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Halo Infinite Beta Sign-Up Guide: How To Get Guaranteed Access

Halo Infinite releases soon, and beta tests are providing players with a chance to play it early. Here's how you can too.

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343 Industries and Microsoft are finally releasing Halo Infinite on December 8 after a very long delay. You have a guaranteed opportunity to play it before then, however, if you follow a few steps. The Halo Infinite beta is your opportunity but it isn't an open beta like some other shooters get. Instead, this "flight" system requires you to sign up via the Halo Insider program, but it's a very easy process once you know what you're doing.

It is even easier to get in to this weekend's Big Team Battle test (October 1-3). All you need to do is download the Xbox Insider app on Xbox--you don't need to be a Halo Insider.

It's easy to sign up. In this story we're running down some quick instructions on how to sign up for the Halo Insider program.

How To Sign Up For Halo Insider

The Halo Insider program is free and open to everyone across console and PC. You can opt in to the Halo Insider program on Microsoft's website, and the process is very simple and straightforward.

There are some important items to be aware of, however. For example, you must be at least 18 years old to participate, and you need to agree to a confidentiality statement. This says that those accepted into the program are not allowed to disclose the existence of any surveys or share images, videos, and more from beta tests, except where allowed.

If that's OK with you, you are then taken to a page that asks you to enter your preferred email address for correspondence related to Insider matters. You also need to jot down a variety of personal specifics like your country and your time zone.

The Insider sign-up page then asks you to denote which Halo games you've played, which ones you like the best, and what kinds of modes within those games are you favorite.

The sign-up page also asks what platforms and controllers you own, what display settings you have, and what audio setup you play games on. You can also opt in to PC-specific beta tests on the Halo Insider sign-up page, and you'll be asked to share your PC specifications and your Steam ID, if you have one.

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Flight Time

Microsoft's beta tests for games are known as "flights." Although Microsoft has scaled back its original plans for Halo Infinite beta-testing due in part to the delay, we've already seen a few, and they're continuing as we approach the game's official release date. When that happens, multiplayer will be free to everyone on Xbox and PC.

Multiplayer Details

Microsoft opened the floodgates for Halo Infinite multiplayer details at E3, and this included a new overview trailer that shows off what to expect. We've learned there will Arena and Big Team Battle modes at launch, with more maps and modes to come over time. The game will also have Battle Passes and cosmetics to unlock through gameplay or with real money. You'll want to watch the full video below and read this wildly in-depth blog post to learn lots more about what to expect.

Cooperative multiplayer won't be live at launch, nor will Forge mode. Both features are planned for 2022, with cooperative campaign likely arriving with a few months, and Forge likely arriving next summer.

Open Beta?

Whether or not there will be an open beta for Halo Infinite remains to be seen, but it seems possible. Responding to the issues around The Master Chief Collection's terrible launch, 343 boss Bonnie Ross said you can expect all future Halo games to be beta tested.

"Going forward, you will never see a Halo game coming out without a beta. It was obviously painful for our fans and for us. But it won't happen again," she told Game Informer (via Reddit).

For what it's worth, The Master Chief Collection is in a much better place these days. That game regularly gets beta tests, or flights, for its new seasons of content. 343 releases new content and features for beta testers and then rolls out the changes publicly. Sometimes, the changes can be significant. For example, 343 tested two new Halo 3 maps for MCC in Season 6, but only one made it into the public release--the other was held back for further testing. Seasonal content for MCC will end with the release of Infinite.

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