Halo Infinite dev explains why they won’t be releasing exact remakes of classic maps
Halo Infinite fans are eager to get their hands on the latest multiplayer installment of the classic shooter series. However, devs have warned that players shouldn’t expect remakes of classic maps when Halo Infinite drops on Xbox Series S / X and PC later this year.
Halo Infinite is one of 2021’s most hotly anticipated games, with millions of fans excited to dive in and play the next chapter in Master Chief’s epic story.
We all know that Halo’s multiplayer is just as important as the campaign, and this time there are plenty of new maps and a new battle pass to get stuck into.
However, devs have explained that they won’t be keeping up the series tradition of releasing exact remakes of classic Halo maps in favor of “spiritual reboots.”
Speaking in a sitdown with IGN, Lead Multiplayer Designer Andrew Witts of 343 Industries said that he and his team have discussed remakes of old maps but want to move away from them with Halo Infinite.
Instead, he said that Infinite’s multiplayer will focus more on subtle callbacks to old maps, rather than being a carbon copy. He mentions that the Big Team Battle Map Fragmentation is influenced by the Valhalla map and its remake Ragnarok.
“I think that what we’ve done with Fragmentation is something we want; we want things to feel new, but we want things to be a bit reminiscent without giving you the exact same layout,” he said. “We’re a different game with different needs.”
Lead Multiplayer Level Designer Cayle George also revealed that the team came to this decision after trying one-to-one ports of maps from past Halo games, but said they “don’t work well.”
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“There are some maps that have been coming out in almost every single iteration of Halo. So I wouldn’t say we would never do a remake,” said George.
“But we’re doing a spiritual reboot, so we look at how we kind of put our own twist on it, but still make it feel like a little bit of a nostalgia trip when you kind of run through them.”
While this news may come as a slight disappointment to fans of the classic Halo maps, it will be interesting to see how and where parts of the old staples will pop up in these new arenas.
Halo Infinite drops on December 8, 2021, for Xbox consoles and PC, so stay tuned on Charlie INTEL for the latest news up to and after launch.
For more on Halo Infinite, check out the latest anti-cheat news, as well as the best PC settings to make the most of the new game.
Image credits: 343 Industries