"Covid-19 and a severe post-launch content drought brought Halo Infinite to its knees, but like its most famous protagonist, it rose from the ashes to become one of the best Halo games ever made."
While Halo Infinite was far from perfect at launch, it was a very solid title, with smooth gameplay, a consistent aesthetic, and excellent performance. The one thing it did not have, however, was a steady content stream, a death blow to any new live service title.
While the developers eventually found a way to not only maintain a consistent flow of new content, but essentially overwhelm players with content thanks to the addition of Forge mode and featured playlists, these changes arrived too late.
Unfortunately for 343 Industries (which have now rebranded as Halo Studios), these changes arrived too late to ensure the original plan of 10 years of support for Halo Infinite would be possible.
However, the changes they made do ensure that as we enter 2026, and development resources have been fully reassigned to future projects, Halo Infinite is still very much worth playing, and it is one of the best, if not the best and most accessible ways to play Halo multiplayer in 2026.
While it is not as popular overall as Halo: The Master Chief Collection, competing against a collection of some of the best games ever made is not easy, and with its own development having ended in 2023 in preparation for the next Halo game, both games remain excellent options for fans of the series, old and new.
Halo Infinite is a great game, and I must admit I find it as enjoyable as the best Call of Duty has to offer, but I must be realistic.
The next mainstream iteration of Halo, having benefited from the lessons learned by Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection, in addition to being freed from 8th generation hardware, and a likely day one launch on other platforms such as PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, will likely crush Halo Infinite in every single way, while also having the potential to elevate Halo back to the position it once held as the dominant shooter in a competitive market.
Wishful thinking? Perhaps, but I must admit, with Call of Duty seeking to redefine itself, Battlefield having found its footing again, and new newcomers like Arc Raiders changing the genre forever, I feel it is the perfect time for a newly redefined Halo to throw its hat back into the ring, and continue its reign, that for many people ended with Halo 3, a title which many view as one of the best shooters in the history of the genre, and certainly the best Halo game ever made.
Halo Infinite is a first person shooter game developed by 343 Industries and published by Xbox Game Studios, it released on 8 December 2021, and is available on PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Halo Infinite supports:
Halo Infinite offers the following matchmaking options:
The Halo Infinite in-game store sells:
Halo Infinite supports the following peripherals:
Halo Infinite is rated PEGI 16+ and contains:
Halo Infinite is very much worth playing in 2026, however I would not spend too much money on it at this time, as while it will likely remain active in some shape or form for a decade, and non expiring battle passes offer excellent value for money, with Halo: Combat Evolved Remake expected in 2026, and a new Halo game in active development, I feel it is better to enjoy Halo Infinite for what it is, without investing too much time or money in a title whose most active days are unfortunately behind it.
Ultimately Halo Infinite is well worth playing and user created content keeps things feeling fresh and matchmaking viable, but I would not recommend anyone make it their “main game” in 2026, especially when its successor could be less than two years away.
We found Halo Infinite to be a great game, meaning it delivers a memorable experience with only minor imperfections that don't detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
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