, and should be a significant milestone in helping the game achieve its live-service potential. Debate continues on whetherHalo Infiniteshould receive a battle royale (BR) mode as one piece of new content, but there are pretty equal reasons why it shouldn’t have one in the first place.
Halo Infinitefinds itself in a market dominated by live-service FPS battle royales such asApex LegendsandCall of Duty: Warzone.It’s no surprise that the BR debate started as soon as it was announced thatHalo Infinitemultiplayer was free-to-play, however community feedback has been divided. This division of the community’s desires comes down to both the market the game finds itself in, and the legacy of its franchise already having plenty of unique and interesting ways to play.
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A Risky Move
While BR games and modes are extremely popular among casual and competitive players, particularly on streaming platforms, developing a BR mode for a game which has never been balanced for one is risky. Within the BR market, there have been huge hits but equally large misses.Battlefield 5’s “Firestorm,“Call of Duty’s “Blackout,” andUbisoft’s dedicated BRHyperscaperapidly decreased in popularitydespite efforts to bring them to public attention.
When the BR concept was young and popular thanks to the release of games such asPUBG, developing aHaloBR may have made sense. Now that player expectations for BR games are higher, even with the backing of major franchises, it would be a risky move forHalo Infiniteto join a saturated market. Even if it would be a popular endeavor among the community if done right, doing it wrong could cause lasting damage.
Halo’s Balancing Act
Halo Infinitealready requires consistent updates to the core game with its free-to-play model and seasonal approach. To develop a BR mode on top of this would take valuable development time away from each season, with343 industries already struggling to maintain a regular content schedule. Community feedback on the game, despite the current lack of content, has been positive. Its combination of new and oldHalosystems has madeHaloarguably as satisfying as it has ever been. So while BR modes are popular, and no doubt something thatHalo Infinitecould capitalize on, fans of the game seem to want more of what’s already there, not redevelopment into something it doesn’t need.
WhenHalo Infinitereleased, it was lauded for being a return to the franchises' roots while including new and innovative gameplay features - a massive undertaking considering its cult following among players. As it stands, the gameplay thatHalo Infinitehas seen the most praise for does not lend itself to a BR sandbox, and would require a huge undertaking to change its coveted formula.There is a case forHaloto have a BR, and there are even some hints within the game that a BR-type mode is coming, but at present it seems more feasible to build upon its strong foundations
Other BRs in the market are seeing success in diversifying their gameplay to focus on team-based alternatives, whichHalois known to excel in.Apexhas seen the popularity of Arena and Control modes thrive, the former of which is now a permanent feature and the latter likely to go the same way.Halo Infinitehas a solid foundation to build on, which 343 no doubt has long-term plans for. But that foundation would have to be built up again to establish a BR mode, even if it might be a valuable asset for the games' seasonal approach.
Halo Infiniteis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
