Since the very beginning, the Halo series of games have prided themselves on their multiplayer game modes. With each release, the series has solidly laid claim to the multiplayer sci-fi shooter crown. This domination is only aided by the inclusion of player made game modes, with their own rule sets and goals. I will be covering one of the most famous player-made multiplayer modes in this article: Infection in Halo Infinite.
Origins
November 9th, 2004, the launch of Halo 2. This marked the return of Master Chief after a three year gap following the first game, Halo: Combat Evolved. Its electric guitar rendition of the resonant Halo theme song, brand new dual-wielding capability, and actual online play for console (which the previous game lacked) all lead Halo 2 to become a cultural phenomenon of sorts.
Halo 2 is often heralded as the birth of the modern blockbuster video game. This is partially due to the media blitz it caused and high sales numbers it enjoyed. It was also the first huge game to make use of Microsoft’s Xbox Live online system.
With so many people playing the game, and the multiplayer suite’s options for creative, player-made game modes, the invention of something great was nearly inevitable.
The Concept for Halo Infection Game Mode
As a result of some unknown gamer’s creativity and love for Halo online, we all now enjoy the Infection game mode in just about every Halo game. The mode has gone through some changes over time. Yet, it has always retained the spirit of that initial creation. That begs the question, what about a Halo Infinite infection game mode?
The original game mode, called Zombie at the time, entailed two teams, one red and one blue. One team wields the energy sword, and the other team will use guns, usually a pistol or shotgun.
If you’re on the “zombies” side of the match, those with energy swords, your goal is to attack the opposite team and convert them into zombies by killing them. Obviously, if you’re on the opposite team, your goal is to stay alive as long as you can, killing the infected as they come at you to prevent becoming one.
The zombie’s limited range insta-kills require them to get right up to a shotgun-wielding human player. This often causes panic on both ends. Just that simple setup has been the source of countless hours of intense matches and enjoyment playing infection in Halo.
Making It Official
Almost as soon as it was introduced, Infection became a beloved part of the online Halo experience. It was implemented into playlists, and fans continued to enjoy the mode for the duration of Halo 2’s run.
Then, with the launch of Halo 3 in September 2007, Bungie would make Zombie mode official, and call it Infection. Since then, Infection has been in Halo: Reach, and Halo 5: Guardians, having skipped Halo 4 in lieu of the “Flood” mode. This was notable as it let players play on the infected side play as Flood for the first time.
But even including Halo 4 and Halo Infinite (at the moment), Infection mode has been present for most of the Halo series, making it feel integral to those who enjoy the online multiplayer.
Halo Infinite Infection
As of launch, Infection mode is not available in any of Halo Infinite’s playlists. But, due to a new leak, there may be reason for hope. There is some evidence that Microsoft and 343 Industries might be bringing the beloved game mode to fans on PC and Xbox consoles in the near future.
It has been a notable absence from the Halo Infinite experience, and we can only hope that the Infection mode will be released in a future update, bringing the fun that fans expect.
Until a Halo Infinite infection game mode becomes a reality, we can all still have fun slaying enemies with the awesome new Stalker Rifle.
