There’s been a lot of speculation on when Halo Infinite’s first multiplayer beta might launch, but now that date has been confirmed. It starts later today (July 28) and will run until Sunday, August 1.
The official Halo Twitter account confirmed exactly when you’ll be able to boot up your first ever Halo Infinite experience. That's 2 p.m. PT, also known as 7 p.m. ET Eastern and 10 p.m. BST.
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This will be the first of multiple technical previews for Halo Infinite’s multiplayer, all of which will happen between now and the game’s holiday release. No doubt in an attempt to not repeat the launch woes experienced by Halo: The Master Chief Collection players back in 2014.
Tomorrow, we’re going live with the first look at #HaloInfinite’s upcoming technical preview! Hear directly from the team about what’s in store, and how you’ll get in if you’re selected.🕙 Wednesday, July 28th @ 2PM PT📺🟣: https://t.co/dda9QxxAU8📺🔴: https://t.co/ZPEd9AiBUx pic.twitter.com/lQzaZP4Cs1July 27, 2021
This preview involves testing gameplay against AI bots, and will feature a bot arena that Halo developer 343 Industries will use to “gather feedback on bot behavior and online performance." That arena will also include a Slayer mode, three maps, and a variety of challenges for players to complete throughout the weekend.
Players will also be able to try the new "Weapon Drills" feature, which will let you test Halo Infinite’s weapons on a virtual firing range.
343 Industries will also be testing the implementation of battle passes, the game’s UI, and a brand new version of the Halo Waypoint app for Android and iOS devices
The only issue with the Halo Infinite technical preview is that it’s not open to everyone, only those who have signed up to the Halo Insider Program. Fortunately, while that process involved jumping through a bunch of hoops, there are no limits on who can sign up and get their chance to play.
How to sign up for the Halo Infinite Technical Preview
- Visit the Halo Insider Page and click Sign Up
- Click Sign In under the banner that says ‘Sign in to your Xbox Live account’
- Log into the right account
- Grant Halo Waypoint access to your Xbox Live information if requested
- Confirm you are over 18 and that you agree to the Halo Insider Program Confidentiality Statement.
- Click Join the Program
- Fill out the form, confirming your information and your experience with the Halo games
- Make sure to Opt In to communications before you advance
- Xbox players should click Yes when asked if you want you to be considered for console flighting, and fill out the resulting form. PC-only players should hit No
- Anyone hoping to play on PC should select Yes on the next page, which offers PC flighting, and fill out the resulting form.
- Confirm your general availability for test sessions, i.e. when you’re available to play games
- Click Complete Sign Up
- Open your email and verify your email address
Once that’s all done you shouldn’t need to do anything else. 343 Industries will send out invitation emails to the people who signed up, regardless of whether they chose PC or Xbox flighting. Which is why it’s so important to opt in for communications by email.
However it’s worth pointing out that Microsoft says invitations to the Technical Previews are limited, so it’s not guaranteed that you’ll be selected for a slot. Your odds are higher if you accurately provide the information Microsoft asked for, but it’s still no guarantee.
Fortunately there are going to be multiple Previews for Halo Infinite’s multiplayer, so there will still be plenty of chances to get invited.
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