Fans aren’t too happy about having to wait for Co-op and Forge in Halo Infinite, and are taking to the internet to voice their displeasure. The long and troubled production of Microsoft’s next sci-fi FPS hit another snag earlier this week when developer 343 Industries announced that popular features like campaign Co-op and Forge mode won’t be included during Halo Infinite’s planned launch this holiday season, and instead will be patched in at a later date.
The ability to team up with friends in a co-op campaign (either online or through split-screen on the same console) has been a mainstay of the Halo franchise since the very first entry way back in 2001, and 343 Industries previously promised that co-op would return in Halo Infinite after its absence in the heavily divisive Halo 5 Guardians. Meanwhile, Forge mode was introduced in 2007’s Halo 3 and allows fans to create and edit custom maps for use in multiplayer, as well as craft fitting tributes to classic games, movies, and even Halo Infinite’s initial demo area.
Both these features are fairly popular among Halo fans, who wasted no time in expressing their disappointment on r/Halo after 343 Industries’ announcement that they will have to wait a while longer for campaign Co-op and Forge mode in Halo Infinite. Some users, like ScreamingMidgit and xandwacky2, posted screenshots and quotes by 343 members promising that a split-screen co-op campaign and Forge mode would be available at launch, as well as fans who doubled back on their support of the title following this news. Others, like ProNoobCombo and Deric, pointed out that past Halo games like Halo 3 and 2010’s Halo Reach had co-op available at launch with no difficulty.
This aged poorly from halo
Halo Reach. Launched with co-op campaign, the most extensive and customizable firefight still to this day in a halo game, revolutionary forge, theater mode, custom games, and multiplayer ALL on the same day. This is an 11 year old game. from halo
This is far from the first time that 343 Industries has encountered hefty fan backlash during Halo Infinite’s development, as the game’s initial showing at an Xbox Games Showcase last July was met with an even worse reception due to dated graphics and seemingly stale gameplay. As a result, Halo Infinite was delayed from its planned launch alongside the Xbox Series X last winter, a move that proved to be quite well-received with the fanbase after more recent showings of Infinite in action featured improved graphics and a more varied art style.
Co-op and Forge are beloved among Halo fans, and the fact that these features won’t be available at Halo Infinite’s launch is likely a sore point for those who have waited so long to dive into the newest Halo campaign with their friends. 343 Industries has explained that its decision to delay campaign Co-op and Forge mode is aimed at delivering a "quality experience for launch” and has vowed that they will be added in future Halo Infinite DLC seasons, but this is little comfort to players who wanted to hop right into a round of campaign co-op or a custom map when Halo Infinite finally hits stores this holiday season.
Source: ScreamingMidgit/Reddit, xandwacky2/Reddit, ProNoobCombo/Reddit, Deric/Reddit