Spartans running through Halo Infinite's multiplayer may have the option to pay unofficial homage to the iconic N7 armor from Mass Effect using the game's controversial armor coating system. In an update earlier today given alongside a new Fall 2021 release date, developer 343 Industries pulled back the curtain a little bit on what Halo Infinite would look and feel like in multiplayer. Although originally scheduled to release alongside the new Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, the game was pushed out of this year's holiday season. Players now know that the graphical and gameplay upgrades required for Infinite will take until at least the upcoming holiday season to nail down.
Among other things, this means that those buying snacks and drinks to rack up cosmetic content and double XP codes for the new Halo will have to wait a long while to utilize them. At least the team at 343 Industries did a deep dive during the update on what exactly an "armor coating" is. Halo Infinite will host a free-to-play multiplayer component, and one of the ways that 343 Industries has decided to monetize the game is by switching out the primary and secondary color selector for a set of more granular (but less customizable) armor coatings that players can apply to their multiplayer characters. These will be a Destiny Shader-like mix between premium options that cost real money or can be earned in-game, rewards for playing the campaign or achieving specific goals during an event.
343's Halo Waypoint development update also gave players a closer look at many of the different armor selections available. Shinobi602 took to Twitter when they saw the update, pointing out that the Scorpion Punch armor coating looks an awful lot like Commander Shepard's N7 armor from the original Mass Effect trilogy. When compared side by side, there's no denying that the color scheme and general design is more or less on the money.
This isn't the first time that the Halo franchise has winked at a competing game in its multiplayer experiences, as the Halo 3-exclusive Hayabusa armor was a direct reference to the Ninja Gaiden series, a thank-you nod from Bungie after Team Ninja added a Halo guest character to Dead or Alive 4. The EOD helmet has become a franchise staple, but many assume it was a reference to rival PlayStation franchise Killzone upon its initial inclusion in Halo 3. Finally, and most notably, the franchise's various Security helmets are a direct reference to the main character of Marathon, the seminal Bungie FPS that laid the foundations for the original Halo: Combat Evolved.
While the prospect of waiting for Halo Infinite for another calendar year seems like a bummer, player at least now have a more firm grasp of the controversial armor coating system. While 343 Industries does make it clear that it's looking closely into the negative feedback surrounding the change, the fact that armor coating codes have already gone out in bags of chips and gum packs means that the system will undoubtedly be in the game (at leat at first). One only hopes that there are plenty of free options for those who have already paid $60 to 70 dollars for the full game, even if video game crossover armors may cost a little extra coin.
Halo Infinite will be available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: Halo Waypoint, Shinobi602