After two years, Halo Infinite may finally be getting the beloved PvE Firefight mode first introduced in ODST. The game has seen a large number of leaks in the past already. The recently released Infection mode was known about by the Halo community since just a short time after it launched, and even 343’s own employees referred to it during its official reveal as “one of the worst kept secrets in gaming,” which may not be far from the truth as the mode was even playable in-game for several months before it was officially released.
Firefight shares a similar fate. Many Halo leakers have shown images and made claims about it likely being added to the game soon, although estimates as to when it would be added have varied wildly. Some leakers claimed it, along with Infection, would be added during Season 3, others said Season 4. Right now, there is no particularly strong consensus, although it seems likely it is not too far off from an official release, now.
Also read: Microsoft Expects Next-Gen to Launch in 2028 – But Are Current Consoles Disappointing?
New images posted by well-known Halo leaker, Bathrobe Spartan, illustrate what the mode may look like, though he notes that these images are still just illustrations meant to show what the mode will likely look like, not leaked images of the mode itself. However, he does mention a high degree of custom options that the mode will provide, including scripted clashes and teammate revival settings. Whether these will be standard to the mode or just options for custom matches is unknown.
Firefight is not the only PvE mode rumored to be coming to Halo Infinite, either. The past year has also seen rumors and leaks related to a mode called “Extraction”, with leaks suggesting it is a mode in which players would arm and defend sites from Banished enemies.
Halo May Blend PvE and PvP Once Again
Alongside the many claims of an imminent release for the classic PvE mode, there has been much chatter about Halo‘s beloved map editor, Forge, seeing a series-first explosive new addition that would allow players to place and script campaign AI enemies throughout their maps. The version of Forge offered in the latest game has been extremely well received by the community for its extensiveness as it has resulted in community-made maps that are nearly indistinguishable from those made by the developers using the actual game engine itself.
Many of the scripting options already available in the mode have given way to incredible new maps and modes, so the addition of campaign enemy AI will not only allow Forgers to create and edit maps for Firefight, something no other Halo has allowed in the past, but it may also potentially allow players to create experiences that come close to feeling like campaign levels themselves.
Also read: The Pros and Cons of a Digital-Only Video Game Industry
Bathrobe Spartan also notes that not only will the newly placeable enemy AI be usable in dedicated PvE modes played on custom maps, but also that AI placement can be done in traditional modes such as Capture the Flag and Slayer. This could make for an interesting blend of classic Arena gameplay and PvE fighting, with Banished troops posing a bonus threat as extra eternal enemies aside from players themselves.
The franchise previously sported a PvEvP mode with Warzone in Halo 5: Guardians, a mode that tasked players with capturing bases, calling in REQs, killing bosses and mini-bosses, and trying to destroy an enemy team’s “core” generator when given a chance. Later a Warzone spin on Firefight was added, though it was notably different from the version of Firefight seen in ODST and Reach.
Whether or not this mode will release with Season 5 of Halo Infinite on October 17, 2023 or perhaps a future season seems to be unclear, still, unfortunately. These things are always in flux, and since the mode has not been officially announced yet, it is possible that the mode could either be several seasons away or even have been canceled entirely. The latter seems unlikely, however, as Bathrobe Spartan notes that “[they’re] noting its [sic] progressing as the file and options for the game mode were updates [sic] with the release of S4, so it could be something coming for the next few seasons” in one of his response tweets.
Given that the mode appears to be receiving continued updates and development based on this information, it stands to reason that the mode likely is still in active development. The mystery remains when we will see it, though hopefully, it will not be too long. Other rumored upcoming content for the game mentioned by Bathrobe Spartan includes a remake and expansion of Halo: Reach‘s classic Forge World map, playable Pelicans and Phantoms, as well as the beloved Forklift.
Because none of this content has been officially confirmed as of yet, it should still be taken with a grain of salt. Though the sources for many of these leaks have proven to be reliable and often come directly from available game data, it is impossible to know how much of it remains in active development and how much of it may have been scrapped. As such, it is still possible it may not wind up in the game at all.
I reached out to The Bathrobe Spartan for more information, and he admitted that “there’s not much more to say about it as it’s not yet really playable in any way, outside of just accessing the settings for the mode and see [sic] the parameters used.” I asked for a few more points of clarification and will update this article when and if I receive a response.
Are you excited for Firefight to potentially be added to Halo Infinite? Is it too late for it to finally return, or do you feel the new features it offers will make up for the delay in release? Let us know in the comments and on our social media feeds!
Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
