Halo Infinite has lost about 98% of its initial player base on Steam ever since its multiplayer component launched in November 2021. Although the multiplayer launch of Halo Infinite was deemed a success, the game's long-term future on both PC and Xbox is being questioned once more by longtime Halo fans.
Halo Infinite was originally intended to be an Xbox Series X|S launch title in 2020, but more development time was needed to fulfill Xbox and 343 Industries' vision for the title. The multiplayer component would eventually launch as an open beta on November 15, 2021, followed by the full release of Halo Infinite on December 8, 2021. Halo Infinite's multiplayer and campaign modes were received positively by critics and fans during its initial launch window, but players grew concerned over the immediate future of the multiplayer mode. Halo Infinite's first season ended in May 2022, and some fans believed their criticism of the game was not remedied by updates and seasons that followed.
Halo fan Full-Plastic7324 recently posted an image from SteamDB's player charts, revealing that roughly 98% of the total Halo Infinite player base on Steam no longer plays the game. Although Halo Infinite had a total of 272,586 users during its all-time peak on Steam, SteamDB charts show that only 5,732 users were recently playing the game. The 24-hour peak has since increased to 6,151 players, but the total current number of players has dropped even further to just 3,880 as of this writing. This drop off means that roughly 2% of the overall player base remains, and some Halo Infinite players are frustrated by what this could entail for the future of the game.
Some members of the Halo Infinite community blame 343 Industries' approach to live service gaming as the main reason for the game's decline. For example, players note the monetization practices may have turned newcomers away from the game. Moreover, some Halo fans believe the lack of meaningful new features and maps drove the most devoted players away from Halo Infinite, leading to the 98% drop off being highlighted by Full-Plastic7324.
Although the drop-off does not represent directly the player base on Xbox platforms, it may be indicative of an overall dwindling player base for Halo Infinite. The Steam player drop-off is a concerning sign for Halo Infinite and future updates despite Microsoft and 343's original 10-year content plan for the game. The community appears to be disappointed since Halo Infinite's issues overshadow its fun gameplay mechanics for many players.
Halo Infinite's multiplayer is still free to play for those interesting in trying out the game, and Season 4: Infection is ongoing with free multiplayer content. Additionally, Halo Infinite is discounted for a limited time, so players interested in experiencing the campaign may do so with a major discount.
Halo Infinite is available now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.