It's about time: Halo Infinite is finally getting its Firefight PvE mode next week

What you need to know

• Halo Infinite is getting a Mid Season Update next week on December 5 at 11:00 a.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. ET. Its release date was revealed during a broadcast at Comic Con Experience 2023.
• The update will add Firefight: King of the Hill to the game, which is an official implementation of the classic PvE horde mode with capturable hills players have to defend.
• Another addition coming in the patch is the Repair Field, a new piece of equipment that heals nearby players and vehicles on both teams when deployed.
• A new Halo Infinite trailer is coming on December 4, and while it hasn't been confirmed yet, it's very likely for Firefight: King of the Hill.

Rejoice, fellow Halo fans, for it's finally happening: two years after Microsoft and 343 Industries released its live service FPS Halo Infinite, an official implementation of the classic fan-favorite PvE wave defense mode Firefight is coming to the game next week. Though custom-made experiences with campaign AI have been playable since Season 5: Reckoning began and brought spawning options to Forge, this mode is wholly developer-made and will be available to matchmake into.

This iteration of Firefight, dubbed Firefight: King of the Hill, will be added in the Halo Infinite Mid Season Update. Its release date, which has been revealed in a broadcast at Comic Con Experience 2023, is scheduled for December 5 at 11:00 a.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. ET.

Firefight: King of the Hill is "a new take on the classic mode where four players must capture and defend hills against an onslaught of Banished forces," (that description comes from the official Halo Infinite Season 5 page) with each wave of enemies getting tougher and tougher as you play. Like previous iterations of Firefight, players will be reinforced with weapon and equipment drops between waves, ensuring that you'll have plenty of gear and ammo to use against the Banished. I got a chance to play the mode in late November, and will be able to share my full thoughts on it come December 4.

In a rather comical post on X (formerly Twitter) that imitates the imagery of Rockstar Games' GTA 6 trailer announcement, the official Halo account has confirmed a new Halo Infinite trailer is coming on December 4 at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET as well (there'll be a deep dive for Firefight, too). The subject of the trailer hasn't been revealed, but the new Firefight mode comes out the day after. You do the math.

In addition to Firefight: King of the Hill, the Mid Season Update will also add a new piece of equipment to the game called the Repair Field. Think of this like Halo 3's Regenerator but with some expanded functionality; like it, the Repair Field will rapidly restore the health and shields of any player — friend or foe — in its area-of-effect until it times out. However, it will also repair vehicles, too, and can even be attached to them so it heals them while they're on the move.

Ultimately, it's very exciting that Firefight is coming, even if it is quite disappointing that it's taken two years to get it in the game. Its arrival looks to be another win for Season 5, which has steadily risen Halo Infinite's popularity over the last few months.

Halo Infinite multiplayer is free-to-play, while its campaign is $60 (but often much cheaper) on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows PCs. Notably, you can also play it through any tier of Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service.