Halo Infinite's latest update adds Elite-inspired cosmetics and a seriously cool new mode

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Halo Infinite’s latest update is now live, bringing Operation Anvil to players on Xbox and PC.
This operation adds a new 20-tier pass with cosmetics themed around Anvil Station, which is jointly operated by the UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios forces.
There is also a new game mode called Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense, in which each team is tasked with defending two monitors.

More Halo action awaits you.

Operation Anvil is now live in Halo Infinite, with new cosmetic items for players to earn and a new game mode to experience. As detailed on Halo Waypoint, Operation Anvil is inspired by the universe’s Anvil Station, an orbital station jointly run by UNSC Spartans and warriors from the Swords of Sanghelios.

This is reflected in the Operation’s cosmetics, which include armor designed with Sangheili motifs in mind. As with other recent passes, Operation Anvil includes 20 tiers that can be earned for free throughout the duration of the Operation. Anyone who purchases the pass can keep it and progress forever, as well as receive a few extra cosmetic items.

Anvil Operation presents Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense

Image from Halo Infinite Operation Anvil

Anvil Station is maintained by both humans and elites. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

The other big new feature in Anvil Operation is the new Big Team Battle mode: Sentry Defense. In this mode, players are tasked with defending and repairing two large surveillance structures, like those seen in Halo Infinite’s campaign. Each team starts with 2,000 points, and loses points as their sentries take damage.

This new mode is currently available on the Fragmentation, Highpower, Deadlock, Oasis, Scar, and Command maps. Each map will also have at least one Repair Field item, meaning players will be able to obtain the valuable equipment and use it to repair their Sentinels if the damage piles up, but this will require more careful planning as teams will be forced to choose between defending their Sentinels or attacking the enemy team’s builds.

Analysis: Another reason to keep playing

Halo Infinite has received some pretty solid updates this year, with the addition of Halo Wars-era Mark IV armor and Juggernaut mode in the past few months. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense soon. It’s a big shakeup from how other Big Team Battle modes tend to play out, and I’m sure it’ll require teams to think more carefully than other objective-based modes like Capture the Flag.

I’m also glad to see some Elite-inspired cosmetics making an appearance here. The Sanghelios Arbiter swords are super cool, and while I’ll always find it a shame that playable Elites aren’t coming to Halo Infinite, it’s nice to see that humanity’s allies haven’t been forgotten.

Halo Infinite is one of the best xbox games available, and multiplayer is currently available as a free-to-play game on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC, while the campaign is paid and included in Xbox Game Pass.