Halo Infinite’s Mutilator Should Spark a Chain Reaction

Recently, Halo Studios launched their latest multiplayer Operation for Halo Infinite in the form of Operation: Last Stand. Here, players were able to purchase or unlock a variety of new armor for Halo Infinite, including a few fan-favorites from Halo 3 and Halo 4, such as Halo 3’s EVA, Halo 4’s Raider, and the Orion armor inspired by Halo’s first appearance at the 1999 Macworld Conference & Expo. Additionally, gamers were able to take part in linear Firefight matches depicting the Banished invasion of the Avery J. Johnson Academy of Military Science. However, one of the most exciting additions Last Stand introduced was Infinite’s first brand-new weapon, the Mutilator, a weapon Halo Studios should be inspired by to create more fun and unique weapons.

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By LB Beistad

Halo Infinite’s Mutilator Explained

Ever since Halo Infinite launched in late 2021, many fans expressed a desire for 343 Industries to introduce new weapons into the game’s sandbox to spice up the gameplay of Infinite’s relatively small arsenal of weapons. 343 had previously introduced a wide variety of new weapons in Halo 5: Guardians post-launch content such as the Brute Plasma Rifle and Halo: Reach’s Grenade Launcher so there was precedent for the developer to debut new weapons in Halo’s multiplayer. Around Infinite’s launch, several data miners of Infinite’s files discovered numerous cut or unfinished weapons and vehicles that many presumed would be later added to Infinite’s multiplayer. These included weapons carried over from Guardians such as the SAW and Carbine.

However, in 2022, fans discovered an unfinished double-barrel shotgun in Halo Infinite’s files. At first, this weapon was just a flat, untextured rectangle with the words “double barrel” adorned in red on its side, but by 2023 the weapon had gained a unique, colorless model with Banished designs including a small Gravity Hammer bayonet. By late 2024, most of this weapon’s animations created by former Halo Infinite Gameplay Animator Skai Chow and other details were complete, including its name as the Mutilator. Players were able to access the unfinished Mutilator in a secret Forge category first revealed by Forger Okom. While the textures of the Mutilator weren’t finished, its animations were, allowing players to fully utilize and test the Mutilator before its official debut in 2025.

The Design and Mechanics of the Mutilator

Lore information on the Mutilator’s creation is currently unknown, though it can be assumed that the shotgun was developed by the Banished given its Gravity Hammer bayonet, black and red color scheme, and the signature Brute leather wrappings found around its handle. Two large shotgun shells can be loaded into the Mutilator, but the weapon features fire modes. Its first mode fires one shot at a time while the alt fire mode shoots both shells out at once. What truly makes the Mutilator stand out is its Gravity Hammer bayonet. While this Gravity Hammer is notably smaller than ones wielded by Brute Chieftains, the Mutilator’s hammer can still instantly eliminate most foes at close range, send vehicles flying with its gravity waves, and doesn’t lose its charge no matter how often it's swung.

Halo Studios previously introduced the MA5K Avenger and the Fuel Rod SPNKr in Halo Infinite, but both of these weapons reuse models and animations from previously existing weapons, unlike the Mutilator, which features an entirely new model and animations.

Potential New Weapon Combinations in Halo Infinite

Since the Mutilator made its official debut in Operation: Last Stand, most players have overwhelmingly praised the Mutilator for its design and gameplay value, often heralding it as the best or at least the most creative weapon found in Infinite’s arsenal. Halo Studios even gave the double-barrel shotgun its own limited-time multiplayer playlist with Mutilator Madness, a Mutilator-themed twist on the classic gamemode Juggernaut. Given the popularity and positive reception towards the Mutilator, Halo Studios should strive to create more fun and unique weapons or at least dynamic twists on classic weapons similar to the Mutilator in Infinite, Halo 7, or other future Halo titles.

With the Mutilator essentially being a combination of the classic Halo Shotgun and Gravity Hammer, Halo Studios could combine other classic weapons to create fun and intriguing new designs. For example, Halo Studios could combine the Spiker with an Energy Sword by featuring a common Spiker with red Energy Sword bayonets, allowing for the weapon to make full use of its blades and provide instant kills in melee encounters. Similarly, Halo Studios could combine the Plasma Launcher with Halo 3’s Incendiary Grenades to instantly douse enemies in plumbs of fire instead of sticking them with Plasma Grenades. The developer could even combine the Needler Rifle with a Spiker, essentially creating a long-ranged Spiker Rifle that could have each subsequent Spike be hotter than the previous, potentially setting enemies on fire.

Potential Brand-New Weapons in Halo 7 and Beyond

By December 2025, Halo Infinite will be four years old. With 2026 being Halo’s 25th anniversary and most Halo Studios employees already working on the next Halo games, Infinite may not feature any more brand-new weapons or vehicles in its lifespan aside from the rumored UNSC Falcon. Despite these developments, Halo Studios could still use the feedback from the Mutilator to be brand-new, unique weapons for Halo 7 or other Halo games. For instance, Halo Studios could make a new weapon inspired by the Gravity Wrench that could pull players in or push them away, similar to the Gravity Hammer or Dead Space’s Force Gun but featuring an alt fire that unleashes a wave of destructive infusion gel.