Before the release of Halo Infinite in 2021, Xbox fans were eagerly anticipating the dawn of a new era in Halo multiplayer. Among the most exciting features was the game's free-to-play online access and the introduction of a battle pass progression system that never expired. However, over the course of its lifecycle, Halo Infinite received a mixed reception. Despite that, the battle pass system, in particular, has been fondly remembered—especially after two major 2024 titles adopted similar mechanics.
The newly launched Marvel Rivals and Sony PlayStation’s Helldivers 2 have both become standout live-service games in the last year, incorporating battle pass-like progression systems with no time limitations. These features have garnered significant praise from players, with Xbox fans keen to point out that Halo Infinite was the first to introduce this player-friendly approach back in 2021.
While there are numerous ongoing live-service games today, the idea of a never-expiring battle pass has spread, with Marvel Rivals and Helldivers 2 receiving accolades for offering a more flexible pace for progression. However, it’s worth remembering that Halo Infinite pioneered this feature. Despite its less-than-ideal reception, the multiplayer mode deserves more credit than it’s often given, especially as the development team continues to release updates under its new identity as Halo Studios at Microsoft.
It’s always nice to see the innovation of Halo Infinite being acknowledged, even if it didn’t gain the full recognition it deserved at launch. The battle pass concept it introduced is now being celebrated, showing that sometimes, great ideas take time to catch on.

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