When Halo Studios (formerly 343) announced this year that it was moving on from Halo Infinite to focus on what's next, I took that as a sign that the days of significant Infinite updates were coming to a close. To a degree that's been the case—the free-to-play Halo that finally became great last year slowed down in 2024, with recent seasons consisting mostly of forgettable cosmetics and (much appreciated) maps made by the community.
Infinite's latest season, The Great Journey, has some actual weight behind it. In honor of Halo 2's 20th birthday, the studio commissioned seven throwback Halo 2 maps from the community and put together a playlist with a 2004 ruleset. Oh, and there's a new gun: The MA5K Avenger, a rapid-fire variant of the assault rifle that fills the role of the SMG (a gun that first appeared in Halo 2). Similar to last year's Halo 3 Game Fuel celebration, the Infinite scene is one big nostalgia fest right now, and dammit, it's working its magic on me again.
