Halo Infinite looks to be moving away from seasons as the game has previously known them, instead leaning into free Operations every 4-6 weeks.
In a livestream, developer 343 Industries dove into what players of the free-to-play shooter can expect in the weeks and months ahead. The answer is a whole lot of Operations, as well as a free update on January 30. That update will add a new Halo Wars-themed Operation, as well as new customization options, and a new map. Halo Infinite community director Brian Jarrard on stream said Operations are what the team is “really leaning into” and a “big part” of the game going forward.
Operations were first introduced during Halo Infinite Season 5, and are in many ways similar to seasons, with the main difference being all of their rewards can be obtained for free for a limited time. Halo Infinite seasons typically lasted 4-6 months, whereas free Operations only last a few weeks. As was the case with seasons, players can purchase a premium version to gain permanent access to each Operation. After the Operation has run its course, it will become available to purchase on the game’s store for players who may have missed out on earning its rewards during its limited-time run.
For the Spirit of Fire Operation, buying the premium version of the Operation will unlock a skin for the Assault Rifle transforming it into the Assault Rifle from Halo: Combat Evolved. Future Operations after Spirit of Fire will include Cyber Showdown 3 and The Yappening 2, each offering new cosmetics for players to earn.
Halo Infinite’s January 30 update will add a free Mark IV armor core (as worn by the Spartans in Halo Wars), the ability to use any of the game’s various shoulder pads on any armor core, and a new symmetrical arena map. The update will also add three new helmets inspired by some of the Spartans from Paramount’s Halo television series, which will see its second season kick off on February 8. New Forge options are coming too, like new Covenant objects and buildings for players to use in their custom map creations. As teased during the livestream, future updates will add new alien fauna and Flood-themed objects for use in Forge.
343 Industries didn’t say explicitly that there would never be a new Halo Infinite season, but the game’s Flood-themed Season 5 kicked off in October 2023 and will end with the arrival of the Spirit of Fire Operation, with no new season announced. Halo Infinite Season 4 ran from May 2023 to the start of Season 5 in October. It was with Season 4 that 343 announced it was moving away from attaching story elements to Halo Infinite’s seasons, and that future seasons would not include story cinematics like Seasons 1-3.
In other Halo news, 343 recently added a version of the franchise’s cooperative PvE mode, Firefight, in a free update for Halo Infinite, while a rumored Halo battle royale being made by Halo Infinite support studio Certain Affinity has reportedly been canceled after years in development.