Career Rank launches with the 2023-06-27 Season 4 update, letting players climb from Recruit to Hero across 270+ ranks by earning Personal Score in matchmaking. The HAZMAT Armor Core drops free for everyone the moment the update installs. Infection mode goes live in matchmaking and Custom Games, and two new maps enter rotation: Arena Forest and BTB Scarr.
SEASON 4 OVERVIEW AND NEW FEATURES
This update adds new content, numerous bug fixes, and several new features to Halo Infinite. New features and content included in this update are:
CAREER RANK
Career Rank is a new progression system that awards players a title and insignia based on accumulated Personal Score. Players progress from Recruit to Hero across 6 tiers with 15 ranks each and 3 grades per rank, requiring over 270 ranks to reach Hero.
After completing a matchmaking game, Personal Score goes toward Career Rank. This is separate from Match XP, which applies only to Battle Pass progression. Progress is visible in the Post-Game Carnage Report (PGCR). Players receive new Nameplates and Emblems at certain ranks.
NEW BATTLE PASS AND ARMOR CORE
Season 4 introduces a new 100-tier Battle Pass with over 180 rewards. The Premium Battle Pass unlocks all rewards, but free tiers include Weapon Coatings, Emblems, and customization items for the new HAZMAT Armor Core.
The HAZMAT Armor Core is free for all players and unlocks immediately after installing the Season 4 update. The Premium Pass Bundle includes 100 XP Grants, allowing immediate unlock of 25 Battle Pass levels.
New Premium Battle Pass Perks
Purchasing either the Season 4 Premium Battle Pass or Premium Pass Bundle grants bonus Match XP for every Multiplayer match during Season 4, regardless of which Battle Pass is equipped. Premium purchasers also instantly unlock the MA40 FLASHBLIND weapon model and the Genesis Bloom Armor Coating for all Armor Cores.
NEW WEAPON MODEL CUSTOMIZATION ITEMS
Season 4 adds new Weapon Model items to customize weapons. New weapon models available during Season 4:
- MA40 Assault Rifle: MA40 FLASHBLIND, Crimson Sun, MA40 MODE MS
- Mk50 Sidekick: Mk50 GROOVEGRIP, Mk50 SWIFTGUARD
- BR75 Battle Rifle: BR75 [HCS] Akriveia, BR75 DEVLOOP, BR75 HAZCON, BRXX LIGHTFIRE
- CQS48 Bulldog: CQS48 MODE MS
- M392 Bandit: Crimson Dawn
ARMOR AND WEAPON COATING CHANGES
All Armor and Weapon Coatings from the Premium Battle Pass and the Shop now include versions for all Armor Cores and Weapons. Shop bundles released prior to Season 4 and Battle Pass rewards from earlier Seasons are not cross-Armor Core or cross-weapon. Coatings unlocked via Weekly and Ultimate Challenges apply to individual Armor Cores or weapons only.
NEW EQUIPMENT
Quantum Translocator
Activating the Quantum Translocator creates a teleportation point at the player's current location. Using it again teleports the player back to that point and creates a new point at the departure location. Each following use returns players to their latest teleportation point. A time limit meter appears above the crosshairs, and a cooldown activates after teleporting.
The Quantum Translocator spawns on Power Equipment Pads on various maps, including maps released before Season 4. It is also available in Custom Games, Forge, and Training Mode.
Threat Seeker
The Threat Seeker works similarly to the Threat Sensor but is tuned for Ranked and competitive play. When activated, it shoots from the player's wrist, bounces off surfaces, and emits a pulse that reveals enemies in direct line of sight. Players behind walls or obstacles are not revealed.
The Threat Seeker spawns in Ranked playlists only and is available in Custom Games, Forge, and Training Mode.
NEW MULTIPLAYER GAME MODE: INFECTION
Infection is now available in Matchmaking and Custom Games. Players compete as Infected or Survivors. When a Survivor is killed, they join the Infected. The Infected aim to infect all Survivors; Survivors aim to reach the end of the round without being killed.
NEW MULTIPLAYER MAPS
Arena: Forest
Forest is a new asymmetrical Forerunner temple arena map set in a dense woodland, available in Custom Games and various Matchmaking playlists.
Big Team Battle (BTB): Scarr
Scarr is a new symmetrical Banished compound built around a volcanic pit, available in Custom Games and various matchmaking playlists.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Event dates are subject to change. Check Halo Waypoint for the latest updates.
Infection Events: Hazmat and Containment
Season 4 features two Infection events: Hazmat runs June 27-July 10, 2023; Containment dates to be announced. Each event lasts two weeks and features a 10-item Event Pass.
Tenrai II and III
Tenrai II is scheduled for July 18-31, 2023; Tenrai III for September 19-October 2, 2023. Rewards differ from Season 1 Tenrai and include items for the Yoroi Armor Core.
Cyber Showdown II
Cyber Showdown II runs August 8-21, 2023, with a new 10-item Event Pass.
RANKED SLAYER MATCHMAKING PLAYLIST
Ranked Slayer is a new rotational playlist where two teams of four race to 50 kills. Players spawn with an MA40 Assault Rifle and M392 Bandit. Motion Tracker and Friendly Fire are enabled; grenade hit markers are disabled. The playlist runs for four weeks, rotating out July 18, 2023.
NEW FORGE FEATURES
Minigame Mode, Objects, and Nodes
Minigame mode is now available via the Mode Editor in Custom Games, allowing players to build game modes not bound by standard Arena rules. New Generic Game Mode Objects include Generic Capture Zone, Generic Skull, and Generic Ball. Twenty-five new nodes are added to support Minigame creation, including Get Object By Label, Toggle Boolean Variable, Stopwatch, and Global Custom Event, Async.
Water Plane Object
The Water Plane is a scalable Forge object that adds a 2D water surface to maps. Found under Biome/Water in the Object Browser.
Additional Forerunner Objects and Visual FX
New Forerunner-themed assets include 28 placeable structure pieces, 13 accent pieces (26 with MP variants), 97 decals (194 with Emissive variants), and 77 Visual FX.
Universal Blocker Objects
Universal Blocker objects prevent players, vehicles, and projectiles from exploiting map boundaries without requiring separate blocker types.
Visual Effects Scaling
An FX Scale option in Object Properties lets players resize visual effects and control whether they produce sound or deal damage.
Budget Menu Improvements
The Budget meter now includes new categories covering Global Simulation, Forge Simulation, Dynamic and Static Object Limits, Node Graph totals, Scripting Budget, and Run Time Budget.
RAYTRACED SUN SHADOWS FOR XBOX SERIES X|S CONSOLES
Xbox Series S and Series X players can now toggle Raytraced Sun Shadows from Settings. When enabled, sun shadows appear more detailed in multiplayer. This option does not apply to Campaign. Enabling it may cause the framerate to dip below the target.
MENU IMPROVEMENTS
Campaign TacMap Update
Missions completed on Legendary with all Skulls on (LASO) now show as Completed+ in the TacMap Mission List. Earning Completed+ on every mission unlocks the Headmaster achievement.
Campaign Installation Changes
Shared files between Campaign and Multiplayer are no longer shared to improve future Multiplayer update stability. This increases total installation size. Switching between Campaign and Multiplayer menus now requires a loading screen, and Fireteams must re-form after switching.
New Zoom Reset Behavior Option
Zoom Reset Behavior is now available in Settings. Infinite Zoom Reset returns to the last used zoom level; Legacy Zoom Reset always starts at the first zoom level.
New Reporting Categories for Forge Content
Forge content reports now include violation categories (discriminatory language, sexual content, extreme violence) and location options (Associated Images, Associated Text, Map Design or Objects).
Shop Menu Improvements
The Shop tab shows more bundle tiles, and some tiles are larger. Super bundles from Season 3 now display alongside their included smaller bundles.
Indicator for New Customization Items
A yellow triangle marks recently unlocked customization items in the Customize menus. The indicator disappears once the item is viewed or dismissed via "Mark All as Seen."
BALANCE CHANGE
THREAT SENSOR
To better align with the Threat Seeker, the number of Threat Sensor pings and the duration of enemy outlines have decreased, while the radius and active duration have increased.
RESOLVED ISSUES AND BUG FIXES
Many improvements come from Halo Insider and Halo Support tickets. Submit tickets at Halo Support to help the team address issues.
GLOBAL
- Game settings loading changed to allow better addressing of settings-related issues in future updates.
- Left and right Outer Deadzone trigger setting indicators now align consistently with their default placement.
- Loading screen tips consistently maintain size and formatting.
- Unplugging a wired mouse from an Xbox console consistently removes the mouse cursor.
- Improved stability on Xbox consoles after Quick Resume or game suspension.
CAMPAIGN
- Fixed: Plasma Cannon Turret now consistently spawns during Banished Warship Gbraakon, allowing the "Mix Things Up" achievement.
- Fixed: Door to the Chak 'Lok boss fight in The Tower no longer gets stuck after exiting and relaunching the game multiple times.
MULTIPLAYER
Gameplay
- Fixed: Perfect medal now unlocks consistently with the VK78 Commando Rifle.
- Fixed: Players less likely to get stuck on a loading screen when joining in-progress matches.
- Fixed: 3-capture CTF variant re-added to Ranked Arena after the underlying CSR issue was resolved.
- Various performance improvements, especially for high-spec PCs on lower graphics settings.
- Dynamic resolution scaling now increases from minimum resolution faster when a minimum frame rate is set.
Menus
- Fixed: Players connect more consistently to Halo services on launch.
- Fixed: Ranked Rewards images now consistently appear on the Rank-Up screen after final placement match.
- Fixed: Purchase Rewards screen no longer shows wrong Battle Pass title after purchasing a completed pass.
- Fixed: Correct Rewards screen displays after purchasing a Premium Battle Pass from any season.
- Fixed: Battle Pass purchase prompt shows correct number of XP Grants.
- Fixed: Purchased items immediately reflect as unlocked after bundle purchase.
- Fixed: Map thumbnails in Custom Game Browser and Forge menus now load after leaving a session.
- Fixed: Repulsor use no longer lowers Accuracy stat in PGCR.
- Fixed: Missing content warning appears in Forge menu when Forge is still installing.
- Fixed: Error message appears if privacy settings block player-made content in Forge.
- Fixed: Navigating back to Match tiles from Match History in Theater mode now works after selecting a Filter.
- Fixed: Previous Fireteam leader can no longer access leader-only settings after promoting another player.
- Fixed: Community Collection playlist map thumbnails now appear consistently.
Custom Games
- Fixed: Shield recharge sound volume behaves correctly with Shield Recharge Time Scalar changes.
- Fixed: Custom Game menu no longer shows wrong map and mode after switching between Forge and Custom Games.
- Fixed: Weapon racks, vehicles, grenade, and Equipment pads work correctly in King of the Hill on BTB maps.
- Fixed: Scoreboard no longer lists incorrect Gamertags when a player leaves and rejoins on the opposite team.
- Fixed: Rule changes in Custom Game Mode Editor now consistently appear in the lobby menu.
Customs Browser
- Fixed: Thumbnails load more consistently in Customs Browser Details menus.
- Fixed: Selected Tags no longer appear in Filters menu until players select Confirm.
- Fixed: Gamertag filter now lists uppercase and lowercase entries in alphabetical order.
Customization
- Fixed: Equipping helmet attachments to the Chimera Armor Core no longer shows the wrong helmet.
- Fixed: Audio previews for Voiceprints in Spartan ID menu now play consistently.
- Fixed: Shop bundle helmet attachment previews no longer display on incompatible helmets.
- Fixed: Customization items from previous Seasons are consistently accessible.
- Fixed: Various Nameplate palettes restored to original colors.
- Fixed: Correct unlock date appears when viewing unlocked items after viewing locked items.
FORGE
Edit Mode and Creation Tools
- Fixed: Simulation Memory Budget and Dynamic Object Limit meters consistently show 100% at maximum objects.
- Fixed: Forge sessions no longer crash when duplicating a Script Brain with many Node Graphs.
- Fixed: Players on the same Xbox under different accounts can no longer enter a Forge session together in split-screen.
- Fixed: Players cannot move, edit, or delete Script Brains being worked on by others.
- Fixed: Undo and redo now work for movement, rotation, and scaling after deselecting a modified object.
- Fixed: Magnet tool behaves correctly relative to the axis the object has been rotated toward.
- Fixed: Magnet wires between objects are consistently visible from different angles and distances.
- Fixed: Reflective objects now reflect light consistently based on map light sources.
- Fixed: Players teleport on entering the Teleporter boundary, not only when standing directly on it.
- Fixed: Scratches and Grime values display correctly for Banished Wall Corner in Dynamic Object mode.
- Fixed: Winning Team Outro object no longer visible during Spartan Play mode on Catalyst.
- Fixed: Forerunner Primitive objects scale correctly via Object Properties Scale X, Y, Z.
- Fixed: Object color no longer cycles between two colors while selecting a new color.
- Fixed: Material changes to a prefab object now affect all objects in the prefab.
- Fixed: Holding the selection button in Node Graph menu consistently selects individual graphs.
- Improved Nav Mesh visuals flickering in Edit mode (some flickering may persist).
File and Map Publishing
- Fixed: Exiting Forge without saving no longer creates a new version in Version History.
- Fixed: PC players consistently access Bookmarked maps without reverting to a previous selection.
- Fixed: Details menu now immediately reflects published status after publishing a Forge file.
- Fixed: Newly created maps now appear consistently in My Files.
- Fixed: Bookmarked maps update when the creator publishes a new version.
- Fixed: Autosaves trigger more consistently after an unexpected Forge session end.
- Fixed: No more "Call Failed" error when disabling Copy Protection on a Forge Asset.
- New: Players can add notes to saved Forge map versions from the pause menu.
TRAINING MODE
- Fixed: BR75 Battle Rifle is consistently available in Training Options weapon settings.
- Fixed: The same weapon name no longer appears twice in Primary and Secondary Weapon settings (Energy Sword, Stalker Rifle, Shock Rifle, Heatwave, CQS48 Bulldog).
KNOWN ISSUES
CAMPAIGN
- After Mission Replay on higher difficulties, the mission may not show as Completed on the TacMap.
MULTIPLAYER
- The new item indicator on the Customize tab may not update after viewing all new unlocks. Workaround: enter and back out of any Customization sub-menu or complete a Multiplayer match.
- Hazmat Haven Mythic Effect Set preview may show the Repulsor on the ground instead of the Spartan's wrist.
- VK78 Commando Rifle sight may appear opaque with some Season 4 Weapon Coatings.
- Alpha Infected Energy Sword blade may disappear on spawn or respawn during Infection.
- Turrets carried by the Last Spartan Standing during Infection have infinite ammunition.
- Players surviving a full Infection round without being infected do not receive Last Spartan Standing bonus points.
- Bots on Streets and Aquarius maps in Infection may be unable to exit their spawn points.
- A player ending a round as Last Spartan Standing may spawn with Survivor loadout as Alpha Infected in the next round.
- Sidekick briefly appears without textures at match start when first swapping to it.
- Quantum Translocator cannot be used while picking up a new weapon.
- Players caught in the Threat Seeker pulse may still appear visible to enemies briefly after the red bars disappear.
- Threat Seeker pulse visual effects may not appear if Full Screen Effects is set to 0%.
- Explosive weapons (Hydra, Scrap Cannon) cause Spartan legs to flinch when hitting a player.
- New Forge reporting categories may not appear when reporting a Forge-created mode.