Halo Infinite Upcoming Multiplayer Preview Adds New Features, May Not Start Tomorrow

Halo Infinite’s second round of technical previews begins this weekend on Xbox and PC consoles. Those who sign up for Halo Insider Program you will need to check their email or account to see if they are participating. If so, get ready for not one, but two full weekends of an expanded multiplayer suite compared to the previous test.

Community Director Brian Jarrard hosted the stream showcasing the multiplayer preview gameplay. Jarrard started with some “breaking news” that there may be a time change involving the test schedule due to some problem found in the flight’s construction. Tomorrow is supposed to be the start of the test, but it is very likely that there will be a small delay. Jarrard also revealed that the Big Team Battle portion of the test would be part of the second test weekend. Those who have not been accepted to the test should look for additional ways to access the test during the next week. 343 is currently looking at ways to “widen the funnel” to allow certain Xbox users and friends of Steam users to have fun.

Everything from the previous test will be accessible on the new flight, including bot matches, the battle pass, and weapon drills. The Recharge, Free Fire, and Bazaar maps will also return. Bots will no longer have daily difficulty increases, but rather a combination of AI levels within a bot team.

Those looking for something more meaningful than a four-on-four skirmish will be delighted to see the arrival of Big Team Battle, which will allow for massive 12-on-12 matchups, with Capture the Flag available in this mode. BTB also comes with the latest map, Fragmentation. This Big Team Battle map is set in a coniferous-looking canyon that gives off the vibes of Valhalla from Halo 3. Lots of hexagonal spiers and Forerunner structures stick out of the ground around the environment. Loot Caves are a new sub-objective on larger maps, allowing your AI partner to hack into a locked vault and reap the benefits of whatever weapons and other things you find inside. Another new map with dual Forerunner bases in a desert place called Behemoth brings vehicular play to Halo’s 4v4 battles.

Academy is expanding with this new test. There will be some new ways to bring players into Halo Multiplayer. A tutorial mission and training mode, an unlimited bot mix with additional tutorial options layered on top, give newcomers a safe place to learn the ins and outs of Halo. Weapon drills are also part of the Academy. They will have all the projectile weapons to try this time, along with updated bot movements and AI for a more challenging shooting range experience.

Testing for the second Halo Infinite technical preview is supposed to begin tomorrow, Thursday, September 23, through Monday, September 26 morning, although, as mentioned above, this time could change. The second weekend with the arrival of Big Team Battle is scheduled to be available from Thursday, September 30 through Monday, October 4. The full release of Halo Infinite is December 8 on Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, and PC. Good luck, Spartans.