Halo Infinite Battle Royale (Ten Reasons Why)
Halo Infinite Battle Royale (Ten Mechanics Already In Place)
Hardcore fans will say that Halo Infinite doesn’t need a Battle Royale but as we have seen its popularity shrink since its release on its 20 year anniversary back in November, maybe it does. There are other reasons for a shrinking fanbase including lingering first season, initial Battle Pass progression issues and the lack of modes and maps that have been introduced since its release. Would a Battle Royale help? I would like to think that adding another avenue for players to get hooked into Halo Infinite would be a good thing. With Season 2 on the way with no official mention of Battle Royale, its not too late to give up hope.
Looking at the history of Battle Royale, its never too late as games like Fortnite and Warzone both didn’t launch alongside their original game. The main thing is that Halo Infinite already has many elements in place that would make for an amazing Battle Royale type experience. At the very least we know that 343 Industries is aware that Halo Infinite should be considering the mode because data miners pulled out the announcer saying the phrase “Battle Royale” just like he would at the start of the match. We also know that Certain Affinity is working on a new mode within Halo Infinite.
Here are the Top Ten mechanics (in no order) that Halo Infinite already has in place to make a great Battle Royale.
Closing Circle - It wouldn’t be a BR without a shrinking map that forces players to move, which results in more action. In Elimination mode, if the game has taken too long before all team lives have been exhausted, the map starts shrinking with a giant red circle.
Player Revival - Things don’t always go according to plan when playing a BR, meaning that sometimes you will lose engagements and being able to revive your downed comrade helps keep your team finish the fight. Elimation mode seems like a test bed for BR features as you are able to respawn your teammate at their last point of death.
Battle Pass - As a free to play game, Battle Passes help keeps the lights on at a studio by keeping a steady influx of funds coming in. It also keeps the carrot dangling by showing players what they could get by levelling up higher and being the envy of other spartans with weapon skins, spartan armour and voice lines. Progression might not have been perfect at launch but 343 has been trying to hone their Battle Pass since launch, which could pay dividends should the studio chose to implement a BR.
Large Map - To have at least 100 players on a map at one time without feeling crowded and giving all players a chance to choose their own destiny, the map needs to be big. The Halo Infinite Campaign featured a very large, open world style map which means 343 has experience working with large maps and creating natural elements that funnel players certain ways. Also implementing some of their arena maps over the open world like Blackout did makes life easier.
Vehicles
A good way that Halo could differentiate itself from the pack is with an abundance of vehicles that the series has become known for from the Warthog to the Scorpion and even having players drop into the map on a pelican.
Loot
It wouldn’t be a Battle Royale without some type of looting. During the campaign, you are able to find war crates around the map, meaning this all they need to do is add some interesting goodies to them
Health
In most other games in the genre there are med packs, painkillers, energy drinks, adrenaline shots and everything in between, but Halo Infinite sticking to its roots would be the way to go with the system they already have in place with the regeneration of armour and health. This mechanic would not only differentiate it but the evading while trying to get recharge is the charm that halo has.
Upgrades
In games like PUBG and Apex Legends, you find different tiers of protective equipment like helmets and vest. While it wouldn’t make sense in the Halo universe to switch your armour but already in the campaign are Spartan Cores, that allow you to upgrade certain mechanics of your suit and this would make for a perfect fit in a Battle Royale.
Tactical Equipment
You need something more than just a great feeling combat system (which Halo Infinite has) to rise above the rest. Apex Legends has character abilities, Fortnite has building, Warzone has modern military gear like drones and Halo Infinite already has a load of Tactical Equipment. Obviously the grapple shot would make for a fast paced BR, but there are also items like the threat sensor, drop wall and boost that could make for an extremely tactical BR. These are items not found in other games.
Weapons
Ok, you clearly need some amazing or original weapons to have a great Battle Royale, and the good news is that Halo Infinite has both. Currently there are 21 in the game plus 4 grenade types with more weapons likely on the way. You don’t need hundreds of weapons, just excellent ones, can you imagine landing a skewer shot to win a match.
Warzone launched about six months after Modern Warfare, Fortnite pivoted to a Battle Royale after Save the World lacked interest in just about two months, and even PUBG was a mod from ARMA that took years. Halo Infinite is still sitting in a great position with a great foundation and obviously with the support of Microsoft have a little more time than normal to right the ship.