Surprising no-one, the Xbox 20th Anniversary Celebrations signalled the launch of the Halo Infinite Technical Beta, which – in Earth-speak – means that anyone can play Halo Infinite’s multiplayer mode, for free, now! So, if you have an Xbox of any modern denomination, you can download it, hop in and play it for free today.
This is just under a month before the game’s full launch on December 8th. You may recall that Halo was delayed an entire year, thanks to numerous outcries about dodgy looking grunts. This is a lovely penance, then, as we all get to enjoy riding in warthogs and sprinkling players with needlers, a whole month early.
It goes without saying that this is purely the multiplayer of the upcoming Halo Infinite, and the campaign is not included. You will have to wait for the 8th of December for that one, when Halo Infinite not only launches, but is available on day one for anyone with Game Pass.
All progress in Halo Infinite’s multiplayer is carried over when Halo Infinite launches fully. So, no wasted efforts here. Start making progress and up your K/D ratio.
But what will you find? Expect the following…
- Legendary Multiplayer, Freed: Halo’s celebrated multiplayer returns, reimagined and free-to-play! Seasonal updates evolve the experience over time with unique events, new modes and maps, and community-focused content.
- Arena: Halo returns to its roots with fair starts, on-map equipment, and 4-player squads to offer the ultimate arena-shooter experience. 
- Big Team Battle: Create endless combat possibilities by mixing and matching a rich variety of weapons, vehicles and equipment to experience big-team mayhem and fun that embraces the full spectrum of the Halo sandbox.
- Spartan Customization: Become a Spartan that’s uniquely your own with a rich and deep player customization system. Earn and discover new cosmetic items simply by playing campaign or multiplayer. Or to obtain even more cosmetic rewards, purchase a Battle Pass that never expires and unlock new content at your own pace.
- Cross-Generation and Cross-Platform Gaming: Halo Infinite provides an amazing experience across the Xbox One and newer family of consoles as well as PC with stunning 4k graphics and world-class cross-platform play. And, on Xbox Series X as well as supported PCs, enjoy enhanced features like up to 120FPS and greatly reduced load times creating seamless gameplay that usher in the next generation of gaming.
It’s not been plain sailing for the Multiplayer Beta, as many players have been reporting blue screens that have blocked their entry into lobbies. Microsoft have already published a notice that players should be patient, as – understandably – they are seeing a lot of traffic right now. It’ll explain why we can’t get in right now, anyway.
We will be waiting until Halo Infinite’s full launch before we give our verdict. If you are playing the Beta, why not chuck us your opinions in the comments below. We’d love to know what you think.
Go and grab the Infinite Beta from the Xbox Store right now. It’s free through Game Pass.
Game Description:
HALO INFINITE MULTIPLAYER BETA AVAILABLE NOW: The next era of Halo begins! To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the franchise, Halo Infinite’s multiplayer beta is available now and free to play on Xbox and PC. Begin your personal Spartan Journey today with Season 1, “Heroes of Reach”, and stay tuned for upcoming, limited-time in-game events and exclusive rewards. Halo Infinite’s campaign is available for pre-order now and launches December 8.
