What you need to know
- A Halo player used Halo Infinite's Forge mode to create a fully-functioning version of the classic Infection game mode.
- You'll most likely be able to play it once the Forge open beta goes live in September.
- Halo Infinite's powerful Forge mode is expected to launch fully at some point during Season 3, most likely in late 2022 or early 2023.
It's unknown if or when the classic Halo game mode Infection will come to Halo Infinite officially, but you'll be able to play a fan-made version of it soon. Artifice, a talented community member with a knack for putting Halo Infinite's Forge level editing and creation tool to good use, has created a fully-functional version of the mode with the level editor's scripting language.
If you've never played Infection before, here's how it works: one team starts as the "survivors" while another spawns in as the "zombies." Survivors have ranged weapons, while zombies are forced to use Energy Swords and also have lower health. However, zombies are much faster than survivors, and if a survivor dies, they become "infected" and are swapped to the zombie team. The round ends when every survivor is turned into a zombie.
It wasn't possible to create Infection with the rudimentary scripting that was available in Halo 5: Guardians' Forge, but since Halo Infinite's features more powerful node-based scripting, every part of the mode can be recreated in the level editor. This is fantastic news for longtime Infection fans, as well as newer players that want to experience the classic gametype. In terms of when you can access and play the mode, we expect that it will be possible once the Halo Infinite Forge beta goes live in September.
Artifice's Forged Infection mode is but one of the many incredible creations that have been spotted online following the leak of Forge mode during the recent co-op beta. Using the power of Halo Infinite's Forge, fans have already created richly-detailed maps and map remakes, unique custom weapons like a clone of the Half-Life Gravity Gun and a Disruptor that fires black holes, and scripts that allow players to call in explosive air strikes, carry around deployable bouncy pads, and more.
Ultimately, the sky's the limit with Forge, which is expected to fully launch at some point during Halo Infinite Season 3 (it starts on Nov. 8). Ahead of the mode's release, players will be able to try out Forge during the open beta that's slated to go live next month. Once it begins, the beta will remain active for the rest of Season 2 and part of Season 3.
Halo Infinite is available now on Xbox and PC. Despite some of its issues, it's one of the best Xbox shooters on the market right now for fans of arena-style FPS combat, and since the multiplayer is free-to-play, there's zero barrier to entry. The campaign is fantastic, too, as it features exhilarating gameplay and an excellent story.
