Halo Infinite Season 5: Reckoning adds new Arena maps and Forge AI, with a new Firefight also on the way

Halo Infinite Season 5 Grunt image
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

What you need to know

  • 343 Industries shared an overview of what players can expect from Halo Infinite Season 5: Reckoning. 
  • Season 5 is adding two new Arena maps, Flood-inspired cosmetics, cross-core helmet support, and Forge AI tools. 
  • Later in the season, 343 Industries is adding Firefight: King of the Hill, a new version of the classic Halo Firefight PvE mode.

Halo players can look forward to a slightly spooky new season. 

Developer 343 Industries shared an overview of Halo Infinite Season 5: Reckoning on Monday, revealing everything that players can look forward to. This season is packed with new additions, including two new Arena maps. One of these maps, Prism, appears to include giant Needler crystals that can be shot to damage other foes, while the second map, Forbidden, looks like it's inspired by Delta Halo in Halo 2. 

These season also adds a number of new cosmetics inspired by the Flood, with bulbous pustules and slender tendrils coming off of and outside of Spartan armor. Arguably the biggest addition is the launch of Forge AI, allowing players to add Banished enemies to their Forge creations. You can take a look at the trailer for the season below:

Players will get XP from custom matches when the season begins, and will be able to use any helmet on any armor core.

While all of this stuff arrives when the season begins on Oct. 17, 2023, there's more to look forward to further in. Firefight: King of the Hill is on the way later in Season 5, adding a new version of the classic Halo Firefight experience to the Halo Infinite game mode roster. 

Analysis: Now this is fantastic

Halo Infinite had a long road getting to this point, with delays and feature cancellations plaguing the game's first year on the market. Things started to look up with Season 3 and Season 4, but the additions in this season are absolutely fantastic. I'll have to get back to playing weekly matches when this drops. 

Samuel Tolbert
Freelance Writer

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.