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A ranked-only melee buff for the Battle Rifle in Halo Infinite Season 2 has not gone over well with fans, who find the idea of differing damage values for weapons depending on the playlist confusing.
Halo Infinite’s new multiplayer season just launched, and along with new maps and modes has also introduced several balance changes to mix up the meta of 343’s shooter. Those changes include nerfs to the Mangler, big buffs for the Ravager, a universal melee-damage reduction, and the aforementioned ranked-only Battle Rifle melee buff.
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Now Playing: Halo Infinite Season 2 – Lone Wolves Launch Trailer
The “buff” for the Battle Rifle’s melee in the ranked playlist essentially keeps the weapon performing as it was in Season 1 following the otherwise universal 10% melee damage reduction introduced as part of Season 2. The patch notes state the Battle Rifle’s melee damage was kept intact in ranked in order “to preserve the Battle Rifle’s two burst-beatdown after the global melee reduction.” All players start with a Battle Rifle in ranked.
Fans, by and large, don’t seem to be thrilled with the Battle Rifle change. Having a weapon that performs differently in ranked as opposed to all other playlists, players on the Halo Infinite subreddit argue, makes the game more confusing and punishing for players who jump between different playlists frequently.
While there are already other differences between Halo Infinite’s ranked and social playlists, like ranked’s omission of the radar, reduced ammo for certain weapons, and the enabling of friendly fire, this is the first time the damage a particular weapon deals differs between playlists.
The move seems to catered to the game’s more competitive community, who would be upset if the Battle Rifle received significant changes, but in the process upset the game’s more casual audience. Many fans are wondering why 343 didn’t simply add the melee damage buff to the Battle Rifle in social playlists as well.
Like Season 1, Halo Infinite Season 2: Lone Wolves will last for six months, three months longer than originally planned. In addition to new modes and maps, Season 2 introduces a new battle pass and events, like the current Interference event. Heavily anticipated and long-delayed features like campaign co-op and Forge will be coming later in Season 2, according to a recently released content roadmap, with a Forge beta set to start in September. Online campaign co-op is scheduled to arrive in August.
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