Halo Infinite’s contentious “Fracture: Tenrai” event returns today with a makeover that should make everyone happy. Probably. Maybe? You can never tell with these things. Players who don’t wanna trudge through big team battleBTB-themed challenges to open Fracture-themed ones will be delighted, at least.
In November, shortly after surprise-releasing the multiplayer mode for Halo Infinite, developer 343 Industries kicked off the Fracture: Tenrai event. It featured a peripheral, free, 30-rank battle pass, and for every event-themed weekly challenge you completed, you’d move up one rank in the pass. Completed challenges still granted XP toward the standard, not-free battle pass. Prizes included a samurai-themed set of armour, plus related accessories.
Players criticised the rollout, however, saying the cosmetic rewards were too infrequent and that some of the coolest-looking options — like a katana kit — were only available by purchasing them with IRL money. Plus, even though Fracture: Tenrai is planned to run six times over the course of Halo Infinite’s first season, slated to end May 2022, you could only rank up seven levels.
Read More: Halo Infinite Devs Respond To Samurai Armour Event Backlash
Last month, 343’s Jerry Hook addressed the feedback, saying that Fracture: Tenrai would be more generous with how rewards were doled out during the second round. Turns out, yup, Hook wasn’t wrong.
Fundamentally, Fracture: Tenrai functions the same way it did in November. Through January 11, some of your weekly challenges will be marked with a bright orange banner. Every time you complete one of those, you move up a rank in the event’s pass. During this run of the event, challenges appear to be affiliated with the now-permanent fiesta playlist, putting to bed the idea that 343 would use Fracture: Tenrai as a test run for potential new gametypes. (Pour one out for action sack.)
But there are some significant changes. Rather than seven challenges, you’ll have 10 as part of your weekly allotment. Better yet, they alternate with non-event challenges, so you’ll always have at least one Tenrai-themed goal to work toward in your active rotations. Under this revised framework, you could complete the Fracture: Tenrai pass in just three of its five recurrences (including this week’s run).
The rewards, too, are far improved. The frequency of single-use items, like XP boosts, is seriously cut back, to the point where everything from level nine on is a cosmetic option. Beyond a bunch of name plates and weapon skins, here are some of the standouts:
- Levels 10 and 11 feature the “gatekeeper” shoulderpads. These were previously available at levels 10 and 15.
- Level 12 unlocks the “dragonbark” knee pads.
- Levels 13 and 18 feature armour colourings, one of which (and this may be hard to believe) isn’t grey.
- Level 15 grants you the “kabuto” helmet, new to the battle pass. You may recognise it from the event’s promotional art.
- Level 21 gives a dark blue visor for the Yoroi kit.
- Level 29 unlocks the “staghelm crest” helmet attachment.
And to top it all off, this week’s ultimate prize — awarded for completing all of your weekly tasks, plus a final capstone challenge — is a sumptuous dark-reddish visor for the Yoroi armour. One thing that’s nowhere to be seen, though? That katana kit.
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