Halo Infinite’s December update brings back The Pit and adds Custom Game Browser early

Swiftly following on from the recent winter update, Halo Infinite has received its December update, which introduces a whole host of features that Halo fans should be raving about right now.

The winter update’s most notable addition had to be Forge, Halo Infinite’s map creator, but now, the December update provides even more free content to support it. This includes a shiny new Custom Game Browser, which has appeared much earlier than anticipated.

“It’s a key support structure for what players create in Forge, and a pillar for the community,” reads the Halo Waypoint blog detailing the update. It’s a pretty big deal that the feature has arrived months ahead of time, so 343 Industries have warned of teething issues with the browser. Regardless, players of Halo Infinite will now be able to access community-created content with ease.

As part of the update, 343 Industries has also rebuilt and reintroduced beloved Halo 3 map, The Pit, using Forge, but it will now go by a different name: Empyrean. The new map is a faithful reimagining of the Halo 3 favourite, with refreshed aesthetics.

Next up is some complimentary cosmetics for players. “We’ve received a lot of feedback around Halo Infinite’s armor customization, and we are keenly aware that players — both new and returning — may have missed out on some unique content from over the course of Seasons 1 and 2,” the blog reads.

To ensure all players have plenty of customisation options to play around with, all present Armor Cores are now available to all players, and all 10 Cadet Coatings have been added to existing Armor Cores. Adding these options from the get-go will allow players to customise their outfits further. All Armor Cores and Cadet Coatings should now already be accessible from your cosmetic inventory!

Last, but not least, 343 Industries has addressed some quality-of-life improvements in Halo Infinite. Notable changes include improved support for keyboard and mouse, improvements to networking and desync, player reporting has been added to the scoreboard, and melee clang logic for the Energy Sword has been updated. This means that if both players melee each other without shields, the players trade melee and die.

To conclude, 343 Industries thanks players for continuing to provide feedback, and for supporting the game. “This first year of Halo Infinite has been one of many tough lessons learned, but we are confident that we are turning that corner in 2023 as we look forward to delivering Season 3 and more.”

What do you reckon to Halo Infinite’s latest update? If you’ve been playing the game in recent months or intend on jumping back in, do let us know. In the meantime, for more on the Halo series, check out the rumoured Halo Infinite battle royale, and our retrospective on Halo 4.