New Halo Infinite Multiplayer Images Released For Weapon, Vehicle, And Soldier Skins

Microsoft has shared some new images and details about Halo Infinite, including new customization information surrounding the game's "coating" system.

Coating is Microsoft's terminology for weapon, character, and vehicle skins for Halo Infinite. A coating is a seven-layer shader that can feature different colors, materials, and patterns across seven channels, Microsoft said in a blog post.

The first of these, the Monarch multiplayer coating, was announced as an exclusive for people who enjoy sugary snacks. The next one, Red Shift, is exclusive to GameStop customers. Power to the players, truly.

People who buy Halo and Xbox merch from GameStop from November 9 through December 13 can claim the Red Shift armor coating when Halo Infinite releases in 2021. Given the timing, this likely was supposed to happen to coincide with the Xbox Series X's launch.

Halo Infinite was originally scheduled to release as a launch title for Xbox Series X|S. It was delayed to 2021, but the marketing promotions for Halo Infinite are going ahead as scheduled. Microsoft acknowledged that this is far from an ideal situation, but it is what it is. A new book called Halo: Shadows of Reach can make the wait a little easier, bridging the gap between Halo 5 and Halo Infinite.

"Learning about some big new customization changes coming to Halo Infinite by seeing some marketing materials and reading a few paragraphs isn't ideal, but with programs already in motion and our date shifting, here we are," Microsoft said.

For Halo Infinite, "player expression" is a key pillar to the experience, Microsoft says. To that end, the developer has created a "new system which is a powerful and flexible way to create customization content quicker and more robustly than we've been able to in the past."

"Coloration, along with materials and patterns, will now be baked into the coating, taking the place of the primary/secondary armor color options found in prior games," Microsoft said. "While we understand that many players are fond of the previous color system, we’re very excited about the breadth and scope of armor, weapon, and vehicle customization options that will be available in Halo Infinite because of the coating system."

"Additionally, players should expect more robust per-piece armor customization choices akin to what was available in Halo: Reach vs. what was offered in Halo 5: Guardians," the statement continues. "And, as we expand our customization capabilities with armor geometry, materials, colors, and textures, it's important to the team that players are given even more opportunities to express themselves within the game itself."

Finally, Microsoft said it expects some people to be upset that the customization options announced so far are locked to specific retailers and promotions. Looking ahead, however, the company stressed that it has "a lot of customization content" planned for Halo Infinite that will be announced later. This content can be unlocked through in-game achievements, but the game will also have a microtransaction system that will presumably be unveiled at a later date.