Summary

  • Halo Studios teases a new UNSC weapon, potentially the MA5K Avenger, for Halo Infinite's Operation: Great Journey.
  • Fans await more details on the potential new weapon with the November launch of Operation: Great Journey.
  • A leak suggests the addition of a Mutilator shotgun and a Fuel Rod Cannon could come in the future as well.

Halo Studios has revealed the first look at a potential new weapon heading to Halo Infinite. Fans are hopeful that the new gun will join the Bandit Rifle as the second new addition to Halo Infinite’s arsenal since the game launched in 2021.

October 2024 has proven to be an extremely eventful month for Halo fans. During the Halo World Championship 2024 tournament, which saw favorites Spacestation Gaming claim the world title, 343 Industries announced that the developer was changing its name to Halo Studios. As part of a wider rebranding aimed at revitalizing the team’s workflow and culture, Studio Head Pierre Hintze also confirmed that future Halo titles will be created using Unreal Engine 5. This shift away from Halo Infinite’s Slipspace Engine left many gamers concerned about what the move meant for the future of Halo Infinite.

Luckily, Halo Studios still has some treats in store for Halo Infinite fans. A teaser for the upcoming Operation: Great Journey update has just revealed the first official look at a potential new weapon headed to the game. Posted on the Halo YouTube channel with the Master Chief’s iconic “I Need a Weapon” tagline, the trailer reveals a sleek UNSC weapon with a much shorter barrel than the standard MA40 Assault Rifle. Fans have been quick to identify that this could well be the MA5K Avenger, a cut-down submachine gun variant of the MA5B Assault Rifle popular with Spartan-IIIs and first featured in the 2006 Halo novel Ghosts of Onyx.

New UNSC Weapon Potentially Headed to Halo Infinite in Operation: Great Journey

While the potential addition of a brand-new weapon has excited Halo gamers, some are concerned that this new gun might simply be another skin rather than a new addition to Halo Infinite’ s limited arsenal. Halo Infinite was released with a smaller selection of armaments than many previous titles, scrapping iconic Halo weapons in favor of a small but finely balanced armory. Despite drawing criticism for favoring competitive play over player freedom, Halo Studios has currently added only one new weapon, the Bandit Rifle, to the live service game since its launch. However, a recent Halo Infinite leak uncovered files suggesting that the MA5K Avenger might also be joined by the Mutilator shotgun and classic Covenant launcher, the Fuel Rod Cannon, which will help to fill the remaining gaps in the game’s sandbox.

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Although Halo Studios has not yet announced any upcoming weapons, players can expect further details when Operation: Great Journey launches on November 5. Until then, fans can enjoy the tail end of Halo Infinite’s Halloween event, Operation: Halloween, which features three new maps, an undead-themed twist on the PVE Firefight mode, and a free 20-tier battle pass featuring the Spartanstein armor set.

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Halo Infinite Tag Page Cover Art
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First-Person Shooter
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Systems
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Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
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Released
December 8, 2021
ESRB
T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Violence
Developer(s)
343 Industries
Publisher(s)
Xbox Game Studios
Engine
Slipspace
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Step inside the armor of humanity’s greatest hero to experience an epic open-world adventure and explore the massive scale of the Halo ring.

With Network Campaign Co-Op and Mission Replay, you can relive your favorite moments, rediscover collectibles and explore the wonders of Zeta Halo on your own or with up to three other fireteam members.

Experience Halo’s celebrated multiplayer reimagined and free-to-play! With over 70 maps in matchmaking, billions of customization configurations, and countless community Forge creations to experience, Halo Infinite is the franchise’s most expansive multiplayer offering to date.

Enjoy an unprecedented variety of gameplay experiences, ranging from fast-paced intense ranked modes to whimsical mayhem in Custom Games, or even co-operative coordination in the wave-based survival mode Firefight: King of the Hill. Assemble your Fireteam and conquer every mode – Halo offers endless opportunities for teamwork, strategy, and unforgettable victories.

Cross Save
yes
Franchise
Halo
Steam Deck Compatibility
yes
Genre(s)
First-Person Shooter
How Long To Beat
12 Hours
X|S Optimized
Yes
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty
File Size Xbox Series
90 GB (November 2023)