Halo Infinite leaks reveal new Forge mode will have full scripting system

Although Forge won’t be included at Halo Infinite’s launch, new leaks have revealed just how powerful the revamped toolkit might be, as a full-fledged scripting system has been uncovered.

We’re just nine weeks out from the launch of Halo Infinite, 343’s latest attempt at reinvigorating the beloved FPS franchise after a six-year break. While multiplayer is on its way alongside the solo portion of Infinite’s upcoming campaign, a few key features will be missing on day one.

Namely, Forge has been delayed until Season 3 of Infinite’s post-launch roadmap. The popular feature has been present in the last four mainline titles and while it is currently in the works, a Season 3 release places it roughly halfway through 2022.

Despite this, leaks have spilled out early that appear to reveal the complexity of 343’s ambitious Forge upgrade. Alongside the traditional map and mode design features, Infinite’s Forge seemingly comes with its own scripting system.

Leaked images hit social media on October 8, providing a first look at the new iteration of Forge. These pictures revealed an intricate series of ‘nodes’ as the creator established their own game logic with an intricate scripting system.

Controller inputs on-screen allow users to interact with the ‘Node Graph,’ thereby designing more nuanced experiences than ever before. 

Similar to the Workshop in Overwatch or even the likes of Garry’s Mod, a scripting system of this kind would give Forge creators more power and control than they’ve ever known since the toolkit was introduced in 2007.

These nodes allow a deeper level of customization, letting players set unique functions, change weapon damage values, or even trigger various animations and effects. Tooltips range from ‘On Game Start’ to ‘On Player Killed’ and just about everything in between. These can all enable unique functions at specific intervals with the right nodes in place.

At the base level, players could design modes that were once impossible in earlier iterations of the Forge. But at the higher level, creators that really have a knack for game development and scripting tools could essentially create entirely new levels and tell their own stories in the Halo universe.

• Read more: How to pre-order Halo Infinite

For all we know, inventive Halo players could even craft their own huge battle royale game modes before 343 Industries gets around to it.

Possibilities are all but endless with players able to manually change logic and create their own systems. If these leaks hold true, Infinite’s Forge would unquestionably be the most powerful creative toolset the community has seen to date.

• Read more: Halo Infinite PC system requirements

For the time being, however, there’s no telling if this intricate system will reach the full game. Forge has no set release date in Infinite, meaning we might not hear anything further for a good while yet.