The past few years have been rather tumultuous for theHalofranchise.Halo Infinite’s post-launch support — and occasional lack thereof — has been a roller coaster of emotions for fans, and theHalostreaming series on Paramount+ proved to be one of the most controversial video game adaptations in recent history. The development team at 343 Industries also saw some radical restructuring, with the studio even going so far as to rebrand itself to Halo Studios.
343’s transformation into Halo Studios could be theHaloseries' best chance at redemption. Not only willfutureHaloentries be built using the popular Unreal Engine, butHalowill hopefully be able to move forward without the baggage associated with 343’s name. Many fans are already excited to see this change in leadership and direction for the popular FPS series. While it’s unknown what Halo Studios' next mainline game will look like, theHalodevelopment team has the opportunity to accommodate fan demand and address a noticeable change made inHalo Infinite. Specifically, the next game can be a return to form for Firefight.
Returning to Firefight’s Roots in the Next Halo Entry
First introduced in 2009’sHalo 3: ODSTand then improved upon inHalo: Reachthe next year, Firefight quickly became one ofHalo’s most beloved modes. Firefight was a round-based PVE experience where players had to team up to survive against increasingly deadly waves of enemies. Though simplistic in concept, the mode gained a devoted following as its cooperative gameplay allowed players to test their skills together and live out and experience a Noble Six-esque last stand.
Halo Infinite’s Take On Firefight
Fan demand for Firefight to return inHalo Infinitewas high, especially since a version of the mode had been featured inHalo 5: Guardians. Two years after its initial release,Halo Infinitefinally added Firefight last December. WhileInfinite’s Firefight quickly garnered attention from theHalofan base, the mode didn’t meet many players' expectations.
Infinite’s Firefight wasn’t the traditional version of the mode introduced in Bungie’s later entries in the series. Instead, it was a King of the Hill variant of Firefight. Players still have to fend off waves of enemies in this mode, but they now have to do so while also capturing objectives sprinkled throughout the map. As to why this change was made,343 stated in a blog post, “To make a long story short: we love the extra decision-making, the additional cooperative elements, and the tension that the hill brings to the classic Firefight formula.”
These additional objectives helped Firefight inHalo Infiniteto stand apart from iterations of the mode in previous games. However, breaking with tradition is exactly why many fans were disappointed withInfinite’s version of the mode. Fans had begged for 343 to add the mode for two years, and when it did arrive in the game, it wasn’t even the mode that they had asked for.
Players wanted an experience that allowed them and their friends to fight off hordes ofthe Banishedin a battle of attrition — not another zone capture mode. It also didn’t help that — even on higher difficulties — Firefight: King of the Hill felt like a walk in the park for experienced players. An abundance of weapons and vehicles combined with AI enemies that were more focused on capturing the objective than they were on attacking the players made Firefight much easier than it was in previous games.
How Halo Studios Should Approach Firefight in Its Next Game
Taking note of theOG/Classic trend in multiplayer gaming, the nextHalogame could benefit from going back to basics with Firefight. This isn’t to say that the next version of Firefight should be devoid of innovation, but players have made it clear what they want to see in this mode. Firefight isn’t appealing just because it’s a multiplayer mode that lets players fight campaign enemies. It’s appealing because of its intense, wave-based gameplay that results in strategic cooperation and memorable last stands.
Halo Infinite
WHERE TO PLAY
When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Step inside the armor of humanity’s greatest hero to experience an epic open-world adventure and explore the massive scale of the Halo ring.With Network Campaign Co-Op and Mission Replay, you can relive your favorite moments, rediscover collectibles and explore the wonders of Zeta Halo on your own or with up to three other fireteam members.Experience Halo’s celebrated multiplayer reimagined and free-to-play! With over 70 maps in matchmaking, billions of customization configurations, and countless community Forge creations to experience, Halo Infinite is the franchise’s most expansive multiplayer offering to date.Enjoy an unprecedented variety of gameplay experiences, ranging from fast-paced intense ranked modes to whimsical mayhem in Custom Games, or even co-operative coordination in the wave-based survival mode Firefight: King of the Hill. Assemble your Fireteam and conquer every mode – Halo offers endless opportunities for teamwork, strategy, and unforgettable victories.
