One of Halo Infinite’s most discussed aspects during development has been its attempt to replicate the first game’s success for a new age. Developer 343 Industries is trying to push the series forward while also being dedicated to its roots. For example, many people feel that Halo 5: Guardians tried to push too much on players, making it feel like a totally different franchise. That is why overall, Halo Infinite will feel like a traditional game in the series, albeit with distinct changes and improvements.
When it comes to thinking about Halo’s past, many like to think back to how Halo 2 and Halo 3 allowed players to dual-wield weapons. Needlers, submachine guns, and pistols were all able to be held in both hands at the cost of access to your grenades. However, since 343 Industries took over the franchise, dual-wielding has been absent. Can we expect dual-wielding to return in Halo Infinite?
Unfortunately for fans of running into a scrap with two needlers, there will be no dual-wielding in Halo Infinite. In a community Q&A, Lead sandbox designer Quinn Delhoyo says that that feature is “not in the cards right now.” When discussing why the team has not worked dual-wielding into the game, Delhoyo cited the team’s focus being on too many other aspects of the game. While he says he believes 343 could do anything, they cannot fulfill every fan-requested feature.
Instead of implementing dual-wielding again, 343 has focused on overall combat and gameplay. Weapons, grenades, melee, and equipment are receiving the most focus in those areas, so while it may be disappointing for some that dual-wielding is not back, it is nice to know the team is concentrating on the more core aspects of Halo’s combat.
