Exclusive: Certain Affinity is building a new game mode for Halo Infinite

Source: Xbox Game Studios

Recently, Certain Affinity hit the spotlight with the report that the studio is working on a Monster Hunter-like game based on a new IP, funded as an Xbox exclusive. Certain Affinity is known for its work on Halo and Call of Duty as a support team, among other projects, and it certainly seems as though the studio is branching out into building its own content. That doesn’t mean they’re done contributing to Halo Infinite, though.

I revealed on my Xbox Two podcast that Certain Affinity may be working on a new multiplayer mode for Halo Infinite, according to trusted sources familiar with Certain Affinity and 343 Industries’ plans.

It seems that this new mode codenamed “Tatanka” could be several months out at this point, and is designed to be a more “newcomer-friendly” experience that isn’t as demanding competitively than existing multiplayer modes, Big Team Battle and Arena. It’s also intended to entice users who typically aren’t interested in Halo, potentially targeting gamers on Fortnite, Call of Duty Warzone, or Apex Legends.

Depending on your interpretation of newcomer-friendly, that could potentially point to a PvE-style experience like Gears of War’s Horde mode, or perhaps something like Halo 5’s PvPvE Warzone, where players fought in chaotic battles against both enemy AI and players. One can also speculate that its goal to bring in newcomers to the Halo franchise may point to a battle royale-like mode, which has long been a big question about where Halo Infinite might go. 343 Industries seems to have ruled out battle royale for Halo Infinite in the past, though, so it’s hard to say for sure if this could be on the cards.

Source: Xbox Game Studios

This new mode will also hook into Halo Infinite’s upcoming Forge mode according to our information, and feature player-created content as a core part of the experience. It will also leverage existing cosmetics from Halo Infinite’s existing multiplayer progression, while potentially having a new progression system of its own on top.

While details around this mode are scant, it’s not exactly surprising that more gameplay modes may be on the way to Halo Infinite. Microsoft has previously signalled its intent to build and develop Halo Infinite over several years, adding new maps, modes, cosmetics, and perhaps even single-player story DLC. Last year, Microsoft trademarked Halo Infinite ‘The Endless,’ which may hint at an upcoming story expansion.

Plans may change throughout development, and there’s always the chance new game modes like this may get canceled before hitting digital shelves. Fans have been clamoring for more Halo Infinite multiplayer content since the game launched, so this could be a tantalizing glimpse at what the future holds.