A Halo Infinite Early Access digital bundle has been spotted on the Microsoft Store ahead of the game's launch next month. We don't know much about the bundle's release date or contents just yet, as the store page is pretty bare, but it looks like some people will be getting the chance to play Halo Infinite ahead of schedule.
What do we know about the Halo Infinite Early Access bundle?
The Halo Infinite Early Access listing was spotted by Italian Microsoft-focused Twitter account Aggiornamenti Lumia. It's a pretty bare-bones entry, with no release date or description for the bundle in sight. By way of a description, the listing simply reads "Early Access digital bundle", and where the release date should be, there's simply a disclaimer reading "Early Access Digital Bundle is currently not available". The listing was also spotted by HaloDotAPI independently, corroborating its veracity.
This Early Access bundle could be a chance for players to test out the Halo Infinite multiplayer mode. Since that component will be free-to-play, Microsoft could be bundling some extras in to entice players to spend on the mode in a similar strategy to what the company is doing with Forza Horizon 5. If you're a Game Pass subscriber, you can pick up the Premium Add-Ons Bundle for Forza Horizon 5, which includes expansions, extra cars, and access to the game a few days prior to launch. It's possible this Halo Infinite Early Access bundle will take a similar form.
In addition to spotting the Early Access listing, Aggiornamenti Lumia also revealed a sliver of information regarding Halo Infinite DLC. According to the Italian platform, Halo Infinite "got three new 'dlcs' over the last few hours". This number was subsequently updated to four, suggesting that a Halo Infinite DLC or season pass announcement could be imminent. We don't know what form the DLC will take just yet, but we'll likely learn more about this ahead of Halo Infinite's December 8th release date. Stay tuned for more on this.
What can we expect from Halo Infinite?
Halo Infinite is the sixth main-series Halo entry and the sixteenth game in the series as a whole. It'll star Master Chief as the sole playable protagonist and will focus on Chief's conflict with the Brute-led mercenary faction known as the Banished. Unlike previous Halo entries, the multiplayer component of the game will be free-to-play for everyone, regardless of whether you buy Halo Infinite or not. The game will also launch without its Forge mode, which will be added around six months after Halo Infinite's initial release, and co-op in the campaign mode, which you're getting a little sooner at around three months post-launch.
Last month, 343 Industries revealed some more details about the Halo Infinite campaign. It'll feature an open world environment akin to Ubisoft's Far Cry series; you'll need to explore and complete objectives in a non-linear fashion in order to progress the story. You'll also have access to a skill tree with RPG-style upgrades that will augment Chief's moves and abilities. 343 has also assuaged fans' worries that the Halo Infinite PC controls won't be up to scratch, so if you took part in a test flight and weren't happy with the mouse and keyboard system, you should be happier at launch.
We'll bring you more on this as we get it, of course. Until then, Halo Infinite launches for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on December 8th. The multiplayer component will be free-to-play, but the Halo Infinite campaign will be available on day one via Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service. If you're a subscriber, you can pre-install the game's data right now.
Are you excited to get your hands on Halo Infinite? Let us know in the comments below!
