Surprise! Microsoft’s Xbox 20th anniversary celebration event has revealed that the free-to-play multiplayer component for Halo Infinite is out now in beta for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S players. Tom French, associate creative director for the multiplayer component at 343 Industries, appeared during the stream to announce the decision to shadow-drop the multiplayer beta experience, saying that player progress will carry over to the final build. Halo Infinite multiplayer Season 1 out now is called Heroes of Reach, and its premium battle pass includes some of the rewards seen below.
343 has explained that season 1 will last through May 2022. The first season will feature multiple in-game events, with the first being Fracture: Tenrai. You can watch the surprise announcement at 28:10 below.
If you need a refresher on how the Halo Infinite multiplayer experience will unfold, 343 said players can expect a permanent battle pass that allows players to claim rewards from older passes even as new ones release. The studio says it went back to its sandbox roots this time around, adding that it will support cross-play and cross-progression, too.
The base Halo Infinite package, which includes the continuation of Master Chief’s story with the series’s next campaign, will launch for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S on December 8, 2021, and it’s included in Xbox Game Pass. We got a look at the franchise’s newest story just last month in an extended campaign overview from 343, but if you don’t want to wait to see how it feels to play, you can play Halo Infinite multiplayer right now since it’s out. Though, you might also want to be patient, as servers might be under extra pressure with the incredible number of players all likely trying to jump in at the same time.
Update: With the explosive influx of players, 343 Industries is aware of some problems in getting Halo Infinite to launch, but the team is working on it.
Please be patient, Spartans! We're aware of an issue where players are hitting a blue screen upon trying to launch #HaloInfinite. Beta build is working through our systems and should hit your console as an update shortly. We're working as hard as we can to get you in the game.
— Halo Support (@HaloSupport) November 15, 2021
