When Microsoft first commissioned a novel based on Halo, it appeared to be just a part of the marketing plan. Eric Nyland’s The Fall of Reach released weeks before Halo: Combat Evolved, a time when Halo‘s eventual dominance of Xbox’s first-party output was unknown. Other Xbox franchises, like Brute Force and Crimson Skies, got similar written tie-ins, but Halo‘s immense fandom created a demand for more and more books. The gaming side of Halo has rarely tapped these novels for extended-universe material, but 343 Industries may have the perfect opportunity to bring their canon into the expansive, open-world Halo Infinite.
Click the button below to start this article in quick view.
343 Industries has more than demonstrated an eagerness to do this in the past, with Halo 5 serving as a first step towards integrating the two halves of Halo’s lore. For co-op purposes, both Master Chief and Spartan Locke fought alongside notable characters from Halo‘s past, many of whom originated in the novels. Of all these characters, Master Chief’s Blue Team partners deserve more love. Nyland’s original books framed Fred, Linda, and Kelly as main characters, but Halo 5‘s reintroduction didn’t really include any of the traits that made readers love them. Halo Infinite has the opportunity to expand these characters beyond the generic Spartans they were in Halo 5, making them distinct personalities who could possibly carry campaign missions all on their own.
Looking even further into the Halo book catalog, one other group of Spartans that made a big impression on fans is Gray Team. Jai-006, Adriana-111, and Michael-120 are Spartan-IIs, just like Master Chief – part of a team designed to infiltrate and disrupt enemy units. After several adventures, the team is still active and could serve as good contacts for Master Chief during Halo Infinite‘s campaign, if they were to be assigned to disrupt Atriox and The Banished.
How Halo Infinite Could Bring In Obscure Book & Game Characters
One off-the-wall option for new Halo Infinite characters could be an attempt to integrate Spartan-458 into the main game’s continuity. Also known as Nicole, this Spartan was originally designed as a non-canon guest character for Dead or Alive‘s premiere on Xbox 360. However, since that game’s release, there have been a few references to her in official material. Currently trapped in a time bubble, perhaps a wild side mission could bring her back to Halo‘s present day via an unheard-of Forerunner artifact on Infinite‘s Zeta Halo.
Besides additional Spartans, Halo Infinite seems poised to dig into all sort of Halo lore over the course of its main campaign and additional missions. 343 Industries has teased Infinite as the start of Halo‘s next 10 years, and filling out that length of time will require every narrative string the franchise can muster. Even if they’re not in the main game at launch, Halo fans could reasonably expect some of their favorite side-characters to at least garner a mention over the course of Halo Infinite‘s lifespan.
About The Author