F2P Halo Infinite Multiplayer Available Now, One Month Before Full Game's Launch

Over the weekend, there were rumors abounding that Halo Infinite's Multiplayer mode would be available sooner the launch of the full game on December 8 -- and by "sooner," it was implied that "Monday," i.e. today, would be the date, to coincide with Microsoft's Xbox 20 celebration.

And for once, the rumors were true.

Halo Infinite Multiplayer is now available for free, on Xbox and PC. The release is in beta form, which means that this is essentially a free open beta, so expect some jankiness, but it's still a nice surprise that almost makes waking up on a Monday worth it. Almost.

As the announcement post indicates, this also marks the official start of Season 1, and all progress you make now will carry over into the launch in December. We've had lots of nice things to say about the way 343 Industries is handling its progression, like its non-expiring battle passes, and the first season will run until May 2022, rather than going on a three-month cycle as originally promised. 343 said that the long wait is so that the team can "ensure Season 2 meets our high quality bar."

Rather than extend the length of the first pass, 343 Industries is instead adding content to its existing levels, including a a free collection of Halo 20th anniversary themed cosmetics you can get by logging in during the first week of the beta. The first true event, Fracture: Tenrai, starts on November 23 and will let you earn samurai-themed armor. Further details on the rest of Season 1's events and other updates will come in January.

Finally, the 20th anniversary celebration included a brief teaser of the Halo live-action show coming to Paramount+. In short, today was a good day to be a Halo fan, and it's likely going to be even better when the full game launches one month from today.

Xbox's 20th Anniversary stream reveals the first-ever sneak peek at the upcoming Halo live-action TV series! pic.twitter.com/fpJYVgpZh3

— GameSpot (@GameSpot) November 15, 2021