Community frustrations at the lack of content in Halo Infinite’s first multiplayer season have been at the forefront of recent discussions as players await season two’s new maps and fixes.
Fortunately for Halo fans eager to know what’s to come when the next season launches in May, developer 343 Industries released an Outcomes Report for season one to lay out its plans for the future. It details key features and additions coming with season two that are a direct result of community feedback, including balance improvements, bug fixes, and game mode updates.
Attrition, a competitive game mode introduced with the Cyber Showdown event, will be enjoying a permanent position in the matchmaking pool when season two launches. While the game mode had an overwhelmingly positive reception on release, it was originally only available for the two weeks that the event ran. It will join Land Grab, Last Spartan Standing, and the refurbished King of the Hill modes, which are also being added to Halo Infinite with season two with the hope they will inject new life into the arena playlists.
While content like this was a key pillar of community feedback, networking problems and sandbox changes were just as core to the critique of Halo Infinite’s first season. Players checking out the new game modes and previously-announced new Arena map will also enjoy improvements to the notoriously messy melee fights. Spartans engaged in fisticuffs shouldn’t phase through each other quite as much and melees should more consistently connect and do damage appropriately.
Melee itself will see a 10% damage decrease across the board on all weapons, which has the additional effect of serving as a nerf to the Mangler pistol. In season two, the Mangler will require two shots to connect before a melee can land the finishing blow, up from only needing a single shot and a melee to kill currently. The Mangler may be the only weapon receiving a nerf, but multiple sandbox elements will be getting a buff alongside it. The Ravager’s non-charged shots will be getting a damage increase, and both the Drop Wall and Overshield will see improvements in their efficacy.
Additional changes coming in season two include a volume reduction for the shield recharge sound, further options to customize player outlines, and handling improvements for a multitude of vehicles present in Big Team Battle. Playing Halo Infinite on PC should also be a much smoother experience, with 343 stating there will be “noticeable stability improvements,” including a dozen PC crash states getting addressed.
Beyond confirmed additions coming with season two, the team dives into a myriad of feedback points and community concerns that don’t have short-term solutions as well. The UI team admits the game’s customization presentation needs improvement, but larger efforts like alterations to menu layouts will be a more long-term project. In a similar vein, improvements to matchmaking like updates to the Ranked system and region selection tools have been acknowledged as popular community requests, but with solutions that players won’t see until season three or beyond.
Changes listed in the blog are not a final set of patch notes by any means, but a promising step in the right direction for both communication between player and developer as well as a tease of what we can expect in May. Another blog is scheduled to be released at a later date focusing on the efforts of the live team, covering areas of Halo Infinite including the shop, battle pass, and Spartan customization.
343 Industries concludes the post by guiding players toward the Halo Insider program, where participants are regularly emailed in-depth surveys so they can provide concise feedback on the game.
Season two of Halo Infinite is set to release on May 3, bringing with it the Lone Wolves battle pass, new maps, and new events, as detailed in the Halo Infinite Update released last month.
Published: Apr 1, 2022 08:45 pm