Summary

  • The Halo: Empty Throne novel fills gaps in the Halo story, exploring conflicts preceding Halo Infinite.
  • The new novel releases on February 18.
  • Halo Infinite Operation: Frontlines update adds new content, maps, and game modes to multiplayer.

Fans will soon be able to explore a new chapter of the Halo universe in Halo: Empty Throne, an upcoming novel depicting the conflicts preceding Halo Infinite. Halo: The Empty Throne will be published on February 18, following the UNSC’s battle against Cortana’s planet-killing Guardians between Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite.

Halo Infinite has just launched Operation: Frontlines, bringing a 20-tier battle pass, a new map, the Fuel Rod SPNKr launcher, and more explosive action with two Bomb Assault game modes. With the recent addition of classic forge-made custom games to matchmaking, Halo Infinite’s multiplayer feels more complete than ever, finally offering the variety of maps and game types that fans expected at launch. However, Halo Studios’ move to Unreal Engine 5 has crushed remaining hopes for any single-player Halo Infinite expansions, leaving future entries to address the campaign's unresolved cliffhangers.

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Although gamers will have to wait to see what the future holds for the franchise, a new Halo novel will soon resolve many of the questions left unanswered by the series’ previous entry. Bridging the gap between Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite, Halo: Empty Throne will feature an original story depicting the UNSC’s struggle against Cortana’s Guardians. While the Master Chief battles The Banished on Installation 07, the new novel will explore the conflicts echoing throughout the rest of the galaxy. Halo: Empty Throne is written by Jeremy Patenaude, the former lead Halo franchise writer at 343 Industries who has previously penned short stories included in Halo: Fractures and Halo: Shadows of Reach. A sneak peek at the new novel was previously revealed during the Canon Fodder event at the Halo World Championships 2023.

Halo: Empty Throne Publication Date

  • Halo: Empty Throne by Jeremy Patenaude hits shelves worldwide on February 18, 2025.

Set between 2559 and 2560, the novel follows Lord Hood and Admiral Osman as they plan to counter Cortana’s control over the Domain, a section of Halo history left largely unexplored in the games. Halo 5: Guardians’ unresolved ending left many lifelong fans underwhelmed, allegedly to the extent that 343 Industries felt compelled to scrap its original ideas for "Halo 6" completely. Several major storylines were then left unfinished and the jump between Halo 5 and Halo Infinite was jarring for many players who had not read the extended lore. The destruction of the UNSC HQ in Sydney, the destruction of the Brute’s home world Doisac, and Atriox’s revenge largely take place off-screen, meaning gamers never get to experience Cortana’s tyranny first-hand.

While various novels, such as Halo: Shadows of Reach, follow humanity’s fight against Cortana’s armies of Created AI servants, Patenaude’s new 512-page novel promises to reveal a deeper exploration into The Banished, Atriox’s formidable army of Covenant outcasts introduced in Halo Wars 2. Halo: Empty Throne will be published on February 18, but excited fans can now read an early preview on Halo Waypoint.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Halo Infinite Tag Page Cover Art
9 /10

Halo Infinite
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First-Person Shooter
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Systems
PC-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
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Released
December 8, 2021
ESRB
T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Violence
Developer(s)
343 Industries
Publisher(s)
Xbox Game Studios
Engine
Slipspace
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Step inside the armor of humanity’s greatest hero to experience an epic open-world adventure and explore the massive scale of the Halo ring.

With Network Campaign Co-Op and Mission Replay, you can relive your favorite moments, rediscover collectibles and explore the wonders of Zeta Halo on your own or with up to three other fireteam members.

Experience Halo’s celebrated multiplayer reimagined and free-to-play! With over 70 maps in matchmaking, billions of customization configurations, and countless community Forge creations to experience, Halo Infinite is the franchise’s most expansive multiplayer offering to date.

Enjoy an unprecedented variety of gameplay experiences, ranging from fast-paced intense ranked modes to whimsical mayhem in Custom Games, or even co-operative coordination in the wave-based survival mode Firefight: King of the Hill. Assemble your Fireteam and conquer every mode – Halo offers endless opportunities for teamwork, strategy, and unforgettable victories.

Cross Save
yes
Franchise
Halo
Steam Deck Compatibility
yes
Genre(s)
First-Person Shooter
How Long To Beat
12 Hours
X|S Optimized
Yes
File Size Xbox Series
90 GB (November 2023)
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty