Halo Infiniteis by far Xbox’s biggest game releasing this year, dropping fans into the boots of gaming icon Master Chief as he tries to take down the villainous Atriox. Of course,Halo Infinite’s campaignis just half of the package. This time around, the multiplayer component is going to be free, allowing players to dive into it regardless of whether or not they buyHalo Infinite.Xbox sweetened the pot today too, announcing that Halo Infinite multiplayer is releasing earlier than anticipated.
DuringXbox’s 20th Anniversary stream, Xbox announced that Halo Infinite multiplayer will be free to download starting today, November 15. Obviously, today is something of a holiday for fans, as it marks the 20th anniversary of not just Xbox, but ofHalo: Combat Evolvedtoo. It’s difficult to understand just how married together the two brands are, as the originalHalois responsible for a healthy portion of Xbox’s lasting success.
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ReleasingHalo Infinitethis early is a bit of a big deal, even if it’s just the multiplayer component. It puts Halo Infinite a few days before the official launch ofBattlefield 2042,which is available in early access but doesn’t release fully until November 19. So far though,Battlefield 2042has failed to impress fans. Plus, it comes afterCall of Duty: Vanguard, which has been similarly criticized.
What Xbox is doing here is, frankly, a power play.Halo Infinite’smultiplayer flightswere both well received by fans, and while they were only open for a limited number of fans during tight windows, it was enough to instill a lot of confidence in both 343 Industries and the players themselves. It’s not hard to imagine this earlyHalo Infinitemultiplayer release being at least in part due to the successful flights. There is the question of how wellHalo Infinite’s servers will handle the flood of fans looking to jump into it as quickly as possible, though.
Regardless, this is an incredible way for Microsoft and Xbox to honorHalo’s legacy while at the same time doing something for fans. It’s not often that fans get to play a game earlier than anticipated, especially by several weeks. Fans had built up the earlyHalo Infinitemultiplayer release in their minds well before the official announcement was made, so it’s also a somewhat unique instance of unrealistic expectations being paid off, though it’s unwise to expect it to become a regular occurrence.
Halo Infinitereleases on December 8. The multiplayer is available now.
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