1240440 RSS Feed

Halo Franchise Sale & Halo: Campaign Evolved Wishlist

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:27:18 +0000

All your favorite Halo titles on Steam are currently on sale!

Whether you’re jumping back in or picking up a classic for the first time, now’s a great time to expand your library.

Be sure to check out the full sale here:

https://store.steampowered.com/sale/halofranchisesale2026

While you’re there, make sure to wishlist Halo: Combat Evolved Campaign on Steam so you don’t miss what’s next:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2806050/Halo_Campaign_Evolved/

Forge Features

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:50:03 +0000

Welcome to another edition of Forge Features! This series highlights notable maps, modes, and other creations from our talented Forge community. Bookmark your favorites using the links below for your next custom game.

A new turn around the sun warrants more Forging fun! Check out our latest Forge Features showcase of community-made creations, including epic-scale battle modes, multi-part missions, social free-roams, minigames, and more.

SUPERB SLAYERS

Exciting arenas for free-for-all and Team Slayer matches. Use the links to add them to your Halo Infinite bookmarks.

LIMINAL

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: JDzirkus

Liminal is a multicolor sporting arena featuring monogrammed team bases, roving play, and great sightlines at just the right angles. Between its zig-zagging walkways, exposed ramps, and tight corners tailor-made for ‘nade bounces, this training arena leaves little room for error, and ample space for nasty surprises. If you can’t find your quarry, try checking out the interactive mini-map at the heart of things.

TACHYON CORE REACTOR

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: ALIENWARE M7700

This research facility encourages ranged play over the lower floor and theorizes sweaty encounters closer to where the "science gets done." The chamber housing the titular (and titanic) tachyon core reactor may be protected by thick safety shielding, but the empiricists on your Fireteam may discover that the courtyard’s Gungooses fit neatly through the side hatch—scientific consensus be damned.

GOING UP

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: Small Napkins, Ehud2079

Vertigo-inducing verticals reign in this “subnautical” Forerunner facility. To reach the top, you could ride the constantly shifting lifts, skirt through the switchback ramps, or pinball your way over everything using the conveniently placed gravity cannons. Those see-sawing elevators sure have a pesky way of blocking rocket shots across the atrium…

DINOSAUR GULCH

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: BillyForge

Life, uh, finds a way. BillyForge sends us time-traveling to Blood Gulch, frozen sometime in the late Cretaceous, to assail enemies from bases that—upon second glance—appear to be colossal dino nests. Bring your favorite disaffected chaos theorist and shortest shorts, because this reptilian romp guarantees dino-mite delights in Team Slayer, Infection, and Capture the Flag modes.

EMERALDINE

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: Zlitchufdux

Secrets abound in unseen places. Modeled on the unused Grotto multiplayer map exhumed by the Digsite crew, Emeraldine is a remake of a Halo 2 “deep cut" that plays just as nicely with the Halo Infinite sandbox. This mysterious cavern’s sloping tree trunks afford quick access to split-level action in serene surroundings, while the labyrinthine Forerunner structures invite you to confrontations with destiny.

DOUBLE-EDGE

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: ArturBloodshot, Nilphz, PerivanG20

Ready for a classic Slayer feel? In this symmetrical map, combat rages across the sunny and shady sides of one of Zeta Halo’s colossal vertebrae. With wide lanes for vehicle assaults, bridges, and sneaky subterranean passages commodious enough for Warthogs, Double-Edge offers plenty of routes to get the drop on the opposing team.

BIGGEST BATTLES

A collection of large-scale battle modes with ingenious twists!

SKISMA’S HALO ROYALE

Bookmark map. | Bookmark modes: FFA | Teams

Forged by: Skisma

Scavenge and survive. Halo Royale is exactly what’s written on the box, set in a massive map located along the fractured spine of Zeta Halo. Drop from your Pelican and scrounge up a weapon—because you’re going to need one when the walls close in!

Featuring multiple biomes, collectible armor upgrades, custom abilities, PvE encounters, and randomly shrinking play areas, Skisma’s multi-year project culminates in a “battle royale” experience that will separate the “lore accurate” Spartans from the conveniently plot-armored. Spike your heart rate for the drop with Skisma’s epic launch trailer (embedded above).

HALO HEROES

Bookmark map. | Bookmark modes: KOTH | Strongholds

Forged by: Occur

Halo Heroes is a strategic mode offering class-based combat—with tailored loadouts, modified movement, and ludicrous perks for each of its distinctive classes.

Play revolves around a three-story temple, with Capture Zones at either end and roving enemies patrolling the outskirts. Aided by Grunt allies, your team must work together to seize and hold Capture Zones to earn points toward victory. Dispatch pesky minibosses to claim extra points or persistent buffs, and be prepared to switch classes on the fly to counter the enemy team.

Check out Halo Heroes in both King of the Hill and Strongholds variants.

CLOSE AND CASUAL

A collection of smaller Forge maps for less tactical, highly impractical outings with friends.

SNOWDRIFT

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: Stringhead9743, BlueSaturnV, Tairo 420, ArkhamKnight913

After touring the “mad scientist” laboratories, snowy courtyards, and the unassuming mess hall, the next thing you’ll probably notice about Snowdrift is the sheer preponderance of fusion coils everywhere you look. The resident scientists of this arctic research base appear to have received a grant to learn how to make one confined area as explosive as possible. Pair this map with FFA Fiesta and let the sparks fly.

BEACH HOUSE PARTY

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: MeatCannon72

Beat the winter blues with a surfside escape! Beach House Party invites you to enjoy the serenity of low tide from an oceanfront home dripping with the vice of a bygone decade. Linger beneath the vaporwave-flavored moonset, exchange a few choice words in the rumpus room, or head to the attached garage for a breathless encounter with a stranger.

With the action intimately bounded to your private pleasure palace, this map is perfect for tense tête-à-têtes or medium-size FFA Fiesta mixers.

HOTEL ROOM 027

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: SidewardWinner, Noticed458, DriftKing061910, Tyl4rgaming

A luxury suite can fetch a hefty price in this town, but who knew you’d have to fight your way in? Hotel 027 is a remake of a fan-favorite Halo 5: Guardians community map (originally designed by Lin#027) that adds an ample corridor for weapons-free fisticuffs. Check in, thrust your way to the room, and “express checkout” anyone who tries to jump on your bed.

MADCAP MINIGAMES

All war and no play makes dull Spartans. Bookmark these minigames for a few laughs!

MAGMA-NIFICENT

Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.

Forged by: tippletine, Small Napkins

The floor is lava—literally! In Magma-nificent, a team of Survivors must leapfrog through a parkour-style course suspended high over molten rock before an Infected Falcon heaves you into the cooking pot. The jumps aren’t easy to begin with, but the persistent threat of getting squashed or jettisoned definitely “ups the ante.” Use your plasma pistol to ruffle the Falcon’s feathers and get moving!

BATTLESHIP

Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.

Forged by: TeamShowStoppa, Okom1, spartan blood 1, Scrubulba, Virus11010, Mr IncrediJON, Handsome Huber, MrsSizzlin

New sabotage mission! Two enemy battleships are harbored just over that bridge. Whether you take to the skies or assault from the ground, your team will need to systematically destroy weak points on both ships to claim victory. If the Defenders can keep the raiding party at bay with the help of their fixed Scorpion “cannons,” they might just live to float on.

WHATCHAMACALLIT 1982

Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.

Forged by: RockyRambos, Tlan Atolm

(Mac)ready up. They found something under the ice—and boy, can it move!

Cheating at chess is the least of your problems in this desolate Infection variant inspired by a horror feature from another famous “John.” Between the pilot’s lonely watch tower, the burning body in the yard, and a crashed helicopter, cinephiles will find plenty of Easter eggs hidden throughout the map (provided they haven’t been assimilated yet).

PERILOUS PURSUITS

Race courses for “cops-and-robbers” Infection modes. Play both of these maps with the "Hot Pursuit Skilled Only" mode by Tyrant Hacker and Aversive Sphinx, and check out more perilous pursuits in Forge Features #34!

GRUNT CITY

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: UnknownEmerald, The5thLAment, III FRIJOLEROS

It’s another hot night in Grunt City—but those fleeing perps aren’t sweating the law! Hit the magenta-hued slopes of an urban Unggoy metropolis and jump through hoops (floating teleporters) to catch troublemakers before they can escape. Watch out for the peaceful denizens of Grunt City waddling on the sidewalk around the turns, and don’t be surprised if you end up in the frigid methane lake.

ARCHON

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: Kione9796, Reconshot 23

Even Forerunner installations need security. Defend the ecumene from pesky bandits in this deviously complex course! What should be a relatively straightforward pursuit is complicated by lateral gravity cannons and narrow off-ramps spanning the central concourse. The moat is just as lethal to cops as to robbers, but the agile escapees might have more luck than their pursuers on the skinnier bridges.

MIGHTY MISSIONS

Jump into any of these narrative Forge creations for a tough co-op battle! This entry’s selections focus on two “raid-style” campaigns best completed with a full Fireteam.

SHARD OF ASCENSION

Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.

Forged by: MadmanEpic

Shard of Ascension is a truly ambitious project. Inspired by the raids of a certain “fated” FPS from some of Halo’s creators, this campaign-style mission tells the story of a Spartan strike team dispatched to a broken shard of Alpha Halo in orbit around a distant sun.

Gameplay is broken into four, increasingly devious “encounters” that will test your mind and mettle. In the first encounter, your team must disable an energy gate by destroying three generators using an orbital laser. To dodge death from above, you’ll have to play “hot potato” with a targeting beacon while a crew of Iratus-Infected Spartans rushes you.

During subsequent encounters, you’ll need to cross a chasm while one of your teammates constructs ephemeral hardlight bridges from a control room, withstand Iratus’s attempts to hack your armor, and platform through deep space using Repulsor jumps.

When Iratus gains control of the orbital laser, you’ll need to follow closely behind as one of your teammates pilots a special cloaking Mongoose to throw him off your scent. If you can make it all the way to the top, you’re in for a tough boss fight against Iratus as he replaces your allies with lumbering Spartan zombies.

Check out the video embedded above for an in-depth walkthrough from creator MadmanEpic.

FALL OF ALEXANDRIA

Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.

Forged by: Frostmear, Handsome Huber

New Alexandria has fallen. UNSC forces have been ordered to evacuate the city, but it could be a real hike.

Ascend to great heights and shatter the Covenant ground forces through a sprawling cityscape campaign. Featuring aerial encounters, risky platforming sections, and a final, nigh-impossible boss fight at the top of a skyscraper, Raid: Fall of Alexandria promises all the adrenaline of a desperate escape and more.

STRICTLY SOCIAL

A collection of social maps for hanging out, roleplaying, or free-roaming with friends.

SANGHEILI SOCIAL

Forged by: Razo Revam, Juza Dy Nragam, Cheddar WlZ, LASTZOMVE, FF Duko

Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.

Sangheili Social is a curious map set within a kaidon’s clan holding. To conduct your diplomatic affairs, you’ll first need to disembark from your Phantom and proceed through a lush jungle seeking an audience with the rightful lords of a palatial estate on the other side.

Once you’ve crossed the threshold (and cast a respectful glance at the hieroglyphic history etched in the façade), the great halls of the kaidon’s keep offer Sangheili roleplayers a place to sojourn, collect weapons to defend their sacred soil, and challenge would-be claimants to the throne to mortal swordplay in two beautiful dueling stages.

SOCIAL CUP FREE ROAM

Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.

Forged by: SQUISHIER BREAD

A ginormous map featuring a small city and its alpine surroundings. Social Cup Free Roam boasts many notable eccentricities, from discoverable loot crates and score-based weapon shops (run by uncommonly friendly Banished!) to a thought-provoking “cup-themed” art installation and a death-proof “Friend Zone” for socializing.

When you tire of city life, hop in a Hornet to explore just about anywhere you like in the chilly surroundings. The glacial peaks opposite the city make for the perfect complement to a wintry walk with a newfound friend!

SILLY SCENERY

Here’s a selection of funny bookmarks for the next after-hours customs sesh.

Paper Company CTF Firefight

Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.

Forged by: IcyAsh3956, MeatShieldThis, DOC7007, ComanderProwl89, The Irony, DISTORTED JAKAL

Cue the talking-head confessional, because the Banished have besieged a dowdy little paper company!

Spartans Jim and Dwight must race into action to reclaim corporate’s stolen flags from the break room—and hopefully avoid running afoul of human resources. Defend Scranton’s proudest 26th century office-supply outfit to earn that coveted promotion to “Assistant to the Spartan Commander.” (Just watch out for the spilled chili by reception.)

CLOCK TOWN KOTH

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: HappyMajora

The Carnival of Time is in town for three days only! Based on a village from a certain time-hopping hero’s second foray into the third dimension, HappyMajora’s delightfully lo-fi recreation features plenty of nostalgic Easter eggs for fans to encounter. Link up with your Fireteam to save the festivities in Firefight: King of the Hill.

TUTORIAL: COVENANT REBORN

RunicDejavu offers a comprehensive how-to guide on cloning Forge Objects and duping enemy projectiles to create working Covenant turrets, mortar cannons, and deployable enemy spawners in your own Forge creations.

Found your work featured here? Fill out this form to claim your exclusive Fire Unicorn emblem and nameplate for Halo Infinite.

Stay tuned for another Forge Feature coming soon! To share your creations with the Halo Infinite community team, be sure to drop a link in the #forge-show-and-tell channel of our official Discord or post to r/Halo using the Forge tag.

Operation: Infinite Out Now

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:50:10 +0000

To celebrate all the Spartans in our Halo Infinite Fireteam, Operation: Infinite introduces a 100-tier free Operation Pass featuring three full armor sets and a 100-tier Premium Pass offering five more sets, six weapon models, and over 30 exclusive Spartan customizations.

Upgrade to the Premium Pass at any time to transfer your tier progress from the free Operation Pass and earn your way to eight full sets.

Halo Infinite’s last planned multiplayer update also welcomes permanent progression boosts, new maps, refreshed Ranked Seasons, over 200 never-before-seen customizations arriving in The Exchange, and more!

Steady on, Spartan. The future is Infinite.

OPERATION PASS

The missions may change, but these Operation Passes are here to stay. Operation: Infinite’s 100-tier Operation Passes have no expiration date, meaning their armor sets, customizations, and Spartan Points can be earned at any time.

Likewise, the 100-tier Premium Pass—offering five exclusive armor sets, instant unlocks, and a heroic assortment of Spartan customizations—can be purchased indefinitely.

FREE OPERATION PASS

Three new armor sets await in Operation: Infinite’s free Operation Pass. Complete all 100 tiers at your leisure to unlock the Serpin, Seeker, and Adamant armor sets, plus a champion’s purse of coatings, rewards, and Spartan customizations.

As you complete all 100 tiers, you’ll also unlock the Questing Sky, Celestite Sparkle, Unbroken Defender, and Silent Snow armor coatings, Icicle Falls visor, Blackened Steel weapon coating, and the terminally chill Respect stance.

See all armor sets in the Operation: Infinite preview.

PREMIUM OPERATION PASS

The 100-tier Premium Operation Pass features five earnable armor sets, six all-new weapon models, instant unlocks, and over 30 Spartan customizations you won’t find anywhere else.

Check out our Community Livestream to see all five armor sets and more exclusive customizations only available in Operation: Infinite’s Premium Operation Pass.

See all armor sets in the Operation: Infinite preview.

Upgrade to the Premium Operation Pass to instantly unlock the Charged Quill Shock Rifle weapon model and the Phoenix Gold weapon coating.

Operation: Infinite’s Premium Operation Pass can be purchased at any time. Once acquired, you’ll instantly carry over your tier progress from Operation: Infinite’s free Operation Pass and permanently unlock bonus XP and an additional challenge slot.

2 NEW MAPS

Get tactical in a new Ranked map and cozy up to a festive Husky hideaway just in time for the Halodays!

YULETIDE

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: Sikamikanico, bullet2thehead9, Whos Blaze

Set in a quiet, alpine village nestled beneath the Northern Lights, Yuletide gift-wraps the warm glow of streetlights, freshly fallen snow, and the aimless smoke of a familiar hearth together in one beautifully serene package—and shatters it with mercilessly merry Husky combat.

Yuletide is available in Husky Raid and Super Husky Raid modes in the Quick Play playlist.

VACANCY

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: MikRips, Ethan Hibbs

On a quiet square sits the Hotel Kijani, a modest inn baked into its surroundings by years of mid-afternoon heat. Hours after the markets have closed, when the alleyways and busy thoroughfares have emptied, and long shadows begin to grow on the crested archways of this storied city—only then do warriors strafe its scenic courtyards in pursuit of glory.

Vacancy is available in Ranked Arena, Slayer, Doubles, and select rotational modes.

PROGRESSION UPDATES

We’ve updated two core progression mechanics to make playing Halo Infinite more rewarding than ever! Starting today, you’ll earn 2X SP on Daily Challenges and Weekly Ultimate Rewards, and progress twice as fast through Career Ranks thanks to doubled Applied Score multipliers on every matchmaking playlist.

Check out our Operation: Infinite preview for more details and a rundown on what to expect for the 25th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved.

FREE LOG-IN UNLOCK

As the 25th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved approaches, we look forward to celebrating Halo’s universe, community, and enduring legacy with you throughout next year.

To kick things off, look for a free customization bundle to arrive in January as an instant log-in unlock for all Halo Infinite players, containing all these never-before-released items:

25th Anniversary Nameplate
GEN XII Vehicle Coating
Access Denied Armor Coating
Lifegivers Hex Weapon Coating
Ring Breaker Weapon Charm
Zeta Emissary Nameplate
Zeta Trailblazer Nameplate

Play Halo Infinite anytime in 2026 to unlock the anniversary bundle!

THE SHOP

As we bid adieu to four years of Halo Infinite multiplayer updates, the sentimental caretakers of The Shop have forged fitting testaments to three of Halo’s legendary villains—and one fiendish incarnation straight from the Covenant’s nightmares.

DEFIANT BUNDLE

Prove your legend with the Defiant bundle, featuring arcane weaponry, an exclusive death effect, and armor sets inspired by Halo Infinite’s enigmatic Harbinger and the demoniac Spartan awaiting her beyond the mortal plane.

Deimos: First conjured in the Prophets’ sermons of fear, the wrathful silhouette of DEIMOS has now been forged in the heat of glassed cities to deliver absolution as an emblem of humanity’s wrath. Give your foes the horns with the Flawless Sentinel helmet attachment, and add a touch of damnation with the Fiendbane Raiment armor coating.

Exorcist Mutilator: Cleanse corruption with the holy fire of the Exorcist Mutilator weapon model and the Fiendbane’s Blessing weapon coating.

When you’re finished hellraising, opt for a greener hue to rock a saintlier look inspired by the Master Chief’s armor in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

Sibyl: Emissaries of the Endless don the Sibyl armor set to perceive the truths between spaces and heighten their kinship with the unseen. It has proven uniquely suitable for dispelling Forerunner lies, especially when deployed in harmonic resonance with the Harbinger of Truth armor coating.

Kylixian Heatwave: The destined weapon of those who whisper truths. Enshroud thy innermost intent in the Final Codex weapon coating, and pay homage to your Xalanyn mistress with the Chibi Harbinger weapon charm.

Meteor Fall: Pummel your enemies with fiery darts from beyond the stars with the bundle-exclusive Meteor Fall death effect set.

Defy the odds with the Defiant bundle, containing the Deimos and Sibyl armor sets, Fiendbane Raiment and Harbinger of Truth armor coatings, Exorcist Mutilator and Kylixian Heatwave weapon models, Fiendbane’s Blessing and Final Codex weapon coatings, Chibi Harbinger weapon charm, and the exclusive Meteor Fall death effect set.

Available in The Shop now through January 5, 2026.

RECOMPILED FOES

Two of the Master Chief’s bitterest enemies now play sweetly together in the Recompiled Foes bundle, featuring a tag-team of the Escharum-inspired Dominarch and a Cavalier take on Cortana’s eternal knight from Halo 5: Guardians.

Dominarch: Gird yourself in the unbroken pride of the Banished! The Dominarch armor set echoes the glory of Escharum, fallen but not forgotten, whose legacy shall live on in awe-struck whispers across a thousand worlds. March to unrelenting war in the Blood and Iron armor coating.

Hopebreaker Mutilator: Abandon hope, ye down the barrel. The Hopebreaker Mutilator’s burning crest announces its dominion most mightily against the sepulchral hues of the Deliverance Denied weapon coating, or when bearing the immortal leer of the Chibi Escharum weapon charm.

Cavalier: Echoes of the dead replicate ceaselessly in defense of the Domain, and at the gates proudly stands the Cavalier, ever watchful in its vigil against unworthy lusts for sacred knowledge. Clad in the heraldic Mantle’s Duality armor coating, those who shoulder its timeless burden shall bring all others to kneel.

Riftwave Heatwave: A precision instrument for unprejudicial composition. Spread the ancient message of your makers with the Promethean Shell weapon coating.

Perfect Decomposition: When will they understand that composition is a mercy? Leave no trace of your foes’ corporeal forms with the bundle-exclusive Perfect Decomposition death effect set.

Join forces with the Recompiled Foes bundle now through January 5, 2026.

2026 SHOP CALENDAR

Customization bundles from past Shop updates and Premium Operation Passes will return in a monthly rotation of remixed bundle configurations throughout 2026. As always, formerly featured premium customizations can be purchased directly through the Armor Hall by previewing an item and visiting its bundle in The Shop.

THE EXCHANGE

We’ve added over 200 never-before-released accessories, coatings, charms, visors, and other Spartan necessities to The Exchange!

In addition to the four armor bundles commemorating ten years of Halo 5: Guardians, Operation: Infinite’s Exchange drop debuts the earnable Whisper, Lancer, and Dirgesinger armor sets released in the Fall Update.

NAME

TYPE

FROM

Hunter

Bundle

Halo 5: Guardians 10th Anniversary

Helljumper

Bundle

Halo 5: Guardians 10th Anniversary

Copperhead

Bundle

Halo 5: Guardians 10th Anniversary

Shinobi

Bundle

Halo 5: Guardians 10th Anniversary

Ghost of Reach

Bundle

FLEETCOM

Whisper

Helmet

Shadows

TACAIR XMU

Helmet Attachment

Shadows

UTIL/Paradigm Terminal

Shoulderpads

Shadows

WILLOWKEY II

Chest Gear

Shadows

UTIL/IWNH-2559

Hip Gear

Shadows

TAC/PODA

Wrist Gear

Shadows

UA/Type WHSP

Kneepads

Shadows

Midnight Whisper

Armor Coating

Shadows

Lancer

Helmet

Warpath

Advanced Bevor

Helmet Attachment

Warpath

Advanced Gardbrace

Shoulderpads

Warpath

Advanced Plackart

Chest Gear

Warpath

Lancer’s Belt

Hip Gear

Warpath

Advanced Vambrace

Wrist Gear

Warpath

UA/Type LCR

Kneepads

Warpath

UEG Regalia

Armor Coating

Warpath

Dirgesinger

Helmet

Haloween II

Depthless Messenger

Helmet Gear

Haloween II

True Mantle

Shoulders

Haloween II

Tangent Caress

Chest Gear

Haloween II

Blighted Vitality

Hip Gear

Haloween II

Gravestone Growth

Wrist Gear

Haloween II

Erupting Growth

Kneepads

Haloween II

Veteran Steel

Armor Coating

Haloween II

Hundreds of free customizations from previous Operations, Seasons, Events, and Fractures have now made their way to The Exchange! Dig into 2X SP now to flex a new Spartan ‘fit.

PLAYER RESOURCES

To help new and returning players navigate the constellated cosmos of Halo Infinite, we’ve compiled a list of useful resources below. Visit these links for detailed information on all multiplayer playlists, an overview of game modes, patch notes, and more:

Join the official Halo Discord server.
Read the patch notes for Operation: Infinite.
Check out all multiplayer matchmaking playlists.
Read descriptions for multiplayer modes in Halo Infinite.
Learn about creating custom maps and modes in Forge.

If you’re discovering Halo Infinite for the first time, visit our Campaign, Multiplayer, and Forge pages to discover all the different ways to play.

SUPPORT

Run into a bug, glitch, or unexpected issue? Submit a ticket to Halo Support.

You can submit tickets on a wide range of topics that includes reports of audio issues, crashes, game-save corruption, general bug reports, and more.

PRESS KIT

Download the Operation: Infinite press kit.

Operation: Infinite Out Now

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 22:00:49 +0000

Upgrade to the Premium Pass at any time to transfer your tier progress from the free Operation Pass and earn your way to eight full sets.

Steady on, Spartan. The future is Infinite.

OPERATION PASS

Likewise, the 100-tier Premium Pass—offering five exclusive armor sets, instant unlocks, and a heroic assortment of Spartan customizations—can be purchased indefinitely.

FREE OPERATION PASS

See all armor sets in the Operation: Infinite preview.

PREMIUM OPERATION PASS

The 100-tier Premium Operation Pass features five earnable armor sets, six all-new weapon models, instant unlocks, and over 30 Spartan customizations you won’t find anywhere else.

Check out our Community Livestream to see all five armor sets and more exclusive customizations only available in Operation: Infinite’s Premium Operation Pass.

See all armor sets in the Operation: Infinite preview.

Upgrade to the Premium Operation Pass to instantly unlock the Charged Quill Shock Rifle weapon model and the Phoenix Gold weapon coating.

2 NEW MAPS

Get tactical in a new Ranked map and cozy up to a festive Husky hideaway just in time for the Halodays!

YULETIDE

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: Sikamikanico, bullet2thehead9, Whos Blaze

Yuletide is available in Husky Raid and Super Husky Raid modes in the Quick Play playlist.

VACANCY

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: MikRips, Ethan Hibbs

Vacancy is available in Ranked Arena, Slayer, Doubles, and select rotational modes.

PROGRESSION UPDATES

Check out our Operation: Infinite preview for more details and a rundown on what to expect for the 25th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved.

FREE LOG-IN UNLOCK

As the 25th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved approaches, we look forward to celebrating Halo’s universe, community, and enduring legacy with you throughout next year.

To kick things off, look for a free customization bundle to arrive in January as an instant log-in unlock for all Halo Infinite players, containing all these never-before-released items:

25th Anniversary Nameplate
GEN XII Vehicle Coating
Access Denied Armor Coating
Lifegivers Hex Weapon Coating
Ring Breaker Weapon Charm
Zeta Emissary Nameplate
Zeta Trailblazer Nameplate

Play Halo Infinite anytime in 2026 to unlock the anniversary bundle!

THE SHOP

DEFIANT BUNDLE

Exorcist Mutilator: Cleanse corruption with the holy fire of the Exorcist Mutilator weapon model and the Fiendbane’s Blessing weapon coating.

When you’re finished hellraising, opt for a greener hue to rock a saintlier look inspired by the Master Chief’s armor in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

Meteor Fall: Pummel your enemies with fiery darts from beyond the stars with the bundle-exclusive Meteor Fall death effect set.

Available in The Shop now through January 5, 2026.

RECOMPILED FOES

Riftwave Heatwave: A precision instrument for unprejudicial composition. Spread the ancient message of your makers with the Promethean Shell weapon coating.

Perfect Decomposition: When will they understand that composition is a mercy? Leave no trace of your foes’ corporeal forms with the bundle-exclusive Perfect Decomposition death effect set.

Join forces with the Recompiled Foes bundle now through January 5, 2026.

2026 SHOP CALENDAR

THE EXCHANGE

We’ve added over 200 never-before-released accessories, coatings, charms, visors, and other Spartan necessities to The Exchange!

NAME

TYPE

FROM

Hunter

Bundle

Halo 5: Guardians 10th Anniversary

Helljumper

Bundle

Halo 5: Guardians 10th Anniversary

Copperhead

Bundle

Halo 5: Guardians 10th Anniversary

Shinobi

Bundle

Halo 5: Guardians 10th Anniversary

Ghost of Reach

Bundle

FLEETCOM

Whisper

Helmet

Shadows

TACAIR XMU

Helmet Attachment

Shadows

UTIL/Paradigm Terminal

Shoulderpads

Shadows

WILLOWKEY II

Chest Gear

Shadows

UTIL/IWNH-2559

Hip Gear

Shadows

TAC/PODA

Wrist Gear

Shadows

UA/Type WHSP

Kneepads

Shadows

Midnight Whisper

Armor Coating

Shadows

Lancer

Helmet

Warpath

Advanced Bevor

Helmet Attachment

Warpath

Advanced Gardbrace

Shoulderpads

Warpath

Advanced Plackart

Chest Gear

Warpath

Lancer’s Belt

Hip Gear

Warpath

Advanced Vambrace

Wrist Gear

Warpath

UA/Type LCR

Kneepads

Warpath

UEG Regalia

Armor Coating

Warpath

Dirgesinger

Helmet

Haloween II

Depthless Messenger

Helmet Gear

Haloween II

True Mantle

Shoulders

Haloween II

Tangent Caress

Chest Gear

Haloween II

Blighted Vitality

Hip Gear

Haloween II

Gravestone Growth

Wrist Gear

Haloween II

Erupting Growth

Kneepads

Haloween II

Veteran Steel

Armor Coating

Haloween II

Hundreds of free customizations from previous Operations, Seasons, Events, and Fractures have now made their way to The Exchange! Dig into 2X SP now to flex a new Spartan ‘fit.

PLAYER RESOURCES

Join the official Halo Discord server.
Read the patch notes for Operation: Infinite.
Check out all multiplayer matchmaking playlists.
Read descriptions for multiplayer modes in Halo Infinite.
Learn about creating custom maps and modes in Forge.

If you’re discovering Halo Infinite for the first time, visit our Campaign, Multiplayer, and Forge pages to discover all the different ways to play.

SUPPORT

Run into a bug, glitch, or unexpected issue? Submit a ticket to Halo Support.

You can submit tickets on a wide range of topics that includes reports of audio issues, crashes, game-save corruption, general bug reports, and more.

PRESS KIT

Download the Operation: Infinite press kit.

Operation: Infinite Update Preview

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 20:07:29 +0000

As we look back on four years of evolution and updates in Halo Infinite, we’d like to thank our community for your steadfast support. Without your feedback and enthusiasm, Halo Infinite multiplayer would not be the special place it is today: a robust arena for slaying and playing, with something for every Spartan.

With multiple Halo titles in development, we’ll need our whole team’s combined focus to deliver new experiences with the same passion and care that our community has given us. While we remain committed to supporting Halo Infinite on the road ahead, Operation: Infinite is the last major content update currently planned.

Starting November 18, Operation: Infinite will introduce a 2X boosts on Career Rank and SP, 100-tier Operation Pass, eight earnable armor sets, new Ranked Seasons, and 200 never-before-released customizations arriving in The Exchange.

Jump into Operation: Infinite on November 18.

A “perfectly perfect” pair of progression updates awaits! On November 18, we’ll double the earning rate for both Career Rank and Spartan Points to make each match of Halo Infinite more rewarding than ever.

2X Career Rank Progress

Starting in Operation: Infinite, the Applied Score multipliers for all matchmaking playlists will be doubled so that players can progress twice as fast through Career Ranks.

Upon completing matches in Halo Infinite, your match-based Personal Score gets factored into an Applied Score multiplier to generate Career Rank progress from your heroic exploits. With a 2X boost on every matchmaking playlist, you’ll climb ranks on the double.

Reach the maximum level of Hero, and you’ll unlock the coveted Mark VI armor kit as worn by the Master Chief in the Halo Infinite Campaign.

2X Spartan Point Rewards

If you’ve been admiring something shiny in The Exchange, get ready to splurge!

Halo Infinite players will soon earn twice as many Spartan Points (SP) for completing any match-based Daily Challenge that awards SP. Weekly Ultimate Rewards (earned by completing all Weekly Challenges) will also be doubled to 2,000 SP—making one mighty bonus for champion challenge-seekers.

OPERATION PASS OVERVIEW

The missions may change, but these Operation Passes are here to stay. Operation: Infinite’s free, 100-tier Operation Pass and 100-tier Premium Pass have no planned expiration date.

Upgrade to the 100-tier Premium Pass to transfer your Operation: Infinite progress and earn your way to five more unique armor sets, six weapon models, and over 30 exclusive Spartan customizations. That’s eight total armor sets up for grabs!

FREE OPERATION PASS

Three new armor sets await in Halo Infinite’s final free Operation Pass. Complete all 100 tiers at your leisure to unlock the following exclusive armor sets, plus a champion’s purse of coatings, rewards, and Spartan customizations.

Serpin: Kaidon Thel ‘Vadam grants the rank of Serpin to Spartans who have proven their loyalty and martial prowess in battle beside the Swords of Sanghelios. The master-crafted Serpin regalia betokens their esteem among Sangheili.

Seeker: Lethbridge Industrial’s GEN 2 SEEKER armor set contains state-of-the-art distortion and sensor technology to ensure that you can always find your target—but they’ll never know what hit ‘em.

Adamant: Cultivated from a flake of Forerunner crystal, the ADAMANT unit’s lab-grown layers resonate harmoniously with ancient mechanisms and instantaneously forge compatible interfaces with Mjolnir systems.

As you climb through this Operation’s lofty 100 reward tiers, you’ll also unlock the Silent Snow armor coating, Icicle Falls visor, Blackened Steel weapon coating, and the terminally chill Respect stance.

PREMIUM OPERATION PASS

The 100-tier Premium Operation Pass features five additional earnable armor sets, six all-new weapon models, and over 30 Spartan customizations you won’t find anywhere else.

Artificer: The totemic gaze of the Artificer reveals multitudes of overlaid meanings that only its bearer may parse. Each interlocking piece of its indecipherable whole is a potsherd sculpted through reverent contemplations on war.

Seedwarden: A reclaimed instrument of long-promised legacy. The Seedwarden’s nascent abilities may be inscrutable to Executors and other infolife, but its capacity as a weapon of war pales in comparison to its lifegiving potential.

Kobold: Models from the KOBOLD combat drone series are interoperable with most GEN2 Mjolnir armor cores through specialized jockey frames. This armor can be outfitted with a tactical chassis for autonomous combat or operated remotely via telepresence.

Phoenix: The PHOENIX is an artistic expression of the bold anima that drives Meyer’s visionary engineers to continuously redefine armored combat. Enhanced with energy dispersion technology, it is the ideal armor for rising from the ashes.

First Vanguard: Though unlikely, a Spartan adopted into a Sangheili clan may rise to the rank of Kaidon—and become First Vanguard of their lands in times of war. This armor is cast with soil from the Kaidon’s lands, as a reminder of their sacred duty.

Beyond the armor sets listed above, Premium Pass operators can earn six weapon models, nine weapon coatings, three vehicle coatings, five weapon charms, and more exclusive customizations only available in Operation: Infinite’s Premium Operation Pass.

Get a sneak peek at Operation: Infinite’s Premium Pass in our Community Livestream!

INSTANT PREMIUM UNLOCKS

Upgrade to the Premium Operation Pass to instantly unlock the Charged Quill Shock Rifle weapon model and the Phoenix Gold weapon coating.

EXCHANGE UPDATES

Operation: Infinite’s Exchange drop will debut over 200 never-before-released armor pieces, armor attachments, coatings, charms, visors, and other Spartan necessities!

In addition to the armor bundles added to commemorate ten years of Halo 5: Guardians, the earnable Whisper, Lancer, and Dirgesinger armor sets released in the Fall Update will also arrive in The Exchange on November 18.

With hundreds of free customizations available in The Exchange, including items from previous Operations, Events, and Fractures, there are millions of potential Spartan suit-ups to choose from. If you missed out on completing an armor set, take advantage of 2X Spartan Points to claim the rest!

PLAYLIST UPDATES

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: Sikamikanico, bullet2thehead9, Whos Blaze

The Halodays come early for Husky Raiders! A festive map, Yuletide, has been added to Husky Raid and Super Husky Raid modes in the Quick Play playlist.

Look for Yuletide in the Quick Play playlist starting November 18.

RANKED UPDATES

Bragging rights are forever. Operation: Infinite introduces a new asymmetrical map for select Ranked modes and a fresh Ranked Seasons calendar to keep your skills sharp.

NEW MAP: VACANCY

Bookmark this map.

Forged by: MikRips, Ethan Hibbs

On a quiet square sits the Hotel Kijani, a cozy, but modest inn practically baked into its surroundings by years of mid-afternoon heat. Hours after the markets have closed, when the last fruit truck has packed away its wares, the alleyway staircases and typically busy thoroughfares have emptied, and long shadows begin to grow on the crested archways of this storied city—only then do warriors strafe its scenic courtyards in pursuit of glory.

You can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave.

Vacancy arrives in Ranked Arena, Ranked Slayer, Ranked Doubles, and select ranked rotational playlists on November 18, 2025.

RANKED SEASONS

More Ranked Seasons are on their way. Every few months, skilled tacticians will get the chance to secure a spot on the seasonal leaderboard and claim exclusive Spartan customizations from a new slate of Ranked Rewards before Competitive Skill Rank (CSR) values reset at the conclusion of each Ranked Season.

During Ranked Seasons, the Ranked Rotational playlist will periodically change to offer fresh challenges with a mix of strategic, throwback, and tactical modes.

The next Ranked Season begins November 18.

HALO INFINITE ROADMAP

Operation: Infinite may be the last major update currently planned for Halo Infinite, but we’re fully committed to supporting players with exciting challenges, ranked rewards, and community events throughout next year and beyond.

Challenges: Halo Infinite players will continue to find a rotating selection of Daily and Weekly Challenges that offer a variety of ways to level up your Career Rank, progress through Operation Passes, and earn Spartan Points (SP).
Ranked Seasons: A new slate of Ranked Seasons awaits. The Ranked Rotational playlist (the fourth Ranked matchmaking playlist after Ranked Arena, Slayer, and Doubles) will continue to change formats periodically to offer a fresh challenge.
Halo at DreamHack: Halo returns to DreamHack. Get tickets now to DreamHack Birmingham (March 27–29, 2026) and DreamHack Atlanta (May 15–17, 2026) to experience all the artistry, cosplay, and esports excellence on display at one of gaming’s greatest expos.
Halo Fest: Join us December 2026 in Seattle for a convention celebrating Halo’s community and iconic legacy. Read more details below! Tickets go on sale December 10, 2025 at

https://HaloFest.com

THANK YOU FROM HALO STUDIOS

As the Halo Studios team shifts focus to in-development projects such as Halo: Campaign Evolved, we’d like to thank our Halo Infinite players for years of steadfast support.

It’s been a legendary run of Seasons, Events, Fractures, and Operations, with plenty of maps, modes, sandbox additions, Forge tool upgrades, and incredible memories along the way. None of those milestones would have been possible without the guidance and enthusiasm of our community.

Between the players lobbing stickies in matchmaking, the pros tearing up the Ranked leaderboards, and the Forgers expanding Halo’s multiplayer mythos with remarkable experiences, each and every Halo fan has helped to create this unforgettable moment. Thanks to your support, Halo Infinite features nearly endless ways to have fun, share Forge creations, and lay a Spartan smackdown on your friends.

Your excitement is the lodestar for our every effort. Whether you’re a long-time player, a recently returned Spartan, or a brand-new ally, we’re grateful to have you on our Fireteam.

As we look ahead, your feedback will continue to help us refine our goals, in hopes of exceeding expectations and delivering the best Halo experiences possible. Throughout our day, we look to your suggestions, your art, and even your memes as constant reminders of our dual commitment to faithfully stewarding Halo’s legacy and forging its future.

Since formally announcing Halo: Campaign Evolved in October, we’ve been floored by the response from both longtime fans and Halo newcomers. We’re humbled by the trust you’ve placed in us, and we can’t wait to introduce new players to the iconic story of Halo: Combat Evolved for the first time in 2026.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF HALO

As the 25th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved approaches, we look forward to celebrating Halo’s universe, community, and enduring legacy with you all next year.

If you missed your chance to join us for this year’s Halo World Championship, don’t miss out on Halo Fest in December 2026. The event begins with an orchestral performance of iconic Halo music, in concert for one night only, followed by a two-day convention celebrating Halo’s legacy, story, and unrivaled community. We hope to see you there!

Halo Fest tickets go on sale December 10, 2025 at https://HaloFest.com.

Stay tuned to Halo Waypoint for retrospectives, reminiscences, and more info on Halo: Campaign Evolved in 2026—and don’t miss Operation: Infinite, launching November 18.

Operation: Haloween II Community Playdate

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 20:13:47 +0000

Something wicked this way spawns…

Join us for our Operation: Haloween II Community Playdate tomorrow at 11am PT for some spooktacular shenanigans. Match us to earn your treat – the Unicorn of Ice rewards!

Costumes optional. Chaos guaranteed.

Thank You | Halo World Championship 2025

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 22:02:03 +0000

Whether you joined us in Seattle or on our live broadcast, we’d like to thank everyone in the Halo community for making this year’s Halo World Championship in Seattle such an unforgettable experience.

Between swapping stories with Halo fans, watching elite Halo Infinite players duke it out on the main stage, announcing Halo: Campaign Evolved, and seeing our community raise a whopping $67,000 for Gamers Outreach, it’s hard to pick a favorite moment from this incredible weekend—so we thought we’d share a whole collection of them!

Check out more highlights from this year’s Halo World Championship below.

Congrats to Shopify Rebellion

After three days of intense competitive heat, Shopify Rebellion clutched up and came out on top against OpTic Gaming in the best-of-seven Grand Finals. It was a remarkable journey from this year’s earliest HCS events to the Halo World Championship stage, and their relentless dedication certainly paid off on Sunday!

Congratulations to Shopify Rebellion, our 2025 Halo World Champions, and to all the teams that made this year’s tournament the most attended HCS event to date.

Cunning Cosplay

Halo cosplayers really know how to strut their Spartan stuff! This year’s Community Cosplay Contest welcomed 85 cosplayers to the Community Stage, where they showed off their stellar handiwork and a flair for dramatic entrances.

Congratulations to Miss_Boof (as Olympia Vale), James (as Crochet Master Chief), and Sola Mors (as Flood Spartan) on ascending to the Main Stage, and to all our heroic contestants who dazzled the crowd at the Community Cosplay Contest!

Download photos from the contest: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Mighty Makers

This year’s Maker’s Contest was filled with impressive armaments, curious creations, and oddly satisfying oddments. Check out photos from the top three winners below!

Draxes took first place with his Jega ‘Rdomnai bust and Elite Bloodblade (above), followed closely by MightyMarkProps with an extra-lethal Hydra model and Fallen922 with a Craigtastic bass guitar (below).

Meet-up Memories

It’s always a treat to meet so many Halo fans IRL! During this weekend’s event, the Halo Studios community team held daily Community Meet-ups featuring Halo-themed games and limited-edition posters by Soul_ant19, OutletChief729, and entransing.

We’re so grateful to everyone who stopped by to say hello, play games, and sign our posters for the Halo Studios office! If you couldn’t attend in person, don't forget to snag a digital copy of this year’s Community Meet-up posters.

Halo Fest 2026

Don’t miss your chance to join us in Seattle, WA again for Halo Fest in December 2026.

The event begins with an orchestral performance of iconic Halo music, in concert for one night only on December 11, followed by a two-day convention celebrating Halo’s legacy, story, and unrivaled community. We hope you can make it!

Happy 10th Birthday Halo 5

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:13:58 +0000

Fireteam Osiris, the light is green!

It has been ten years since Spartan Locke sent Fireteam Osiris to Kamchatka, thus setting in motion the events of Halo: 5 Guardians.

We’re celebrating in Halo Infinite by bringing some fan-favorite armor sets to the Exchange and bringing back the new, unique mode, Extermination.

Anniversary Armors

If you’ve banked enough Spartan Points, you’ll be able to grab these sets as soon as they drop out of slipspace. If not, fear not – they will be available from the Exchange so you may obtain them at your leisure. (Or you can grab them from the Shop if you prefer that route.)

Hunter: Savvy Spartans choose HUNTER technology for its customizable interfaces, a puissant surveillance suite, and dependable maneuverability in hand-to-hand sparring.
Helljumper: Thanks to innovative field upgrades by Cascade Stronghold Technologies, testbed HELLJUMPER armor can reliably endure the atmospheric rigors expected of GEN3 Mjolnir.
Copperhead: When it comes to building interspecies alliances, COPPERHEAD armor has consistently proven its merits for both kinetic diplomacy and charm offensives.
Shinobi: Though the design’s origins remain obscure, the undisclosed reasons behind its approved use among Spartans of the UNSC may prove even more unknowable.

Exacting Extermination

We’re all familiar with Team Slayer where it’s 4v4 and you score a point for each kill on the opponent’s team. And first team to 50 points, wins the match. Extermination is the same at the very basics: 4v4 and you gotta kill the enemy. But you’re not trying to get to 50 kills.

The Goal:

Eliminate all members of the enemy team at once.

Super simple right? If you can kill the entire enemy team before anyone respawns, you win the round.

Were it so easy.

So what’s the catch? If a player can stay alive long enough for their teammates to respawn, the round continues. You’ll have a 15 second respawn between each death. And for the record: this goes by fast when you’re hunting that last elusive Spartan but somehow seems to last an eternity when you’re desperately evading, trying to let your teammate respawn.

Combat Components

Alright let’s get the lowdown before you throwdown:

Short, two-minute rounds
First to win five rounds, wins
Teams swap sides after each round
Round ends at time or when an entire team is on respawn
Ties can occur when no team was Exterminated before timer runs out
If three ties occur, the team with the most points wins

Strategic Spaces

With a new playlist comes new maps! Bookmark the mode here, then grab the maps and check ‘em out!

Collateral
Bookmark
Credits: Pat Sounds, Dellsoto

No uplink. No Signal...Nothing but static and rain

Stadium
Bookmark
Credits: Pat Sounds

1...2...3 kills, you're out.

Breakthrough
Bookmark
Credits: Silencer EU, Kat Rat A Tat

Just listen to the rain and the wind.

Eyrie
Bookmark
Credits: DanZama, ArturBlooshot, Starkey213036

Guess some of us just don't like leaving a job half-finished.

Ilex
Bookmark
Credits: Igrizhar, Yeehaw J24, JoValiant, Virus11010

It's the facility, not the goat.

Oppressor
Bookmark
Credits: Starkey213036, ArturBloodshot

Drowned desperate screams of useless defiance.

Runoff
Bookmark
Credits: Cousin Tim, MikRips

Where does the water come from?

Abbiocco
Bookmark
Credits: bullet2thehead9

Grab a pizza on your way out.

Closing Contemplations

The light is still green, Spartans. Grab the new gear and check out Extermination today!

Halo: Fifth Canticle

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:26:54 +0000

2558. Amid the chaos of the Created uprising, five tales of truth, compromise, betrayal, purpose, and change unfold across the galaxy.

Doctor Catherine Halsey and Jul ‘Mdama share an honest conversation, Captain Lasky makes arrangements for a vital mission to Sanghelios, Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam confronts a traitor, Exuberant Witness makes some new friends, and a strange signal is picked up on Zeta Halo.

Halo: Fifth Canticle is available here, on Halo Waypoint, as a free PDF, and in audiobook format on YouTube.

HISTORIAN’S NOTE

Halo: Fifth Canticle takes place in October 2558 as the Created uprising radically threatens to alter the power structure of the galaxy.

CANTICLE I. THE CHILDREN

SONG OF RETRIBUTION // OCTOBER 16, 2558

Doctor Catherine Halsey had not specifically intended to catch Jul ‘Mdama in a moment of quiet repose, but she was never one to let an opportunity like this slide.

She could not see his face, but she knew immediately where his focus was. She glimpsed a small holograph projected from a handheld device depicting what appeared to be three other Sangheili—two children and an adult female.

Family? Halsey surmised. Unexpected... but useful.

The Sangheili’s head snapped in Halsey’s direction as he suddenly sensed her presence, her long shadow cast against the curved iridescent far wall. In the pale light of his ready room—or the Sangheili equivalent of such a thing—the Covenant supreme leader looked haggard and gaunt, his grey-white skin almost sickly. From his widened, bloodshot eyes and sharp intake of breath, Jul looked as if Halsey had caught him in the act. A private, vulnerable moment. Something he was loath to share.

Already, Halsey could see the fire igniting in Jul’s eyes. What had begun as a performative façade he so often put on in front of his followers had seeped into his very being. Whoever he once was before embarking on this crusade had been corroded away over the years. It seemed to Halsey that the sad charade of Jul’s zealotry was increasingly becoming more real. Jul had tasted the power that his title of “Didact’s Hand” had given him and, naturally, he desired more.

Unfortunately for him, a series of crushing defeats—the denial of the Absolute Record, Sali ‘Nyon’s rebellion, and the recent betrayal of the Prometheans at the behest of a new commander—was driving Jul ever closer toward impatience. Stoking his rage was making him irritable, reactive. Weak.

“Tell me about the children.” Halsey spoke the words evenly, breaking the tense silence of the moment and abruptly quelling whatever storm had been rising between them.

Halsey had never thought of herself as a prisoner here. Expressing her desire for revenge against the UNSC was all it had taken to begin wrapping the Sangheili cult leader around her finger. She saw straight through his act—and he knew it.

Not to give herself too much credit, she too had suffered failures and setbacks of late, but when she was eventually back in the cramped confines of the UNSC’s little sandbox, she would make quite a meal out of how she alone had been more effective at bringing down the Didact’s Hand than hundreds of their so-called Spartans.

“As hatchlings, the minds and bodies of our children are honed to become warriors,” Jul said in a low voice. “Their lives dedicated to duty and service to the Covenant. And then they would be sent to battle your children—your demons.” He practically spat the last word as he turned away, staring at the holograph once more.

“That war is over five years finished, Jul. And when the Arbiter sought to make peace, you started a new one—not just against humanity, but your own people. If your children are in danger now, is that not because of your choices?”

“The Arbiter is blinded by his need for redemption,” Jul snorted. “He will lead the Sangheili to ruin in pursuit of it. Truly, he is the greatest killer of us all. I began this war to depose him because your Office of Naval Intelligence set me on this path. Just as they did with you.”

Of late, it was easy to get Jul ranting. Halsey knew all the right buttons to press that would send him on a tirade.

“What I do is to save my people," Jul continued. “Dural. Asum. Raia... It is in their name that I shall free Sanghelios from the Arbiter’s grasp. Once there is unity, we shall burn ONI out of the shadows. Then, and only then, once my vengeance is complete, can there be a road to peace.”

Halsey could, at least, sympathize with the rage that drove and sustained him. After she’d learned that Jacob perished on the first discovered Halo ring, she had felt a profound shift in her logic. No longer could she bear to sacrifice others for humanity’s survival. Instead, she sought to save as many lives as she could.

Even now, in the deepest, darkest pit of her life, in the company of the enemy as a traitor to her people, that philosophy held true.

An imprint of the Librarian herself had offered Halsey the chance to make it happen. She did not believe in destiny or divine providence, but she had been chosen to uplift humanity with the bountiful gifts of Forerunner technology. Her efforts, however, had resulted in failure. And now something—someone—else was taking her place, awakening the Forerunner legacy from its long slumber.

She had been usurped, confined to the margins once more. She would not allow it.

Halsey had decided that the end of her partnership with Jul was imminent. The Covenant leader’s usefulness in the pursuit of her goals had run its course. Yet, she found herself wanting to dig deeper into the truth that this Sangheili had buried deep within him—the things that he dared not reveal to his followers. She savored the irony that the only one he could truly confide in was a human... perhaps that was why he had not yet moved to discard her.

“And what of your children, Doctor?” Jul asked, prompting Halsey to realize that she had failed to seize upon her opening to press him further. “What would you give to see them again? To ensure that they are safe?”

Halsey thought about lying. She had done so frequently over the course of this particular relationship... but the thought of Miranda rose unbidden, and with her bubbled a deep well of regret. She had been so sure that giving her child up was the right thing to do. Given the circumstances, it was the best decision she could have made as a mother to ensure that Miranda was loved and raised as she deserved to be. But that choice had come at the cost of resentment and distance. And now she would never have a chance to explain herself.

Halsey thought of her Spartans. So many of them gone now. With every loss, the hole within her had widened into a pit. It was the only counterargument, the only clue, that suggested she had underestimated her capacity to love.

She thought of John. He’s out there, somewhere...

The truth slipped past her lips. A mission that surpassed all others.

A promise to keep.

“Anything, Jul. I would do anything.”

CANTICLE II. THE DEAL

UNSC INFINITY // OCTOBER 26, 2558

Captain Thomas Lasky straightened his collar and stood at attention in front of the monitor in his ready room.

“They’re on the horn now, Captain.” Roland’s holographic avatar—the orange-tinted form of a military pilot from one of humanity’s historic twentieth century wars—appeared on the desk. “Er... best of luck.”

“Thank you, Roland. Patch them through.”

Roland saluted, then disappeared.

“Admiral Hood, Admiral Osman,” Captain Lasky formally greeted the split-screen image of the elderly Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood, clad in his pristine white uniform. On the screen next to him was Serin Osman, ONI’s imposing and sharp-featured Commander-in-Chief.

“Captain Lasky,” Hood replied, looking thoroughly exhausted, though he still managed to convey a sense of natural warmth and authority that helped to ease Lasky’s mind. “How’re you holding up, son?”

“As well as possible, given the circumstances, sir. Eleven of our colonies hit by Guardian awakenings with no sign of these events stopping, countless people dead—not to mention the Master Chief and Blue Team going AWOL to find Cortana themselves. But I didn’t call you both just to complain.”

“I should hope not, Captain," Osman interjected. “Given that this is a private meeting instead of a full UNSC Security Council briefing, I presume this is urgent. What do you need?”

“It is urgent, Admiral. After what happened on Meridian, we now know that Cortana is awakening these Guardian constructs across the galaxy. Once they emerge from their craters, they jump into slipspace, and we need to find out where they’re going. Roland’s come up with a good plan, and Doctor Halsey believes--”

“Halsey?” As if by instinct at the mere mention of her name, Osman’s face contorted as though she had bitten down hard into a lemon.

“She was feeding information to us about these events while in Jul ‘Mdama’s custody before Fireteam Osiris recovered her, and she believes she has a solution,” Lasky continued. “A way to follow the Guardian that Blue Team boarded to its destination and figure this whole thing out.”

“What’s the catch?” Osman asked as she narrowed her eyes.

“We need to go to Sanghelios.”

A moment of uncomfortable silence settled between them. If the mention of Halsey’s name hadn’t ruined Osman’s day already, the prospect of a mission to Sanghelios seemed like a twist of the knife.

“Sanghelios is off-limits, Captain,” Osman said sternly. “If the Covenant want to throw everything they’ve got at the Arbiter, let them. I doubt that he would welcome the UNSC’s assistance again after we dealt with the last major uprising against him in ‘53. That is why he’s in this situation, after all.”

“We both know that there is more than one reason why the Arbiter is embroiled in this conflict, Admiral,” Hood maintained a diplomatic but unsubtle tone. Lasky took note of Osman squaring her jaw—holding back whatever barbed retort she no doubt wanted to give.

“Sanghelios is the location of the next known Guardian awakening, so our window is limited," Lasky said, hoping to keep the conversation focused on the matter at hand. “I appreciate the complexities, but the situation is this: If we want to catch up with the Master Chief and put a stop to whatever Cortana’s plans are, we need the Arbiter’s help.”

“I’m afraid Admiral Osman is correct,” Hood replied. “There is a significant risk to sending Infinity, both to the ship itself and to the Arbiter’s delicate political situation. We need you back with the Home Fleet to hold the line when these Guardians come knocking on Earth’s door.”

Osman seemed to relax a little as she settled in her seat, apparently not expecting that she and Hood would find alignment.

“However,” Hood continued after a momentary pause. “I have no doubt that Blue Team are heading to the heart of this mess and they’re going to need back-up. I’m sure we can afford to send a single Spartan team with Doctor Halsey to pursue this lead.”

“Commander Palmer will be there as Doctor Halsey’s handler,” Lasky followed up, sensing Hood’s play.

“Then I think that settles the matter. Commander Palmer, her Spartan fireteam, and Doctor Halsey will rendezvous with the Arbiter’s forces, and then you are ordered to immediately return to Earth.” Hood paused for a moment before adding: “Any objections, Admiral Osman?”

“If anything goes wrong, this mission does not exist,” Osman said, her tone clipped and direct. Lasky had only heard her speak this way once before, and he had admitted to Palmer that it put the fear of God into his bones. “Your team will be on their own. And if Halsey sets so much as one toe out of line, Commander Palmer is ordered to finish the job she failed on Requiem, Aktis IV, and Operation: ATHENA. I will grant no further leniency.”

Before Lasky or Hood could respond, Osman—resigned to having been outmaneuvered on this occasion—severed her connection.

“I agree with the Admiral on one particular point, Tom,” Hood said. “It’s a mess on Sanghelios right now and there are plenty who want to keep it that way. Doctor Halsey is a wild card, but I can say with certainty that she will be highly motivated by the opportunity to assist Blue Team.”

“Understood, sir,” Lasky saluted.

“Godspeed, Captain.” Hood returned the salute. “We’ll see you soon.”

CANTICLE III. THE TRAITOR

SANGHELIOS // OCTOBER 27, 2558

“This heretic, and those who follow him, must be silenced.”

The placid, dispassionate voice of the Prophet of Truth still whispered to Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam.

It came in the quiet moments—an undeniable presence. The sensation of three spindly, elongated fingers draping over his shoulder as if to provide a sacred blessing. The phantom pain of searing heat in his chest in the middle of the night, his left side burning as if the mark on his flesh was being branded anew.

It came to Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam now in the form of whispered, winged words from the past as he faced the traitor within his own ranks—of his own blood.

Murok ‘Vadam, one of the clan’s council of elders.

A security officer had interrogated an Unggoy captive who revealed that the Covenant had been able to track the Arbiter’s movements because of an informant. When the gathering at the elder council chamber was convened, a blockade runner had arrived and disgorged vast numbers of troops from assault carapaces. Covenant forces had launched a surprise attack in an effort to eliminate him.

Indeed, they might have succeeded had it not been for the timely arrival of Shipmistress Mahkee ‘Chava, accompanied by a Spartan fireteam. Their leader presently awaited an audience with him.

That was another matter he would deal with in due course.

First, he had ordered Murok to be brought to the cliff’s edge as the Swords of Sanghelios set up their fortifications in the region. There was no avoiding having an audience for this confrontation, and an example of cowardly traitors needed to be made at this critical moment.

Murok, accompanied by a lone guard, simply stood looking out at the vast Nuursa valley beyond the camp. Sloping plains of arid desert and naturally stacked rock formed a basin where a small river served as a tributary of the Csurdon Sea.

“I betrayed you, Arbiter. Yet that act pales next to the gravest dishonor of all. My failure to kill you,” Murok said as the Arbiter approached, though he did not turn from the view. “You have come to ask why I did it?”

“You compound such dishonor by enlisting an army to attempt what you alone would not,” the Arbiter replied. “And you have done so, elder, because you refuse to see any way other than what you have known. Still you follow the path of the Covenant, even as it fractures beneath your feet on the cusp of its annihilation.”

“And what shall replace it, I wonder?” Murok mused, turning at last to face the Arbiter, his eyes ablaze with anger. “You seek to ally with our greatest enemies. You hold fruitless peace talks with the Jiralhanae and return their laborers from our lands to the so-called ‘Ghost Father.’ You invite human filth to set foot on the sacred ground of our home. You elevate females and Unggoy to ranks unbecoming their nature, and I have seen the apostate healers you shelter in your camp, denying warriors their honorable deaths!”

The Arbiter listened, though it was the same argument he had heard from every staunch traditionalist of frustratingly limited vision. Never change, never progress, and certainly never peace. Just an endless chase to return to imagined glories of long faded valor and the deliverance of retribution.

He had been blinded by such desires before. Indeed, he had once declared to the humans in their pursuit of the Prophet of Truth that, upon claiming victory, all who served the Covenant would be punished.

The promise of righteous vengeance had been his fuel and sustenance during that time. It was what had driven him to plunge his blade through the Prophet of Truth’s wretched heart. But such an act had not absolved the Arbiter himself of the terrible things he had done in service to the Covenant. Even as he fought against the empire he had once devoted himself to, still he feared he was beset by hubris and hypocrisy. Had he followed the path of retribution, perhaps the galaxy today would be rising against him for leading a new Covenant to enforce his vision of peace through subjugation...

“Do you know what I felt when I killed the Prophet of Truth and claimed my revenge?” The Arbiter lowered his voice as he prepared to confess something that he had only ever told to one other.

He could recall the moment with perfect clarity.

His hands tighten around the Prophet’s long, rubbery neck as he rants in defiance about ascending to godhood while parasitic spores pour forth from his mouth. Bulging and pulsating growths from Flood infection break through his aged flesh.

His blade penetrates Truth’s back, slicing through the San’Shyuum’s left side—the same side that the Arbiter bore the Mark of Shame.

Truth screams, slumps, and falls to the ground. It is a small death for such a momentous figure, but the voice of the Covenant is silenced at last.

“I felt nothing.”

He had not understood why at the time. The anger and singular need for vengeance had delivered him to that point, but after the Prophet’s death those feelings still lingered. Even when his duties had turned to statecraft, the dissonance had remained. He had not known what to do with it. And when at last that wellspring of hatred ran dry, his anger had been dulled to numbness and all that remained was pain.

Murok narrowed his eyes, wholly unconvinced, and raised his voice to appeal to the Sangheili and Unggoy troops who went about their duties in the camp. “Without the guiding hand of the Covenant and its glorious purpose to shepherd us to salvation, I foresee a galaxy locked in perpetual conflict. The Sangheili will lose their way. They will pledge themselves and pay tribute to unworthy warlords, and all that makes us strong shall fade. Destroy the Covenant”—Murok pointed an accusatory finger around the camp—“and you will destroy the very soul of our people.”

The Arbiter withdrew the energy sword from his side. Two burnt orange prongs of superheated plasma extended from the hilt of the Prophets’ Bane. The motion declared his intent; there was no going back now.

“I go gladly to the side of the gods, departing this doomed galaxy. I have spoken.”

In his younger years as a fledgling kaidon, Thel ‘Vadamee would have struck Murok down simply for the affront of such defiance. Killing had come so easily during that period of his life, but that was long ago. Time had brought him experience, experience had brought him pain, and pain had at last calcified into wisdom.

The whispering voice of the Prophet of Truth in his ear telling him that this was a heretic to be silenced remained. He still carried that darkness within him, that despotic potential for which he had deliberately designed certain safeguards... but it no longer directed his actions and fortified his fears.

He did not hate Murok ‘Vadam, he merely pitied him.

“A new dawn awaits the Sangheili at the end of this day. One final effort is all that remains to reach it.”

In a single motion, the Arbiter swung his blade upwards and severed Murok’s head from his body. The Sangheili elder seemed to stumble on the spot for a moment before falling backwards and toppling from the cliff.

The troops around the camp returned to their duties as the Arbiter deactivated his energy sword and attached the hilt to his armor once more. One of his security officers, Mahlo ‘Turagg, approached.

“The humans are under guard, Arbiter, and have provided us with their identities and service records.” ‘Turagg handed over a circular data pad. “One of their number awaits an audience with you.”

The Arbiter examined the profiles of his unexpected visitors. “I have fought alongside Commander Palmer and know her to be an honorable warrior. The others, I am unfamiliar with.”

“The one named Vale is a diplomat to our people and speaks our language well. Her record claims that she spent several lunar cycles among the nomad clans of Khael’mothka, and she served aboard the Mayhem three annual cycles ago.”

The Arbiter found his scrutinous attention drawn to the profile of Fireteam Osiris’s leader. “Jameson Locke,” he said aloud. “Office of Naval Intelligence.”

“He was counselled by Vale to reveal to us that he was an agent for ONI.”

“Escort this agent to await my presence in the command tent,” the Arbiter ordered. “Let us see what this assassin wishes of me.”

CANTICLE IV. THE REDEEMER

GENESIS // OCTOBER 28, 2558

“His name was Bibjam. He was a mere Grunt. Scarred, though spirited, past his useful years. His advice was unconventional: ‘Fight as if there was no honor in death.’

He guided us through victory in conflict after conflict. And while we reveled in our glory, he mourned every brother we lost along the way.

As the war went on, Bibjam became more concerned with protecting us. When we finally caught him betraying our movements to the Swords of Sanghelios, he told us capture was the only way for us to avoid death.

He truly believed he found a way to save us.

I could not meet his gaze when I ran him through.”

Dham ‘Mashatt had dropped the data pad containing his eulogy for Bibjam as he and his fellow Unggoy, Jabjab, had been pulled into their prison cell, but the words he had spoken remained fresh in his mind. He let out a deep exhale as he sank onto a crate. It was the way of the Sangheili to honor their greatest figures through ballads, and while ‘Mashatt was no warrior-poet, this was the only way he could think to give tribute to the leader he had followed, loved, and ultimately slain.

He cast his gaze toward Jabjab, who seemed to have fallen asleep at the edge of the cage, just inches away from the energy shield that kept them contained. There was no way out. With nothing to do but wait, the Sangheili warrior attempted to piece together all that had happened over the last few day-cycles.

Jul ‘Mdama had fallen on Kamchatka, slain by demons. Instead of calling a retreat, the remaining council of generals had decreed that they would proceed with the assault on Sanghelios in a final desperate attempt to assassinate the Arbiter.

Dham ‘Mashatt had been there when the Guardian rose from the Csurdon Sea to render its judgment upon the battle that raged through the city of Sunaion. There had been many questions about what the Guardian would do once awakened. Was it an omen of victory or defeat?

It had been neither. The construct had simply opened an immense slipspace portal and departed, and brought with it any vessels caught in its wake—including ‘Mashatt’s own Lich.

It had delivered them here, to this strange world. The corrosive atmosphere of the jungle in which they had crashed seared their throats, and the warrior-angels that had once fought by their side had been subverted by a heretical human intelligence. They had been hunted, fighting for their very lives while barely able to breathe, until...

“Greetings!”

‘Mashatt heard a cheerful voice from outside the cell. He turned to see a floating spherical construct with a central eye staring at him. An oracle.

“I am 031 Exuberant Witness, monitor of the Genesis installation. Oh, but I am so terribly sorry that I did not introduce myself earlier when I had you all locked in here. That must have seemed quite rude! Let me get those doors for you.”

The cell’s rippling energy shield wall disappeared. Dham ‘Mashatt got to his feet and gently prompted Jabjab to awaken as he stepped onto a raised platform overlooking the small prison area. Ice and snow covered much of the ground, and ‘Mashatt could see his breath as fog in the freezing cold air.

“But you must understand, it was for your safety, of course,” the oracle who had named herself Exuberant Witness continued. “You may have noticed that Genesis has become a little more… active of late. The Guardians brought a significant number of visitors to my home, and it has been very difficult to stop you all from fighting! I simply wish to prevent any unnecessary death before moving the shield world through slipspace, beyond Cortana’s reach.”

Jabjab waddled up to one of the adjacent cells and asked, “What wrong with that guy?”

Contained within the cell was one of the warrior-angels—a Promethean Knight. Its divine carapace was like all others, bulbous, top-heavy armor that bore a pair of arms: one connected to its integrated weaponry while the other ended in a deadly blade of hardlight. The lower regions of its body were slender, and another pair of smaller, more dexterous arms extended from its chest. Its helmet bore a grim visage, which covered a blazing skull beneath.

This warrior-angel, however, was demonstrating some peculiar behavior. Where others of its kind had come to show instantaneous hostility, this one simply stood by the wall of its cell, head buried in its smaller pair of hands as it made random spasmodic movements.

“Oh dear,” Exuberant’s tone saddened as she initiated a scan of the Knight from her central lens.

“What is happening?” ‘Mashatt asked.

“The poor human essence within this Promethean unit has been severed from its command network. It has been abandoned. And unfortunately, it seems to be winning a battle against its own programming. It is aware of who it once was... and what it has become.”

The Promethean Knight thrashed around in its cell. Its arms slapped against its helmet as if trying to clear its vision or awaken itself from some terrible nightmare, then threw its entire weight against the wall, shaking uncontrollably, before slumping in defeat. ‘Mashatt watched as it repeated the process again. The warrior-angel seemed to be caught in a recursive, torturous loop.

He did not expect to discover such a deep well of pity within his hearts.

For as long as he could remember, the Covenant—through the wisdom of the Prophets—had instilled within him a sense of awe and reverence for the divinity of the Forerunners. But the hierarchs had been liars, manipulators, and the Covenant had fallen... and now the sanctity of Forerunner technology had been demystified as countless groups sought to claim their ancient bounties to deliver death and destruction. The truth of their gods’ benevolence was in doubt when it seemed all they had to offer were terrifying weapons.

Perhaps there was other truth that Dham ‘Mashatt could at last discern for himself.

Perhaps he could break his own programming, as Bibjam had. But what would that leave him with? ‘Mashatt could find only a wellspring of pain and regret, the depths of which he felt he could draw from until the end of time.

“What can be done?” ‘Mashatt found himself asking, turning to Exuberant. “Is there any way we can aid this creature? Can it be delivered from this pain?”

The oracle did not respond immediately, appearing to be deep in thought. “There may be something...” she said at last.

“Oracle,” ‘Mashatt was unable to keep the longing from his voice at the prospect of being able to ask a construct of the gods for a purpose. “Please. Command us.”

“There is a place here on Genesis. A gateway to the Domain.”

‘Mashatt knew of what she spoke. Covenant scripture told of a great library that held all of the Forerunners’ knowledge, the soul and wisdom of the time before their departure on the Great Journey.

“And this warrior-angel,” ‘Mashatt said. “If it were to pass into the Domain, it could be at peace?”

“I am uncertain. The Domain has been out of commission for such a very long time, and it is currently being leveraged by Cortana...”

“But it is the strongest chance it has?”

“I believe so.”

An idea took shape in Dham ‘Mashatt’s mind. A new purpose, the greatest that anyone of the Covenant could hope for—and not just for himself.

“Oracle, would you release my fellow Covenant from their holding cells?”

“Certainly!”

The energy shield walls of several other prison units dissipated. Three other Unggoy waddled over, accompanied by a lone Mgalekgolo, apparently cut off from its bonded pair, and introduced itself—through the translation of one of the Unggoy—as Naliligaw. All gathered at the center of the monitor’s strange menagerie.

“My brothers,” the Sangheili called them all to attention. “I am Dham ‘Mashatt, and I have much to tell you.”

He explained all he could to them. He recounted the fall of ‘Mdama’s Covenant at Sunaion for the benefit of those who had come from elsewhere in the galaxy. He detailed how numerous Guardians had transported many people from the worlds they had been awakened within to this place.

He explained how Bibjam, who he had once called friend and leader, had sought to protect them from these terrible events, before ‘Mashatt killed him for this betrayal.

And he presented to them with the choice they now faced.

“We can leave. The oracle may be able to return us to a location of our choosing, or else help us to find slipspace-capable transport. Or... we could remain on Genesis. There is a place for us here, serving the oracle in her quest to return all others to where they belong, if that is the duty we choose for ourselves. In service of the gods, we may at last find some measure of peace.”

As ‘Mashatt spoke, he felt a wave of clarity wash over him. Bibjam’s intentions had been pure and honorable, for he had been moved by love and loyalty, but so too were his actions stained with distrust. He had not confided his treacherous plans and had therefore acted for them—in doing so, he had removed the opportunity for those he loved to decide their own fate.

Dham ‘Mashatt would not repeat that mistake.

Naliligaw let out a low rumble, the lone Mgalekgolo teetered slightly from side-to-side, before stepping forward and approaching ‘Mashatt. The Unggoy, too, waddled over as one.

“Our choice has been made, oracle,” ‘Mashatt declared as Exuberant Witness excitedly chirped about having the company of new friends. “We shall serve you as the true guardians of Genesis.”

CANTICLE V. THE MUSIC

ZETA HALO // OCTOBER 29, 2558

Professor Montgomery Marie was a creature of habit.

0500 Hours: Morning alarm, up and out of bed, personal chatter comes on with daily playlist. Always start with the Helljumpers’ Interstellar Orchestra.

0510: Jog, same path around the base as always. Custom playlist of twenty-third century rock anthems set to full blast.

0540: Journal time. Music off. Reflection.

No matter where in the galaxy she was, her routines were the same. She had kept them that way for years, her method of holding onto a constant in what was otherwise a fairly nomadic way of life. Not that anything she had seen before could truly compare to her current workplace.

As she glanced up from her journal, the ancient Forerunner construct designated Installation 07—Zeta Halo—rose to its own towering heights, both literally and metaphorically. Professor Marie had arrived only a few weeks ago with an expeditionary group and was still getting used to the way the horizon curved upward with its thinning band of oceans and landmasses, and, in its current orbital orientation, the immense face of its uniquely terrestrial anchor planet.

It was a marvel. And her late father’s journal was now full of her own sketches, teeming with whatever caught her attention. The horizon, alien flora, flocks of strange birds that wheeled in the sky as the sun passed over the edge of the ring.

0610: Off to breakfast, playlist back on to finish the last leg of the jog back to base. Late twenty-fourth century Reavian throat singing. Oddly calming.

She made her way back down to grab a quick bit of food in the prefabricated mess hall where she overheard spirited chatter from her colleagues and the base’s military personnel. Over the last week, news had been streaming in about catastrophic events concerning colony-wide disasters. Ancient alien constructs awakening after millennia of dormancy, the Master Chief going missing, or AWOL, or dying in the line of duty... it was all frightfully unclear. What was clear was that a rogue artificial intelligence named Cortana was behind it all. Cortana’s message had been heard across the galaxy, declaring that “the Created” had come to lead them all—all species, all civilizations—to a new dawn, whether they wanted it or not.

Given the intensity of Professor Marie’s own work and the wonder that she experienced every day here on Zeta Halo, the news seemed like distant noise, the barest hum of something on the far horizon. And even if she did have concerns, there was little she felt she could do against such a tapestry of chaos.

Better that she stay focused. While she was involved in all manner of research on the ring, her primary task concerned the deployment and observation of OQ-45 remote survey drones—nicknamed “Honeybees”—and subsequent analysis of their terrain mapping.

0800 Hours: Reporting for duty, work begins. Music left off until lunchtime.

Her workstation was a watchtower, a small blocky structure that housed a maximum of three people and served as a sensor platform. It was dark inside, primarily lit by an array of monitors and readouts of the local area, and the activity of the Honeybee drones.

“This is Hotel Bravo Three. Comms check, over,” Professor Marie said as she picked up her headset and settled into her chair.

Ordinarily, she would have expected to hear the other Honeybee teams reporting in with relative immediacy, but as she counted up to twenty whole seconds, there was no response.

“I say again: All Honeybee controllers, comms check, over.”

0815: Still no response. What the hell?

Professor Marie performed a routine check of her equipment to make sure it was functioning correctly—which it was—and attempted to contact them again, to no avail. As she made to direct a report of the issue to the local command center, the radio crackled with activity.

At last, she thought. “This is Hotel Bravo Three, please identify yourself, over.”

Her brow furrowed as she heard what sounded like music coming through. She was sure she could hear light piano notes playing somewhere in the background.

She glanced at her chatter to verify that it was indeed switched off.

“This is Hotel Bravo Three, please identify yourself immediately. This silliness has gone on long enough... Over.”

The music grew louder, accompanied now by the sound of a woman humming.

And still Professor Montgomery Marie could not find the source.

Surely this was not from the radio? Surely somebody would--

“There you are!”

A voice from behind her almost made Professor Marie jump out of her chair in surprise. She turned to see Private Rene Gordon, her dark hair a wild mess and her battle dress uniform looking anything but parade ready. “What the hell are you still doing in here, Monty? Haven’t you seen?”

Before she could respond, Private Gordon pulled her up and dragged her out of the comms station, squeezing her hand with what felt like a Helljumper’s death grip.

“We’re screwed, Monty! We’re so screwed,” was all she said as they made it outside and found a gathering of the base’s personnel.

Professor Marie did not need to ask what the fuss was all about. The answer was hanging in the sky above them.

Settling over a structure, perhaps a dozen kilometers upspin, was a great winged construct. Silver alloy lined with accents of hardlight. Jagged, segmented pieces that evoked the image of a phoenix...

An ear-splitting ringing suddenly sounded from every individual piece of communications equipment around the base.

The music was everywhere now. A new war across the stars had arrived not with the sound of weapons fire, but Préludes No. 4 by Claude Debussy.

0900 Hours: Working to get word to Earth. Cortana has come to Zeta Halo.

Halo World Championship 2025

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 19:42:50 +0000

The biggest Halo event of the year returns to Seattle for the Halo World Championship 2025! Join fans from around the globe to witness electrifying plays, a thunderous crowd, and a celebration of Halo like no other.

Whether you're into watching dev panels at the Halo Community Stage, playing in side tournaments, checking out cosplay, or just soaking in the atmosphere, there’s something here for everyone! Don’t miss your chance to watch live as the best players in the world compete for their share of $1,000,000.

The Halo World Championship is the ultimate battleground, and the stakes have never been higher!

This is the $1,000,000 Halo Infinite 4v4 Grand Finale, serving as both the epic conclusion to the 2025 season and the final official HCS Halo Infinite tournament. History will be made as one team cements their legacy as the last-ever Halo Infinite World Champions.

But that’s not all - fans can jump into the action too! The $25,000 Halo Infinite FFA returns as the biggest solo showdown of the season, and it will be open to all attendees. And throughout the weekend, Side Tournaments featuring various Halo titles give players of all skill levels a chance to throw down for cash and glory!

This is Halo Infinite at its absolute peak.

Witness the epic finale of the 2025 HCS Season. With everything on the line, only one team will rise above the rest, etching their name in history as Halo World Champions.

The HaloWC 2025 4v4 tournament format will feature:

16-Team Pool Play (4th in Pools are eliminated)
12-Team Champ Bracket (Double-elimination, Best-of-5, Grand Finals Best-of-7)

$1M 4V4 PRIZE BREAKDOWN

1st: $400,000
2nd: $220,000
3rd: $110,000
4th: $70,000
5-6: $45,000
7-8: $25,000
9-12: $10,000
13-16: $5,000

$25,000 HALO INFINITE FREE-FOR-ALL

Think you’ve got what it takes? The $25,000 Halo Infinite Free-for-All is open to all attendees - so whether you're a rising star or a hometown hero, this is your chance to shine. Sign up, battle through the gauntlet, and prove you're the best Spartan in the building. Glory (and cash) awaits!

Registration will take place on site and will be first come, first served.

FFA PRIZE BREAKDOWN

1st: $10,000
2nd: $6,000
3rd: $4,000
4th: $2,125
5th: $1,000
6th: $750
7th: $625
8th: $500

HALO SIDE TOURNAMENTS

Grab your squad and jump into the fight!

Side Tournaments let you throw down with friends in a variety of Halo titles - classic and current. It’s all about fun, bragging rights, and getting in on the action while you’re at the HaloWC.

HALOWC EVENT EXPERIENCE

This is more than a tournament - it’s a celebration of all things Halo.

Whether you’re a hardcore competitor or just here for the vibes, the Halo World Championship has something for everyone! Aside from the intense competition, you can check out the amazing cosplay, and enjoy dev panels, games, merch booths, and more. You’ll even find Free Play stations to dive into the action yourself!

HALO COMMUNITY STAGE

Over the years the Community Stage has played a critical role in giving a home for non-esports Halo fans and helping fulfil our vision of having HaloWC be a “Halo Fest” of sorts.

We're excited to share that the Community Stage will once again return with many familiar panels, as well as some new ones. As usual, the Community Stage will be live on Friday and Saturday of the event for a full 8-hours of programming each day. We’ll be sharing the specific panels and details later but you can expect more developer panels, more cosplay, and more fun games that you’ll get to participate in.

No matter why you love Halo, we want the HaloWC to feel like it has something for everyone, and the Community Stage will continue to be a space where you can connect, share, and celebrate what you love!

SPECIAL GUESTS

This year we’re excited to welcome back Steve Downes and Jen Taylor, the voices of the Master Chief and Cortana. Halo events are always more special with these two in attendance and we’re very thankful to have them joining us once again for HaloWC.

Steve and Jen will only be in attendance Friday and Saturday of the event where they’ll be participating in fun panels on the Community Stage, signing sessions for all fans, as well as VIP-exclusive photo opportunities. We'll be sharing their detailed schedule closer to the event date.

Thank you once again Steve and Jen, we can’t wait to see you here in Seattle!

$5,000 COSPLAY CONTEST

Speaking of cosplay – We're also excited to confirm that the Cosplay Contest is returning with yet another $5,000 prize pool!

We were absolutely in awe of the amazing craftsmanship and creativity that went into all of the beautiful builds last year, and we cannot wait to see what you’ve all be cooking up this year. Whether you decide to participate in the contest or not, we welcome all cosplayers to join us at the event for a good time. And as usual, we will have dedicated repair and changing rooms for cosplayers to use on site.

Cosplay Contest Entry Form

Cosplay Contest Rules

$2,500 HALO MAKER'S CONTEST

Related, but totally new to this year’s HaloWC, is a Halo Maker’s Contest.

In the community we see not only a lot of fans building armors to wear, but also weapons and other gadgets from the Halo universe and lore whether they’re human, Covenant, Forerunner or something else. We wanted to officially recognize this craft at the event and look forward to welcoming all participants. With a prize pool of $2,500, we’re hoping to see the finest handcrafted or printed items that the Halo community is able to offer.

NOTE: All Entries must be fabricated by the maker. The use of Laser cutters, 3d printers, C&C machines are all allowed but the design must be created and owned by the maker!

We just wanted to get the word out so the community out there can start thinking about what they’d like to build. We’ll have the full rules of these competitions in the coming months!

Maker's Contest Entry Form

Maker's Contest Rules

HALO MERCH & HCS PARTNER BOOTHS

Swing by Halo and HCS Partner Booths to grab exclusive event merch, meet your favorite pros, and score some epic giveaways. From collectibles to your next favorite hoodie, the HaloWC is your one-stop-shop to rep Halo in style.

FREE PLAY AREA

The Free Play Area is open to all attendees and offers a relaxed space to experience Halo at your own pace. Whether you're warming up or trying out new content, it's the perfect spot to play your way!

It's all happening this weekend!