- Certain Affinity is working on “something big and new for the franchise”
- Data miners find a curious project codenamed Tatanka
- It allegedly has features similar to popular battle royal titles, like 100 players and bleedouts
A recent talk with Certain Affinity executive Paul Sams seems to add validity to the rumors fans have been spreading about an upcoming Halo Infinite battle royal mode.
Halo Dev Hints at Something Big
It’s been over ten months since Halo Infinite’s multiplayer release and it’s safe to say that the game has had a bumpy trip. Fans have often praised the game’s mechanics and aesthetics while simultaneously blasting developer 343 Industries for some controversial choices, often citing the cosmetics system and lack of enough maps and game modes as negatives of Infinite. Many influential gamers and streamers have talked about what could be done to improve the game, including some saying that Halo Infinite needs a battle royal mode.
If certain rumors and small leaks are true, then such a mode may be coming to Infinite soon. Certain Affinity is a studio that has worked on games from the Halo franchise since the second game. In a recent interview with VentureBeat, Certain Affinity executive Paul Sams said that the team is working on “something unannounced”, “doing lead development on that unannounced thing, from conception and design.” Sams said he could not share anything more, but he says that it will be something new for the franchise.
Leaks Suggest an Upcoming Battle Royal Mode
Various data miners and leaks have found hints about a project that Certain Affinity has been working on codenamed Tatanka. Information found by Infinite Leaks on Twitter has suggested that Tatanka is a new game mode that includes up to 100 players, although a 60-player version has also been uncovered.
According to Infinite Leaks, the new gamemode will have four playlists: solos, duos, trios, and quads, heavily reminding of popular battle royal games like PUBG. The gamemode will also include bleed out mechanics and executions similar to existing battle royale games.
However, unlike other battle royal titles, where it’s game over if you die, Tatanka’s players will have multiple lives and opportunities to be revived. This makes the battle royale less focused on elimination-style gameplay, perhaps hinting at more objective-oriented games.
Another leak relates to weapons and how they will be used in the game. Players will allegedly find weapon caches across the map and have the4 ability to upgrade them, as well as repair damaged vehicles.
Tatanka will be compatible with Halo Infinite‘s Forge level creation tool, allowing for fan-created content. According to the rumors, the project will even have a dedicated progression system, separate from Halo Infinite‘s existing one.
Whatever this project turns out to be, let’s hope it will bring much-needed content to Infinite.
