Why Halo 7 Should Go All-In With Playable Elites

Summary

343 Industries is expected to work on the next Halo game while updating Halo Infinite with features like the FLEETCOM Operation.
Playable Elites may make a return in future Halo projects, offering new customization options for multiplayer fans.
The potential for playable Elites in Halo 7 could introduce new gameplay dynamics and creative opportunities for players.

343 Industries is expected to be working on the next mainline entry in the Halo series while continuing to make small updates to 2021’s Halo Infinite, such as the recent FLEETCOM Operation. Presumably, the game will follow up on story threads and multiplayer innovations from Halo Infinite, but a new Halo Waypoint Chronicle story may have already teased the return of a classic, cosmetic multiplayer option for players in future Halo projects: playable Elites.

With the introduction of Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam as the secondary playable protagonist in Halo 2’s campaign, Bungie allowed gamers to play as Elites in all of Halo 2’s multiplayer modes. This was a dramatic but welcome shift to Halo multiplayer as it added a whole new aspect of player customization on top of secondary colors and emblems appearing on gamers’ player characters. It additionally allowed players to recreate scenes from the campaign or create original fan-made machinima stories featuring the Elites, such as the introduction of the alien seemingly known as Honk Honk in Red vs. Blue Season 4.

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By Dominik Bošnjak

The History of Elites in Halo’s Multiplayer

With the Arbiter and Elites N'tho 'Sraom and Usze 'Taham taking the form of players two through four in Halo 3’s campaign, Bungie made sure to bring back playable Elites in multiplayer but in a new, expanded form. Halo 3 introduced alternate armor for players to customize their Spartans’ helmet, shoulder, and body armor with such as the Ninja Gaiden-inspired Hayabusa to the coveted Recon armor. This new form of customization was brought to Elites as well, with Elite players having the option of donning the Combat, Assault, Flight, Ascetic, or Commando combat harnesses. This expanded players’ roleplaying options in both multiplayer and fan creations, with some making gigantic battle scenes between armies filled with various ranks of Elites and Spartans.

Elites’ Decline in Halo Games

Elites were not playable in 2009’s Halo 3: ODST, but they returned in a lesser form in 2010’s Halo: Reach. Here, players could still switch to either using the Elite or Spartan species as their primary avatar, but Elites could only be played in a select few multiplayer modes such as Invasion or Elite Slayer, instead of any game mode in Halo 2 and 3. Unlike Spartans, who could have their helmet, shoulders, chest, wrist, utility, visor, and knee guards altered, Elites could only be played with eight static armor sets including Minor, Officer, Spec-Ops, Ultra, Zealot, General, and Field Marshall. Elite armor couldn't be mixed and matched as before but players can still customize it with primary and secondary armor colors.

In 2021, then 343 Industries Lead Sandbox Designer Quinn DelHoyo said in an Ask343 video that playable Elites didn’t return to Halo Infinite due to the game being a “Master Chief story and a Spartan story, especially in multiplayer.”

The Potential of Playable Elites in Halo 7

Playable Elites haven’t returned to Halo multiplayer since Reach, with the exception of 2014’s Halo 2 Anniversary multiplayer. However, a new Halo Waypoint Chronicle story entitled Halo: Anvil Accord may have teased the return of playable Elites in Halo 7 or other possible Halo titles. Anvil Accord details several interactions between Elites and Humans working aboard Anvil Station, where UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios personnel work together to form joint Spartan-Sangheili task forces and develop new technologies. All of the stories take place in 2560 on the 7th Anniversary of the end of the Human-Covenant War, about three months before Halo Infinite. Here Anvil’s Spartan Commander Vinay Sahil and Stationmaster Toda ‘Murajai discuss preparing three Riftborn squads to begin unknown missions.

With the UNSC Infinity still MIA and the Avery J. Johnson Academy of Military Science seemingly compromised by the actions of the Banished A.I. Iratus, Anvil Station could serve as the perfect setting for Halo 7 and be used to bring back Elites in multiplayer. Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer were both set in War Games simulations aboard the Infinity, and Halo Infinite’s multiplayer is set in simulations at the academy. A War Games simulator is aboard Anvil so 343 could easily have multiplayer set there as well. Both Sahil and ‘Murajai could serve as the multiplayer announcers as they oversee Spartans and Elites training together, just as Spartans Palmer and Agryna did before.

Elites’ Multiplayer Potential in Halo 7

The biggest complaint about having playable Elites in the past was that they frustrated expert players due to how difficult it was to hit headshots on them, especially Halo 3’s Elites. To rectify this issue, Halo 7 could limit Elites to social playlists and allow only Spartans to be used in ranked playlists and eSports tournaments. Furthermore, 343 could allow Elites to be as customizable as Spartans are in Halo Infinite with armor cores based on various ranks or classes. One core could even be based on Banished Elites, featuring armor similar to Shipmaster Let 'Volir or Blademaster Jega 'Rdomnai. This could allow players to be more creative in machinima creations and make Halo feel more unique again compared to other FPS games.

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