The recent addition of the ‘Squad Battle’ mode, an 8v8 showdown, in Halo Infinite has elicited collective cheers from fans, demonstrating that the fourth season’s fresh offerings aren’t just window dressing. This new chapter in the Halo Infinite saga comes complete with Infection mode, two brand new maps for explorers, and an exciting career ranking system for the die-hards.
Halo Infinite’s Tricky Trajectory: From Launch to Now
Halo Infinite’s journey, much like the Odyssey of old, hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing since it set sail in Holiday 2021. Positioned as Xbox’s crown jewel of first-person shooters in this new gaming era, Infinite docked amidst waves of positivity.
Related: Halo: The Master Chief Collection Lands on Steam Deck
Fans lauded the campaign mode, a first-time venture into open-world exploration for Halo, despite the disappointing absence of campaign co-op on arrival. Further raptures ensued over the game’s multiplayer fluidity, creating a hopeful anticipation for the horizon. But regrettably, the honeymoon period was short-lived.
The sluggish flow of novel content and the underwhelming first battle pass stirred frustration within the ranks of fans, as the player count began a disheartening descent. Halo Infinite has been clawing its way back to the surface ever since. Recently it was discovered that 98% of Steam players have vanished, further expressing how bad the game has been.
Now, as the fourth season unfolds, the newly launched 8v8 Squad Battle mode is proving to be a sedcret weapon for Halo Infinite. Fans old and new are donning their helmets in droves to experience this mode.
Community Creativity: The Minds Behind the Remade Maps
This exhilarating throwback to the good old days revives the traditional 8v8 Big Team Battle player count, which was the Halo standard before Infinite cranked the dial up to 12v12. The Squad Battle unfolds on a trio of iconic maps from the Halo 2 and 3 epochs, lovingly reconstructed by some of the community’s most devoted members.
Valhalla from Halo 3 is given a fresh facelift by HaiseOz to become ‘Vallaheim’, while ‘Rat’s Nest’ by Mastermetalex breathes new life into the namesake Halo 3 DLC map. Not to be outdone, Mr Kwatz has polished the Halo 2 favourite, Zanzibar, into the gleaming ‘Kusini Bay’.
This heartwarming homage to the Bungie days has sparked a surge of nostalgia among the Halo faithful and a renewed optimism towards Infinite. Even though the community-constructed maps may lack the polish of those crafted by 343 Industries, their inclusion is a strategic move given the studio’s slow march of fresh map introductions post-Infinite’s 2021 launch. The Master Chief Collection also recently got a massive update to give fans more content for their buck.
Further Reading: Halo 5 Logo Seen In New Xbox One Video
This love letter to the past, Squad Battle, is a limited-time offering, destined to make way for another novelty. But the outpouring of fan requests for this mode to secure permanent residency, along with hopes for the addition of more remastered classics from Halo 3, has revitalised the Halo community’s excitement for Infinite. The ball is now in 343’s court to harness the goodwill surrounding Squad Battle and ensure the fans’ new favourite playground doesn’t fade into the sunset.
Halo Infinite can be accessed on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
About The Author
Stephen is the proud owner of a popular gaming news website GLN, where he provides the latest updates on everything gaming-related. With a passion for video games that dates back to his childhood, Stephen is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with fellow gamers around the world.