Halo Infinite’s Winter Update has arrived, bringing a wealth of new (and long-awaited) features to the game.
Developer 343 industries describes the patch – which is now live on PC and console – as the “largest feature update yet” as new additions come to multiple modes of the game.
The headline introduction is the belated arrival of online campaign co-op to Halo Infinite. Players can now dive into the game’s main story together, with full crossplay and cross-progression support for Xbox and PC. Progress is shared between accounts too, meaning everyone benefits if you spend several hours hunting down collectibles together.
© 343 Industries
Several new achievements have also been introduced alongside the co-op campaign. Some can be pulled off alone, but several demand you team up with a friend to gun and drive through enemies together. There’s now also the option to replay previous main missions, so you can easily relive the best parts of the campaign alone or with a friend in tow.
The Winter Update also sees the arrival of Halo Infinite’s Forge Beta. The creation engine isn’t ready for full release just yet, but 343 promises that Force is “more powerful than ever, boasting a vast suite of additions and improvements to empower community cartographers with advance and accessible tools.”
The beta arrives with six canvas maps to tinker around in, and promises more complex options including a new visual scripting engine and a vastly increased budget. File sharing is of course included, and Forge will continue to be updated with new content further down the line. The Halo Waypoint website has a full beginner’s guide to Forge series which is well worth a read/watch for those looking to get started.
© 343 Industries
Multiplayer hasn’t been ignored in the WInter Update either. A new free battle pass is being introduced that won’t expire, meaning anyone joining the game in future will still have the chance to access and unlock the content.
Two new maps enter the online rotation as well: Argyle features close-quarters combat within the corridors of a UNSC ship, while Detachment is a new symmetrical arena map. Both levels were built entirely within Forge, so should offer creative players some inspiration as to what’s possible.
Covert One Flag is a brand new mode entering the mix. A variant of One Flag CTF, it features an attacking side equipped with active camo, while defenders must use Threat Sensors to track down the hard-to-spot invaders.
Plenty of other changes are promised in the update and the months to come, including a major overhaul of match XP. Read the full details on the Halo Waypoint blog post.
