Despite being available to play for only a couple of days,Halo Infinitehas already made a strong impact on many of its players. With the inclusion of several new mechanics that streamline the gameplay ofHalomultiplayer, as well as plenty of new maps and specialty items,Halo Infinitecertainly has a lot to offer its player base. However, what’s incredibly admirable is the connection betweenHalo Infiniteand the longstandingHaloparody series,Red vs. Blue.
Originally released back on 2003, well before the days of YouTube and other video sharing platforms,Red vs. Bluequickly became synonomous with theHaloseries as a whole. Considering thatRooster Teethis still producing and distributing the series on various platforms to this day, it is clear just how integralRed vs. Blueis to the legacy ofHalo. With the series having such a large fan base, and many gaining interest in theHalofranchise because of it, it makes sense that 343 Industries has actively inserted several references to the show withinHalo Infinite.
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Halo Infinite’s Many Red vs. Blue References
Back in July, fans noticed an earlyRed vs. Bluereference inHalo Infinite,while going through the list of armor skins. One of the skin colors was named “Lightish Red”, in reference to a conversation between Donut and Grif where Donut describes his armor color as lightish red as opposed to the color pink. Though, now that the multiplayer is fully released, it has become clear that it is not the only homage toRed vs. Bluein-game.
Fans have also noticed during one of the loading screens, the head caption reads out “You Ever Wonder Why We’re Here”, which is in reference to the very first line that is said during the pilot episode ofRed vs. Blue. In addition, there’s an achievement called “Bring Shiela Home Safely”, which refers to the autonomousScorpion tanknamed Shiela that frequently appears throughout the series.
References like these do a lot more than just acknowledge a popular online parody. In many ways, they acknowledge theHalocommunity through very intimate means. Since the release ofHalo: Combat Evolved,Red vs. Bluehas shapedHalo’scommunity of fans in ways that have lasted for as long as the franchise itself has existed. The fact that these references exist withinHalo Infinitegoes to show how importantHalo’slore is to the development studio.
It will be interesting to see if there will be any moreRed vs. Bluereferences onceHalo Infiniteis officially released. Back whenHalo 3made its debut, there were secret character interactions seen in-game that were voiced by cast members ofRed vs. Blue.Whether or not something to that extent gets included inHalo Infiniteremains to be seen, but it is neat to see theRed vs. Bluereferences continuing despite the franchise evolving so much over the years.
Halo Infiniteis scheduled to release on December 8 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The multiplayer is available now.
