Halo Infinite's newest update adds some Elite-inspired cosmetics and one really cool new mode

What you need to know

• The latest update for Halo Infinite is now live, bringing the Anvil Operation to players on Xbox and PC. 
• This Operation adds a new 20-tier pass with cosmetics themed after Anvil Station, which is jointly operated by UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios forces.
• There's also a new gameplay mode called Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense, with each team tasked with defending two monitors.

More Halo action awaits. 

Operation Anvil is now live in Halo Infinite, bringing new cosmetics for players to earn and a big new gameplay mode to check out. As detailed on Halo Waypoint, Anvil Operation is themed after the in-universe Anvil Station, an orbital station staffed jointly by UNSC Spartans and warriors from the Swords of Sanghelios. 

That's reflected in the Operation's cosmetics, which features some armor designed inspired by Sangheili patterns. As with other recent passes, Anvil Operation is 20 tiers that are free to earn for the duration of the Operation. Anyone that purchases the pass can keep it and make progress forever, as well as getting a couple of extra cosmetic items.

Halo Infinite Credits

Stock up on Credits, and you can purchase an Operation Pass in Halo Infinite. Purchasing a pass nets some bonus items, as well as the ability to keep progressing the Operation permanently, even after it ends.

Buy from: Amazon

Anvil Operation introduces Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense

The other big addition in Anvil Operation is the new Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense mode. In this mode, players are tasked with defending and repairing two large monitor constructs, like the ones seen in Halo Infinite's campaign. Each team starts with 2,000 points, losing points as their sentries take damage. 

Right now, this new mode is live now across the Fragmentation, Highpower, Deadlock, Oasis, Scar, and Command maps. Each map will also have at least one Repair Field item, meaning players can obtain the precious piece of equipment and use it to repair their Sentries if damage accumulates, but requiring more careful planning as teams are forced to choose between defending their sentries or going after the enemy team's constructs.

Analysis: Another reason to keep playing

Halo Infinite has received some pretty solid updates this year, with the addition of the beloved Mark IV Halo Wars-era armor and Juggernaut mode in prior months. I'm definitely looking forward to checking out more of Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense fairly soon. It's a great shake-up compared to how other Big Team Battle modes tend to play out, and I have no doubt it'll really require teams to think carefully compared to even other objective-based modes like Capture the Flag.

I'm also happy to see Elite-inspired cosmetics making an appearance here. The Arbiter's Swords of Sanghelios are super cool, and while I'll forever find it a shame that playable Elites weren't available in Halo Infinite, it's good to see humanity's allies haven't been forgotten.

Halo Infinite is one of the best Xbox games available, and the multiplayer is currently available as a free-to-play game across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC, while the campaign is paid and included in Xbox Game Pass.