Xbox’s Halo Infinite has been kept alive by Forgers even for official updates, but these fans are leaving following “lack of support” from Halo Studios

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As a gamer, I’m super hyped that Halo Studios might be cooking up a full remake of Halo: Combat Evolved for our beloved franchise’s 25th anniversary next year! But right now, it’s all about keeping the fire burning with the ongoing support for the free-to-play Halo Infinite.

Currently, when it comes to the latest Halo game, maps added to the game are crafted by creators known as Forgers – these are dedicated community members who use the built-in creation toolkit to design unique arenas. Unfortunately, one of the most prominent Forge teams has decided to move on from the game because they feel they’re not receiving enough backing and resources from Halo Studios.

Halo Infinite Forge group leaves the game behind

As a die-hard Halo Infinite fan, I’m sharing some disappointing news: The Forge Falcons, a team that’s given me countless thrilling moments within the game, have decided to step away. Previously, they unveiled an enticing full Battle Royale mode for our free-to-play title, which they creatively named Helljumpers. This unique take on Battle Royale in the latest Halo game has been a joy to play.

On June 7th, the team lamented that the widely-loved Forge mode, which they had hoped would eventually become accessible via matchmaking, never received support from Halo Studios. They felt it was a missed opportunity for everyone to experience it as intended, but unfortunately, this didn’t come to fruition.

In a subsequent message to their fans, The Forge Falcons declared they were leaving Halo Infinite because of insufficient backing from Halo Studios. Essentially, the dedicated Forgers who continue to develop fresh maps for the game aren’t receiving any significant financial rewards from the developers, despite creating maps that are marketed as significant additions in upcoming seasons.

The Forge group shared on social media that they’ve never begun creating things with the expectation of being compensated, and they’re unaware of any forger in their community who has. However, they expressed a peculiar sensation when their work was utilized in promotional materials for a game, widely displayed throughout the game and showcased in Matchmaking, without receiving so much as a simple heartfelt thank you or anything to make them feel valued beyond promotional events for the game.

According to the creators of the map in Halo Infinite, there’s a need for significant improvement in Halo Studios’ approach towards Forgers. This is not just because creators aren’t adequately compensated, but also because the relationship between Halo Studios and Forge users has been characterized as one-sided, which makes working on it for Matchmaking more of a chore than enjoyable.

The Forge team eagerly anticipates the upcoming Halo and Forge releases, and we’re optimistic that they will come with enhanced tools, a streamlined workflow, and increased creative liberty for the community. We hope this will enable us to continue delivering fresh and imaginative experiences in future games.

As a dedicated player of Halo Infinite over an extended period, the community of creators known as Forgers have been instrumental in sustaining the game’s post-release updates, with Microsoft focusing their primary developers on new projects using the Unreal Engine 5. Currently, significant events like the Delta Arena Halo 3 are filled solely with maps crafted by Forgers, while official teams work on tweaking game balance, adding battle pass items, and creating paid cosmetic options in the store.

It’s important to note that Halo Studios hasn’t been slacking off on the game development. With a minimal team still working on it, they have managed to produce fresh Firefight scenarios and even introduced new weapons like the Bandit and Mutilator. However, for unknown reasons, these new weapons won’t be incorporated into the campaign as endgame weapons.

Currently, it appears that Halo Infinite has greatly benefited from the efforts of map creators known as Forgers, as there seems to be no room for additional maps made outside of the Forge toolkit. Unfortunately, these Forger-created maps often lack the quality and visual appeal compared to official maps like Prism or Oasis. At present, these Forgers are working diligently with some assistance from the game’s developers, but it can be disconcerting to witness this dynamic.

In simpler terms, it’s not just Halo Infinite Forge that has been criticized for exploiting fans in the Halo series. The Halo Digsite team, who worked on polishing and releasing previously cut Halo content for the Master Chief Collection on PC (like the well-known Halo 2 E3 demo), have also expressed frustration about the lack of support from Microsoft, Xbox, and Halo Studios while their contributions were used to boost the developer’s reputation.

It’s highly desirable that Halo Studios considers this feedback moving forward for the future of the Halo series. The over-reliance on Forgers has been a longstanding issue since Halo 5, and the abrupt changes to Infinite’s post-release plans by Xbox have further complicated matters. It’s only fair that if fans are maintaining your game’s popularity, they should be rewarded and backed – that’s simply how it stands.

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2025-06-20 18:40