Classic competitive first-person shooter Halo was a staple of the gaming industry until it disappeared off the face of the Earth. The good news is, 343 Industries is bringing it back to push for eSports success. Indeed, the developer is quoted as saying that Halo Infinite will be the “biggest, most robust… most competitive Halo esports program and ecosystem ever built.”
With anticipation for the Halo Championship Series at an all-time high after the announcement, it’s time to look at what fans can expect from the 2021-22 season.
A global partnership
Four competing regions will take part in Halo Championship Series, and they are Europe, Australia & New Zealand, Mexico, and North America. When 343 Industries says that it will be the biggest esports program in the 20-year history of this franchise, it doesn’t appear to be wrong since a host of tournament operators are responsible for their respective regions.
While UK-based Faceit will host every part of the online tournament, DreamHack will take care of the Regionals and Supers competitions in Europe and North America, while ESL Australia will do the same for players in Australia and New Zealand. However, don’t worry if you think that the gameplay will be clunky because Faceit’s API is being directly integrated into Halo Infinite to ensure it will be seamless.
Whether this happens before October 2022 is to be seen, but Faceit’s previous relationship with 343 Industries suggests that it has the tools to deliver a quality user experience.
Big-name entries
Halo Infinite multiplayer is out now, and the reactions to the release are very positive. This alone takes the anticipation up another notch, as does the fact that the competition will be played on three different continents. But there’s more as big-name entries are scheduled to take part for the first time, including professionals Joshh and Dqvee, who normally specialize in Call of Duty.
There’s another reason for the suspense – Halo is arguably the ultimate eSports-friendly title. Okay, the series has taken a sabbatical, so we’re not sure what to expect, yet it’s not as if the franchise doesn’t command respect. For instance, a number of the top teams in eSports have already partnered with Xbox for HCS, including FaZe Clan and Team Envy. Also, the growth potential is incredible, not only for the Championship – Tashi, the eSports Lead for Halo at Microsoft has basically confirmed that more teams will be onboarded – but regarding essential factors surrounding eSports, like betting. Halo blends gameplay, skill and team play for excellent viewing, meaning it’s super engaging. This is the case in every region taking part, particularly Australia as online betting in Australia is evolving to the point where leading brands such as Bet365 and Betfair offer eSports markets, along with eSports bonuses and promotions.
The mixture of novelty players entering the fray and popular betting markets is sure to influence proceedings positively.
There’s a lot more to come from Halo Infinite and the Halo Championship Series, but you’ll have to wait until the end of 2022 for the big reveal.
