Does Xbox Really Think Halo Infinite Can Crush Call of Duty Warzone?

• A bombshell leak suggests Halo Infinite will have a free-to-play multiplayer mode.
• Leaker Klobrille provided more details, such as the game’s dramatic increase in scope and inclusion of a battle pass.
• It seems Microsoft aims to position Halo to compete with Call of Duty Warzone.

Halo Infinite has been nothing if not controversial. When the game received its official reveal during the recent Xbox showcase, it incited a mixed reaction from the community.

Those divisions will likely pale in comparison to the debates over an alleged feature that has just been leaked: free-to-play multiplayer. 

Is Microsoft Trying to Turn Halo Infinite Into the Next Warzone?

Assuming the leak is true, I have a sneaking suspicion Xbox is positioning Halo Infinite to be its answer to Call of Duty Warzone.

We already knew the new Halo was going to be massive; developer 343 Industries claims the map is twice as big  as any of its predecessors.

Then we learned 343 plans to continue updating the game for the next ten years. Combine that with the fact that this is a full-price game giving away multiplayer for free, and it’s not hard to find similarities between Infinite and Warzone.

At this point, it seems inevitable that the next leak will reveal Halo Infinite’s free-to-play multiplayer will feature a battle royale mode.

Don’t Be Shocked When Halo Joins the Battle Royale Bandwagon

It doesn’t seem like a stretch to imagine that Xbox wants its premier first-party franchise to capitalize on the most popular breakout multiplayer game mode  of the past decade.

And according to frequent Xbox leaker Klobrille, the new multiplayer mode will feature a battle pass. These subscriptions are typically associated with battle royale games, including Fortnite and – you guessed it – Call of Duty Warzone.

Sure, 343 said Infinite wouldn’t launch with battle royale , but that doesn’t mean much. Modern Warfare didn’t launch with Warzone either. And it’s not like Xbox’s promises are always set in stone.

The real question isn’t whether Halo Infinite is gunning for Warzone’s crown. It’s whether it even has a chance considering it’s an Xbox/Windows exclusive.

Given Warzone’s broad market appeal and accessibility, Microsoft will find itself facing quite the uphill struggle.

About the Author

William Worrall

William Worrall is a professional writer based out of the UK who has been writing about video and tabletop games for over a decade and has covered industry events such as EGX and UKGE. Contact him at [email protected], see his LinkedIn profile here.

See more

[email protected] Twitter