Halo Infinite's Next Update to Boost Xbox FPS, Urges Relaunch Campaign

Halo Infinite's "Summer 2025 Update" is now live and will run through June 10.

This rollout introduces new playlists, the powerful Mutilator weapon, sandbox tweaks, enhanced Forge tools, additional weapons on the Weapon Bench, and more. It also adds 50 more tiers, four armor sets, bonus XP, and an extra challenge slot for players who upgrade to the Premium Operation Pass.

For some, these changes might be too little, too late. Halo Infinite has undergone substantial transformations in recent years, including the rebranding of its developer, 343 Industries, to Halo Studios. This shift followed a steep decline in player counts after launch, as fans voiced dissatisfaction over content shortages, flawed progression systems, aggressive monetization, and other issues—such as the canceled "game changer" battle royale mode.

However, others believe Halo Infinite is currently in its best state yet.

In a Reddit thread titled "Halo Infinite REALLY should do a 'relaunch' ad campaign. It's just not the same game as at launch. Not even close," one fan shared: "I can't imagine any Halo fan who hasn't tried the game yet, or who left shortly after launch, would be disappointed if they returned. I also doubt that they—or the broader gaming community—are fully aware of all the additions and improvements.

"After taking a break for several months, I returned to find three new weapons, countless new maps, multiple Firefight modes, and tons of items to unlock and grind for. And that's just from my relatively short absence. I genuinely believe a well-made trailer highlighting all the post-launch content could give the game a major boost and significantly improve its reputation.

"I often see critics attacking the game based on issues that were resolved years ago," they continued. "We now have three new equipment pieces, five new weapons, around a hundred new maps, roughly ten new game modes, hundreds of armor pieces, a much-improved free credit shop, quadruple the ranked playlists to grind (which I’ve always wanted), and a career rank system. All the old battle passes amount to nearly a thousand tiers—one of them is completely free and includes some great Reach armor. There's also an incredible Forge mode, awesome custom games, a custom game browser (previously only in Halo 5), Firefight, and AI support for both enemies and allies in Forge."

"I wholeheartedly agree—the game is easily the best since [Halo 3] and the finest title 343 has delivered. It just took a while to get there, but I stuck around, and it's been rewarding to see the journey," echoed one user, while another commented: "I feel the same. I have a friend who dismissed the game early and hasn't returned. He still criticizes it, and even though I tell him it's in a great place now, he doesn’t want to listen."

"In terms of multiplayer, it's the best Halo experience ever created," chimed in another fan.

Halo Games in Chronological Order

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In a separate thread where the original poster shared Halo Infinite's iconic promotional image of Master Chief holding his helmet by his side, someone asked: "How does everyone feel about this image now, considering how Halo Infinite has evolved?"

"I genuinely love Infinite. I started playing around the middle of Season 1, and it rekindled my passion for a series I had dropped during Halo 4. It offers the best Spartan customization, and I appreciate the rotating game modes. Custom games are a blast, the campaign is unique and enjoyable, and the music is phenomenal," answered another player.

"I'm close to reaching my first Onyx rank, and it looks like this will be the first Halo game where I hit the maximum career rank. The gameplay is smooth and organic, blending classic mechanics with modern refinements—and the sprint feels incredibly satisfying. While I still enjoy the classic titles and revisit them occasionally, Infinite has my favorite overall gameplay. The game has moved far beyond its rocky launch and keeps improving. I'm optimistic about future updates, and I truly consider it one of my top entries in the series!"

"It's the best arena shooter available on Xbox right now," added another. "Halo Infinite satisfies that competitive itch I wish Call of Duty still delivered."

A less optimistic fan commented: "This image symbolizes the last bit of hope I held onto. I honestly think Halo's golden era is over—the people who knew how to capture the magic are long gone."

We thoroughly enjoyed Halo Infinite's single-player campaign back in 2021, giving it a 9/10 in our IGN Halo Infinite review. We wrote: "Halo Infinite's campaign is precisely what the franchise needed. It showcases the best of Master Chief's distinct and satisfying combat style while using classic concepts to craft fresh, memorable experiences. Although the narrative may disappoint both newcomers and longtime fans, the game was worth the six-year wait."

With Microsoft fully embracing multiplatform game releases, some Xbox fans are curious if Halo will eventually come to PlayStation, similar to titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Gears of War. Last November, Microsoft's head of gaming, Phil Spencer, stated that there are no "red lines" for its first-party titles.