It looks like the devs over at 343 Industries are finally back from their holidays and have hit the ground running. They've revealed what the next multiplayer event will be, reshuffled the in-game market economy, put out some hotfixes, and even shut down Xbox 360 servers.
Halo Infinite: Cyber Showdown Event Revealed By 343
343 has been on a roll with Halo Infinite's multiplayer ever since it was shadow dropped. Yes, there have been some major progression and bug related issues, but they've managed to keep the content pretty fresh with new modes and events. The latest event coming to the game will be called Cyber Showdown and you'll be able to grab some neat hologram cosmetics for your Spartans.
The trailer for the event didn't reveal too much besides a confused Spartan getting shot in the back as they were distracted by an arcade machine. But we did get to see two of the cosmetics: a holo-mohawk and a holo-visor for your helmets.
Hotfix For Big Team Battle
Another issue reported by multiple players revolved around the matchmaking for Big Team Battle. The issue in question was a particularly tricky one, and while 343 tried to fix it before the holidays, it required a lot more work than they originally thought. However, as the holiday season wrapped up and the devs got back to work, they managed to find a breakthrough.
"As promised, back with a quick update on the status of Big Team Battle," said an update on the Halo Infinite blog. "Yesterday the test pass was completed and the hotfix is now in the process of going through Xbox certification. As long as no issues arise, we are targeting releasing this hotfix middle of next week."
Pricing Changes Are Coming To Halo Infinite's Marketplace
Cat ears for your Spartan helmet? In this economy? That's one of the problems Halo Infinite players have had with the game – cosmetics are just a tad too expensive. However, the devs have taken notice of this, with 343's head of design, Jerry Hook, has said that changes are on their way.
"We’ve been monitoring the discussions on the Shop, bundles, and pricing closely since launch," he tweeted. "Using data and community feedback, we’re going to begin rolling out changes to how we package and price items in [Halo] Infinite – and it all starts next week. Starting Tuesday, the Shop experience will vary week-to-week. We are focused on reducing pricing across the board, providing stronger values in our bundles, starting to put individual items outside of bundles, and more."
Fans Pay Tribute As Halo's Xbox 360 Servers Shut Down For Good
As a new generation steps in, the Xbox 360 servers for Halo were shut down. Microsoft had earlier announced that the servers for Halo 3, Halo 4, Halo Reach, Halo Wars, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and Halo 3: ODST were going to be shut down. There were a few delays, but it finally happened last week.
As a tribute and final farewell, Halo fans began sharing memories of their time with the games on social media. While these titles are still available via the Master Chief Collection, there's nothing quite like saying goodbye to a part of your childhood.