343 Industries recently confirmed that Halo's classic multiplayer announcer, Jeff Steitzer, wouldn't lend his talents to Big Team Battle in Halo Infinite; fans have since launched a petition in hopes of encouraging the studio to include Steitzer in the mode. Like its predecessors, Halo Infinite's Big Team Battle serves as a matchmaking playlist. Instead of the usual two teams of eight, this new version of BTB will pit two groups of 12 against one another.
Big Team Battle entered the picture in 2007 with the advent of Halo 3 on Xbox 360. Jeff Steitzer, however, has played a central role in the online Halo experience since the franchise's first outing nearly 20 years ago, assuming the role of multiplayer announcer in every title since Halo: Combat Evolved. While Steitzer will return in Infinite to provide the voice for "traditional multiplayer" announcements, 343 Industries confirmed that "things are a little different" in Big Time Battle mode. Instead of Steitzer, BTB players can expect to hear their personal AI, Spartan Commander Agryna, and "the occasional Spartan chatter," 343 revealed according to Pure Xbox. It didn't take long for fans to make their disappointment known.
Over the weekend, Reddit user scrubulba123 posted an open letter to 343 Industries concerning Big Team Battle. The post most notably called for the implementation of Jeff Steitzer's voice over in the mode, arguing that his exclusion feels "completely tone deaf." The Redditor called the move antithetical to 343's ongoing claims that Infinite will return the franchise to the Halo of old, with its Reach customization options, Master Chief-focused campaign, and classic art style. A Change.org petition for Steitzer's inclusion in Big Team Battle has also gone live, requesting 500 signatures. At the time of writing, 430 fans have signed.
It remains to be seen if and how 343 Industries and Microsoft intend on responding to the backlash. Perhaps this is a bit of controversy that will simply go ignored? Or maybe it's something the companies will ameliorate somewhere down the line? After all, Halo Infinite's rollout this holiday marks just the beginning of its content release plans.
The first-person shooter will not launch with campaign co-op or Forge mode on day one, for instance. Thus, there exists room for sweeping changes on all fronts. Obviously, fans now hope one such change involves Jeff Steitzer playing a part in the otherwise eagerly-anticipated Big Team Battle.
Halo Infinite comes to PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S platforms later this year on December 8.
Source: scrubulba123/Reddit, Change.org