Over the course of Halo Infinite’s near three-year-long history, only a few new sandbox items and weapons have been added despite its free-to-play live service nature. In terms of equipment, 343 Industries has added the teleporting Quantum Translocator, the Threat Sensor-like Threat Seeker, the smoke bomb-like Shroud Screen, and the Regenerator-like Repair Field attachment. In contrast, only one new weapon has been added in the form of the Bandit Rifle and the Bandit EVO, which are essentially a scopeless and scoped version of Halo: Reach’s DMR. However, Halo Infinite’s sandbox drought may soon come to an end with three new weapons expected to debut soon according to recent leaks.
Why Banished Spartans may be Halo 7’s New Antagonists
343 Industries may feature Banished-aligned Spartans in the eventual Halo 7 as new antagonists for Master Chief and the UNSC military.
Halo Infinite’s Potential New Weapons
According to the credible Halo leaker Surasia, 343 Industries may soon be implementing the long sought after double-barrel shotgun, the Mutilator, into Infinite. This weapon has long been moved around and tinkered with in Infinite’s files, alongside the widely desired Falcon air vehicle, but a new mention of the Mutilator suggests it may finally appear officially in players' hands soon. With the code being discovered so close to the Halo World Championship on October 4th-6th, many fans believe the Mutilator may be officially revealed with a release date at the event’s Sandbox overhaul panel. However, the Mutilator wasn’t the only new weapon found in Surasia’s leaks.
Alongside the Mutilator was the classic Covenant anti-armor weapon the Fuel Rod Cannon. This alien rocket launcher has also been found in Infinite's files sporting the Type-58 Gespu-pattern model from Halo 5: Guardians’ iteration of the weapon. That appearance may receive a more Banished overhaul if it’s officially integrated, as most alien weapons in Infinite are at least slightly modified compared to their Covenant counterparts. The Fuel Rod Cannon is additionally expected to have some role in the upcoming Halo World Championship, but if it is released soon, the Fuel Rod Cannon will be the first new Covenant weapon introduced into Infinite’s multiplayer.
The Rumored MA5K Avenger
Besides the Mutilator and the Fuel Rod Cannon, one other rumored weapon was also previously revealed by Surasia recently: the MA5K Avenger. First introduced in the 2006 novel, Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, the MA5K Avenger is based on the MA5K Carbine. Despite the name similarity to the Covenant Carbine, the MA5K is not semi-automatic and is rather fully automatic, similar to the Assault Rifle. While the MA5K is related to Halo’s many Assault Rifles, with the two weapons being produced by Misriah Armory, Surasia’s leak listed the MA5K as an SMG class weapon. No official announcement of the MA5K or a release date for the weapon has been revealed yet.
The Fuel Rod Cannon first appeared in Halo: Combat Evolved but couldn’t be used by players in the campaign since the weapon would self-destruct when dropped by a Grunt.
The Mutilator, Fuel Rod Cannon, and MA5K’s Roles in Halo Infinite
From Halo Infinite’s inception, 343 has sought to make the game exhibit a more balanced weapon sandbox compared to the more bloated and redundant armory of Halo 5. This left many classic weapons on the cutting room floor, but these rumored additions could still have unique roles in Infinite’s slayer matches without the threat of redundancy. For one, the MA5K could play as a close-quarters alternative to the Assault Rifle and Commando Rifle similar to Halo 5’s iteration of the once dual-wieldable SMG. If that is the case, 343 could introduce a weapon model in Infinite’s store to make the MA5K look more like an SMG akin to the M99A2S3 Stanchion model for the Sniper Rifle.
Likewise, the Mutilator will be the first double-barrel shotgun introduced in mainline Halo games, but that’s not its unique quality. Attached to the Mutilator’s barrel is a miniature gravity hammer bayonet. While this gravity hammer is smaller and will likely be weaker than the other gravity hammers in Halo Infinite, it could still make this shotgun a hyper-lethal weapon in close quarter scenarios and against vehicles. In contrast, the Fuel Rod Cannon has long held a gameplay mechanic unique to itself: the ability for its rods to often bounce on surfaces before exploding. If this ability returns to Halo Infinite’s iteration of the Fuel Rod Cannon, it could help keep the weapon more distinct from the Rocket Launcher, Hydra, and Skewer.
Halo Infinite
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- 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
WHERE TO PLAY
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
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- How Long To Beat
- 12 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 90 GB (November 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
