The next Halo could move the series forward by going back to basics

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The last few years have been quite tumultuous too Halo franchise. Halo infinitethe post-launch support – and occasional lack thereof – has been a roller coaster of emotions for fans, and Halo streaming series on Paramount+ proved to be one of the most controversial video game adaptations in recent memory. The development team at 343 Industries also saw a radical restructuring, with the studio even going so far as to change its name to Halo Studios.

343's transformation into Halo Studios could be Halo the series' best chance at redemption. Not just the future Halo posts are built using the popular Unreal Engine, but Halo will hopefully be able to move on without the baggage attached to the 343's name. Many fans are already excited to see this change in leadership and direction for the popular FPS series. Although it's unknown what Halo Studios' next main game will look like Halo the development team has the opportunity to meet the demand of fans and address a noticeable change made in the Halo infinite. Specifically, the next game could be a return to form for Firefight.

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Returning to Firefight's roots in the next Halo entry

First introduced in 2009 Halo 3: ODST and then improved in Halo: Well the next year, Firefight quickly became one of Halos most loved locations. Firefight was a turn-based PVE experience where players had to team up to survive against increasingly deadly waves of enemies. Although simplistic in concept, the mode gained a devoted following as its co-op gameplay allowed players to test their skills together and live out and experience a Noble Six-like final stand.

Halo Infinite's Take On Firefight

Fans are clamoring for Firefight to come back Halo infinite was high, especially since a version of the mode had been included Halo 5: Guardians. Two years after the initial release, Halo infinite finally added Firefight last December. While Infinite's Firefight quickly gained attention from Halo fan base, the mode did not meet the expectations of many players.

Infinite's Firefight was not the traditional version of the mode introduced in Bungie's later entries in the series. Instead, it was a King of the Hill variant of Firefight. Players still have to fend off waves of enemies in this mode, but they now have to do so while being able to capture objectives scattered throughout the map. As for why this change was made, 343 said in a blog post, “To make a long story short: we love the extra decision-making, additional co-op elements and excitement that the hill brings to the classic Firefight formula.”

These additional goals helped Firefight in Halo infinite to differ from iterations of the mode in previous games. However, breaking with tradition is exactly why many fans were disappointed Infinites version of the mode. Fans had been asking for 343 to add the mode for two years, and when it did make it into the game, it wasn't even the mode they had asked for.

Players wanted an experience that allowed them and their friends to battle hordes of the Banished in a battle of attrition—not another zone capture mode. It also didn't help that – even on higher difficulties – Firefight: King of the Hill felt like a walk in the park for experienced players. An abundance of weapons and vehicles combined with AI enemies that were more focused on capturing the objective than attacking the players made Firefight much easier than it was in previous games.

How Halo Studios should approach firefighting in its next game

Catch the OG/Classic trend in multiplayer gaming, next Halo the game could benefit from going back to basics with Firefight. This is not to say that the next version of Firefight will lack innovation, but players have made it clear what they want to see in this mode. Firefight isn't appealing just because it's a multiplayer mode that lets players battle the campaign's enemies. It appeals because of its intense, wave-based gameplay that results in strategic cooperation and memorable final stands.

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