Halo Infinite's bots are teabagging real players, and it's hilarious
The bots are imitating players a little too accurately.
After three years of waiting, fans are finally able to get their first taste of Halo Infinite by way of the first ever Halo Infinite beta test. In this technical preview of the game's multiplayer experience, players are being matched up against AI-controlled bots across a variety of the Halo Infinite beta's maps and modes. For the most part, players are doing a good job of showing the bots who's boss. But when the bots do manage to take down a human player, you may find them engaging in "tactical crouching" behavior.
Did the bot just...? pic.twitter.com/PYkaANHD3lDid the bot just...? pic.twitter.com/PYkaANHD3l— whisper (formerly snipe.) (@reqsihw) July 31, 2021July 31, 2021
"Teabagging," or crouching repeatedly on top of the corpse of the enemy you just defeated, has been an iconic part of the Halo multiplayer experience ever since the first game released in 2001. Since Halo: Combat Evolved was one of the first games to introduce a camera that allowed you to see the surroundings of your dead body for a few seconds before you respawned, players used teabagging corpses as a way to taunt and tease their opponents. Even now, 20 years later, Halo fans (and players in other shooter games) continue to use the gesture frequently.
The fact that Halo Infinite's bots have been spotted teabagging is nothing short of hilarious, and while I haven't personally spotted them doing it so far, there are several fans on social media that claim that they have.
Did 343 Industries program them to occasionally teabag, acknowledging the gesture's legacy? Or is this just a strange quirk of the bots' pathfinding behaviors? Perhaps Halo Infinite's bots are actually sentient, and are learning how to be just as brash and rude as real players can be. What a terrifying thought.
Have you been able to play the Halo Infinite technical preview? If so, have you managed to spot any bots teabagging real players? Let me know. For more on the Halo Infinite beta, don't miss our list of the Halo Infinite beta known bugs and launch issues, our Halo Infinite equipment guide, and our complete Halo Infinite weapons list. Also, make sure to check out our guide on how to play the Halo Infinite beta for info on how you can participate in the tests yourself in the future. Hopefully, these beta tests help 343 Industries shape Halo Infinite into one of the best Xbox games ever.
A new Great Journey awaits
Halo Infinite is sure to be an incredible game filled with wonder, adventure, and more. Based on the beta and what was seen at E3 2021, we can't wait for the full release.
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Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. He's been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you'll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he's not writing or gaming, there's a good chance he's either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once. Follow him on X (Twitter).