How quickly time flies! Not long ago, the Halo Infinite Summer Update gave us a fight for the Spartan Academy, hallowed legacy maps, the gravity-fueled return of Grifball, and the raw, tactical thrill of S&D Extraction. A new chapter begins next week.
The 2025 Fall Update launches on August 5 with the ONI-themed Operation: Shadows.
As the first entry of the Fall Update, Operation: Shadows will introduce major game updates like a new vehicle, a new weapon, two limited-time playlists, exciting sandbox additions, Forge features, and a Premium Operation Pass loaded with four full armor sets!
Read on for all the latest intel on the Falcon, the Vestige Carbine, and Operation: Shadows.
Update Calendar
Spartans returning from the Winter, Spring, or Summer Update will recognize the format of Halo Infinite’s Fall Update. Between now and November, we’ll set out on three new Operations replete with new armor sets, new modes, and plenty of heroic moments.
As before, the first Operation of the season (next week’s Operation: Shadows) will launch with a slew of game-changing updates, including a new vehicle, a new weapon, new features, and the most expansive premium customization offering of all.
Operation: Shadows (August 5)
Operation: Warpath (September 9)
Operation: Haloween II (October 7)
Stay tuned for more info on Operation: Warpath and Operation: Haloween II, featuring valiant heroes, haunting experiences, and a few surprises to help finish out the season.
New Vehicle: Falcon
Yippie-ki-yay, Mr. Falcon! The Falcon returns to terrorize the skies next week.
Outfitted with a port-side grenade launcher and a heavy machine gun at starboard, this versatile warbird serves just as nobly in direct assaults as it does in medium-range troop deployments.
Between its cockpit, two passenger jump-seats, and dual gunner positions, the spacious Falcon seats up to five UNSC personnel—making it the perfect ride for aerial antics with the whole Spartan squad.
Jump into Famished Famished Falcons to take the Falcon for an unforgettable joyride. Starting in Operation: Shadows, the Falcon will also spawn on a selection of BTB maps (see “Sandbox Updates”) and appear as a placeable and spawnable object in Forge.
New Weapon: Vestige Carbine
A recently discovered relic from the Covenant’s Third Age of Reclamation, forged for glorious combat once again by the Swords of Sanghelios. This semi-automatic rifle fires green, radioactive projectiles with unwavering accuracy—as dictated by tradition.
Wield the Vestige Carbine against puny humans in Banished Slayer, a new asymmetrical Slayer variant where teams carry either UNSC or Banished weaponry in a showdown for ultimate domination.
Operation Pass Overview
As the first Operation of the Fall Update, Operation: Shadows offers both a 20-tier free Operation Pass and a 50-tier Premium Operation Pass featuring four full armor sets.
Free Operation Pass
20 tiers, available to play free August 5–September 9.
Operation: Shadows strikes with a free, 20-tier Operation Pass offering the new Whisper armor set and plenty of Spartan Points to use in The Exchange. As the regulation flight gear of ONI’s top stealth-ship pilots, Whisper armor is a rarely seen phenomenon—at least among the living.
Premium Operation Pass
50 tiers, never expires, includes bonus XP and an additional challenge slot, PLUS instant customization unlocks.
Purchase the Premium Operation Pass to tackle a durable, 50-tier reward track featuring four unlockable armor sets. In addition to the Whisper armor, Premium Pass holders can unmask the Direwolf, Fire Serpent, and Aristos armor sets. They’ll also receive an unlock bundle containing exclusive premium customizations.
(The dossiers ONI sent over are heavily redacted. Expect leaks on all the available Premium Pass customizations in our official launch announcement on August 5.)
How It Works
Free Operation Pass rewards are available for the duration of their respective Operation. In Operation: Shadows, you’ll have until September 9 to complete the 20-tier reward track and earn all its unique armor customizations.
Premium Operation Passes can be purchased at any time during their respective Operations. For Operation: Shadows, players can upgrade through September 9 using one of two redemption options:
1,000 Credits: Reward tiers become durable (i.e., never expire), bonus XP activates, an extra challenge slot opens, and a bonus customization bundle is instantly unlocked
2,500 Credits: Unlocks all the above perks, plus instantly completes the first 20 tiers of the reward track and unlocks its associated customization rewards
If you missed any free customizations from Summer Update Operations, watch for those to hit The Exchange during upcoming Operations in the Fall Update. Most premium customizations will arrive in The Shop to be purchased separately at a later date.
Upcoming Playlists
Operation: Shadows launches with two limited-time playlists that showcase the Falcon and the Vestige Carbine in all their glory. We’ll have more to share in our launch announcement, but for now we’re only at liberty to disclose “need-to-know” details.
Famished, Famished Falcons
Four teams, four Falcons, and one disputed flag. Take a renegade run through the Famished Famished Falcons party mode to earn your wings with the Falcon.
In this frenetic CTF mode, three-person crews must pilot a Falcon through a skyful of enemy warbirds to claim a lone flag and get it back to base to score. With two teammates on the guns and three angry Falcons on your tailfeathers, you’ll have to work together to stay afloat.
Banished Slayer
All shall know the might of the Banished! In this asymmetrical Slayer variant, two teams square off with UNSC and Banished starting weapons in a test for martial supremacy.
Banished teams go to war with the new Vestige Carbine, a Pulse Carbine, and two Spike Grenades, while the UNSC team is kitted out with the Bandit Evo, a MA5K Avenger, and a pair of bouncy frags.
Roll out, stay frosty, and get ready to prove your legend.
Mode Updates
We’ve unveiled a perfect pairing of mode updates that improve Firefight matchmaking and make S&D Extraction even more intense (as if that were even possible).
P.O.V. Firefight
Firefight modes will no longer be split into default (first-person) and third-person variants. Players may now toggle between both perspectives at any time in the following modes:
Firefight KOTH (Normal)
Firefight KOTH (Heroic)
Firefight KOTH (Legendary)
Linear Firefight (Normal)
Linear Firefight (Heroic)
Linear Firefight (Legendary)
Firefight KOTH Gruntpocalypse (Normal)
Firefight KOTH Gruntpocalypse (Heroic)
Firefight KOTH Gruntpocalypse (Legendary)
Firefight Fiesta KOTH
Firefight Fiesta KOTH Gruntpocalypse
This change cuts down the number of Firefight variants in the Content Browser and allows players with different view preferences to play together seamlessly. It should now be easier than ever to join Firefight matches with a full squad and experience the onslaught together.
Extraction Modes Updated
We’re so thankful for the overwhelmingly positive response to S&D Extraction! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve been able to quickly implement two major improvements that should make Extraction and S&D Extraction modes even more fun:
Improved site icons: We have updated the waypoint icons displayed over Extraction Sites to make it easier for players to differentiate between multiple sites. Instead of an objective icon, sites will now display a unique alphabet letter so that teams can communicate and strategize more effectively.
Updated Extraction behavior: Once the Offense team has completed an Extraction, any remaining sites will now become temporarily inactive. In Extraction modes that permit continuous play, other sites will reactivate for capture upon the successful completion of an Extraction.
In S&D Extraction, this modified Extraction behavior should promote more interesting engagements in the 60-second lockout period following Extraction, and also help Defense players better coordinate their efforts around disarming the site.
If you prefer to keep all other sites available following an attempted Extraction, we’ve added a new Custom Match option called “Simultaneous Extractions” to all Extraction variants. With this setting enabled, teams can capture multiple Extraction sites at once. Simply toggle this setting to “On” to ensure that other sites remain open after Extraction.
Sandbox Updates
On August 5 the Weapons Bench will welcome ten more customizable weapons, the Falcon will land in BTB, and S&D Extraction will get a little more complex. Check out all the newest updates to the Halo Infinite sandbox below.
Expanded Weapons Bench
Ten more customizable weapons join the Weapons Bench! Spartans may now apply weapon models, coatings, charms, emblems, and death effects to all these weapons:
Vestige Carbine
Mangler
Stalker Rifle
Pulse Carbine
Cindershot
Gravity Hammer
Sentinel Beam
Disruptor
Plasma Pistol
Ravager
This time, it’s personal. (And shiny!)
Falcon Added to BTB Maps
Room for one more? The Falcon has been added to the following Big Team Battle maps:
Thunderhead
Fortitude
Oasis
Highpower
Refuge
Don’t hog the grenade launcher.
Weapon & Equipment Tuning
As part of this update’s general sandbox refinements, we’ve squashed a few bugs and tweaked several weapons as described below. For in-depth specifics on adjustment values and recent fixes, visit our patch notes directory starting August 5.
Updated Mutilator Audio
Audio effects for the Mutilator have been enhanced. Mutilator fire should now sound more distinctly terrifying during gameplay, from no matter where you’re cowering.
Increased Active Camo Time
We’ve received feedback that Active Camo doesn’t feel as advantageous as it should, especially in highly competitive scenarios. To help Spartans make more inventive plays, we have raised the effect duration of Active Camo equipment from 30 to 45 seconds.
You may now lurk the shadows 50% longer than before. Happy hunting.
Hydra Performance Updates
Hail Hydra! Settings for the MLRS-2 Hydra have been tweaked for quicker lock-ons, a faster rate of fire, and reduced reload time.
Though individually modest, these changes to the locked-on shots should stack to feel pronounced, especially when countering enemy vehicles or firing successive volleys. We have also increased the reload speed of the Pursuit Hydra to keep pace with the default variant.
Ravager Rebound Redux
If you’ve ever been immolated by the Ravager Rebound, you’ll know that it’s quite an effective deterrent. To make things a bit fairer for those in the crosshairs, we’ve increased the overheat rate of the Ravager Rebound so that players may fire only eight shots before overheating.
Ranked Updates
Ranked maps incoming! Starting in Operation: Shadows, two new maps will appear in the rotation for select Ranked modes.
Lattice
Forged by: timmyforges, Kat Rat A Tat, dellsoto, h8yse, Squally DaBeanz, Ethan Hibbs
They found something under the ice. Lattice is an arctic arena designed to evoke the tense emotions of a desperate last stand against unknown horrors in a snowy research base. Long sightlines, sneaky shortcuts, and ample ledges all serve as reminders that you’re far from home, far from help—and maybe beyond the limits of scientific understanding.
Lattice arrives next week in the Ranked Slayer, Doubles, Snipers, and Tactical playlists, as well as in Ranked Arena’s Oddball, King of the Hill, and Strongholds modes.
Serenity
Forged by: UneeQ, Mr Greencastle, MikRips
A modified version of Serenity (an homage to Halo 2’s Sanctuary) makes its debut in Ranked experiences next week.
Sporting sightline, flow, and cover refinements made with competition in mind, this slightly less “serene” map now joins certain Ranked Arena modes (Slayer, CTF, Assault: Neutral Bomb) and the Ranked Slayer, Snipers, and Tactical playlists.
Serenity will appear in the Ranked Doubles playlist later on during Operation: Shadows.
Vestige Carbine Pickups
Precision pickups never felt so green. The new Vestige Carbine has been added to Lattice, Serenity, and the following exis
ting Ranked maps:
Forbidden
Live Fire
Origin
Recharge
Solitude
Streets
Just turn off your mic if you’re going to hum the theme song, okay?
Forge Updates
Next week’s Forge update marks a monumental shift in Node Graph functionality. Featuring all-new Radial Menus, Custom Input mapping, a massive messaging overhaul, completely reinvented Mode Prefabs, and a whole lot more, these new features are sure to please mode-makers everywhere.
Radial Menu Interactions
Starting in Operation: Shadows, Forgers can employ new Radial Menu functionality to enhance their modes with interactive menus during gameplay. Try using Radial Menus to select custom loadouts, choose spawn locations, purchase from match-based economy systems, summon vehicles, and more.
Radial Menus can fit up to eight selectable tiles that each display a title text string, description text string, and one of over 500 in-game icons (e.g., for Weapons, Equipment, Waypoints, Objects, and more).
You can even nest Radial Menus to create multi-layered and branching selection trees. This is especially useful for games where players need to choose a specific weapon from a broader category, upgrade an attribute set in a custom class-based mode, or spawn allied AI units from different available factions—but we’re sure you’ll put it to even wilder uses.
Custom Input Mapping
New Custom Input nodes allow Forgers to map custom actions to unused controller inputs and key bindings. This approach can be used to implement unique player behaviors such as teleporting, opening Radial Menus, or any number of other contextual actions.
With extended support for tapping and holding inputs, Forgers can create contextually responsive input mechanics that create new interaction vectors in complex game types.
UI Prompt Widget
Forgers may now use Prompt Widget node elements to alert players to Custom Input interactions, or to display generic messages in a cozy new space above the Event Feed. (Check out the “Choose Weapon” example in the above image!)
Mega Messaging Update
With the Fall Update comes a major expansion of many of Forge’s messaging functions. Articulate yourself with a newly variegated vocabulary starting next week!
Expanded Text Strings
Over 1,600 words have been added to the Text String lexicon. Forgers can now find the perfect words to express themselves using action verbs, locations, weapons, equipment, hero names, scrumptious adjectives, and many more strings of all sorts.
New UI Message Templates
Campaign designers rejoice! More than 50 new UI Message templates are arriving in Forge. Give your players new direction in life with instant bangers such as:
Current Objective: [String 1] [String 2] [String 3]
You are the [String 1] [String 2] [String 3]
[Player] is a [String 1] [String 2]
[Player] [String 1] the [String 2]
[Player] [String 1] at [String 2]
[Player] [String 1] while [String 2]
[Player] [String 1] during [String 2]
[String 1] [Player] to the [String 2]
[String 1], [String 2], & [String 3]
[String 1], [String 2], or [String 3]
[String 1], [String 2], [String 3]
…and many more!
Example Combinations
Combine the new UI Message Templates with the expanded Text Strings library to achieve nearly limitless (and downright literary) formulations.
It warms our hearts to know that, in the near future, there’s a non-zero chance we’ll play a Forge mode with one of the following phrases baked in:
Current Objective: Banished Sandwich Hunt
You are the Mythic Sandwich Gladiator
Paladins, Orcs, & Orbs
[Player] Exploded Craig Island
Eligible Princesses to the Grunt Birthday Party
A humble monitor can dream.
Print UI Message to Kill Feed
If you’re seeking new outlets for self-expression, try sending UI messages to the Event Feed (a.k.a. the Kill Feed). Messages pertaining to players and teams can also display colored text to help players visually distinguish between the Gamertags of friends and foes.
Just imagine seeing “Protected [Player] while Retrieving,” “Alien Seeds Looted,” or “Awarded Craig Token” nestled sweetly in the Kill Feed beside your latest murderous exploits.
Respawn Message Strings
Commune with the dead, no mediums required. You can now inform recently deceased players about match progress or emergent combat scenarios from the respawn screen with over 20 new Respawn Messages. Some examples include:
SELECT A LOADOUT
SELECT A SPAWN LOCATION
STARTING SOON
ACCESS MENU
RESPAWN BLOCKED
WAITING TO RESPAWN
RESPAWNING NEXT
AREA NOT SAFE
TEAMMATE(S) IN COMBAT
(0–4) TEAMMATE(S) ALIVE
ROUND OVER
OBJECTIVE: COMPLETE
OBJECTIVE: IN PROGRESS
OBJECTIVE: FAILED
YOU MADE IT COUNT
WERE IT SO EASY
Personal Score Pop-ups
Points just aren’t points if they don’t pop up on screen. We’ve added a new pin to the existing Adjust Personal Score node so Forgers can notify players about changes to their match-based score as they happen.
You may now supply a UI message that displays the added point-value (e.g., “300”) and the reason points were awarded (e.g., “Sandwich Stolen”).
Spawn Mode Object Nodes
Once upon a time, Forgers couldn’t spawn Objects from a Mode Brain, or include Dynamic Objects in a Mode Prefab… You see where we’re going with this, right?
Mode Prefabs now support the inclusion of Dynamic Objects! Forgers can also spawn Objects from a Mode Brain’s Node Graph using two new Spawn Mode Object nodes:
Spawn Mode Object Inputs: Label (Object reference), Position (vector, e.g. where it should spawn) Returns: Object (whatever Object was spawned) Spawns an Object with the default rotation set in the Object’s properties.
Spawn Mode Object With Rotation Inputs: Label (Object reference), Position (vector), Rotation (vector) Returns: Object (whatever Object was spawned) Spawns an Object at the rotation supplied in the input arguments.
Both Spawn Mode Object node elements can be found in the “Objects” category.
How It Works
Forgers will no longer need to manually place or import any Objects required for their modes to function. They can simply create a Mode Prefab by combining a Mode Brain with any Dynamic Objects required by their custom game mode.
Once combined in a Mode Prefab, the Object references of any attached Dynamic Objects (the “Label”) should then be discoverable to any Spawn Mode Object nodes included in the Node Graph of the attached Mode Brain so they can be instantiated from there.
Because Spawn Mode Object elements require Object Labels as inputs, Static Objects remain prohibited within Mode Prefabs (they cannot be referenced via Labels in Node Graph scripts). Be sure to change the “Object Mode” setting of any necessary Objects to “Dynamic” in the Object Properties menu before attempting to create a Mode Prefab.
Override AI Spawn Area
Spontaneous spawns, here we come. Override AI Spawn Area is a real wildcard.
When used in a Node Graph, this new node element causes the AI units defined by one AI Spawner to spawn from a completely different AI Spawner in another map location.
This functionality allows mode designers to create more interesting Firefight waves and other PvE engagements by conditionally overriding the default units specified by a Spawner already placed on a map. It can also be combined with the new Spawn Object Mode functionality (see above section) to pull AI unit definitions directly from a Mode Prefab.
Razorback Inventory
What good is trunk space if you’ve got nothing to stow? Forgers may now use specialized Razorback Node Graph elements to update and query items stored in the Weapon and Equipment Racks of any target Razorback.
Load up on goodies with the new Add Item to Razorback and Is Item in Razorback elements (found in the “Vehicles” category of the Node Browser).
New Nav Marker Icons
Going somewhere? Nav markers can now display over 500 icons for weapons, equipment, vehicles, skulls, numbers, in-universe manufacturers’ logos, and a whole lot more. Your next ODST-themed Firefight on Belisk just got lore accurate.
Disable Flag Nav Markers
Now you see it… The new “Flag Messaging” property makes it possible to disable the default Nav Markers of Generic Flag Objects. Adjusting this setting should make it much easier to fly your freak flag with a custom Nav Marker.
Raycast Functions
Mathematical! Forgers may now use physics-based raycast functions to query world geometry for collisions. These functions allow map creators to cast query rays to fetch info about what’s in a player’s current point of view, where bullets are striking, and whether specific Forge objects were involved in a collision.
All raycast functions return three* vital pieces of info:
A hit location (x, y, z) in the three-dimensional plane
The normal (a vector that points away from world geometry, e.g., an Object sitting on perfectly flat terrain would return a vector angled directly upward)
A Boolean (“TRUE” or “FALSE”) confirming whether the ray hit anything at all.
*Object raycasts also return an Object reference (i.e., the Object that was hit).
Halo Studios developers use these sorts of functions when building fundamental gameplay mechanics. They are useful for figuring out what Objects a player is looking at, snapping Objects to ground geometry, or figuring out whether any Object or geometry lies between two Objects (e.g., a dynamic laser that destroys Objects in its path).
Find all five new raycast functions in the “Math” category of the Node Browser:
Get Player Look Static Raycast Result
Get Player Look Dynamic Raycast Result
Get Static Bullet Raycast Result
Get Static Movement Raycast Result
Get Dynamic Object Raycast Result
We hope these utility functions will offer Forgers more control as they design experiences.
Character Type Node Updates
To help Forgers manage Characters and Character Types in more complex ways, we have added a new Character Type node and pushed a fix for the Compare Character Type utility.
The new Cast to Character Type node element allows Forgers to index variables stored in Generic Lists and perform type assertions to convert them into valid Character Types. This should allow Forgers to store Character Types in Generic Lists without worrying about invalid data references.
The data source for the existing Compare Character Type utility has also been amended. All valid Character Types (including Bosses!) will now appear as selections within Forge menu dropdowns.
Get Is Observer
Joining in, or just here to watch? The new Get Is Observer node element allows Forgers to retrieve and interact with all those who are currently observing a match.
Await Further Instruction
We’ve already said too much. All deployed ONI operatives should await full disclosure on Operation: Shadows in our launch announcement, coming August 5.