| Term | Acronym | Definition |
| Two Versus Two, Four Versus Four | 2v2, 4v4 | Two versus two, four versus four describe the size of groups playing against each other with the v representing the word versus. |
| Academy | Weapon drills, gameplay against bots, and a customizable training mode to help players get familiar with core game mechanics and weapons. | |
| Achievements | The completion of a specified activity which rewards a player with Gamerscore points on their Xbox Profile. | |
| Agent (Halo Support or Safety Agent) | Members of the Halo Studios team who are experts in our game, and handle Halo Support tickets to track player issues, offer resources or information, and perform enforcement actions on Report a Player tickets. | |
| Aim Magnetism | An option in Settings that, when enabled helps players aim by slightly pulling the reticle towards nearby enemies. Available for Multiplayer only. Not available in Campaign | |
| Applied Score | Applied Score is determined by multiplying your Personal Score with the playlist's multiplier. Applied Score counts toward Career Rank progression. | |
| Arena | A multiplayer mode where two groups of four players compete in games like Slayer and Capture the Flag, often weapons and equipment are scattered throughout the map. | |
| Ban | A loss of access to a feature or game as a consequence of violating Xbox Community Standards. Bans may occur from automated in-game functions or may be applied as a result of a ticket being filed at aka.ms/HaloReportAPlayer. Learn more about Xbox Community Standards here: https://www.xbox.com/legal/community-standards | |
| Banished | An army of mercenary characters, ex-Covenant warriors, and allied clans under the command of Atriox. Their goal is to accumulate power and resources by any means necessary. | |
| Battle Pass | A feature that lets you earn customizations for your character, vehicles, weapons, and more by completing in-game challenges during gameplay. These challenges award progress on your Battle Pass. | |
| Big Team Battle | BTB | Large group game modes and maps with two teams of up to 12, these maps are larger than regular arena maps and feature vehicles. |
| Boss | An important and extra-powerful non-player enemy in the Campaign. | |
| Bots | AI non-player characters in Halo Infinite's multiplayer matches and Training Mode gameplay. Bots come in four difficulty levels: Recruit (easiest), Marine, ODST, and Spartan (hardest). | |
| Bot Match | A team of human players playing against a team of AI bots. | |
| Button Mapping | Refers to what buttons are assigned to which actions. Halo Infinite allows players to change the button mapping so different buttons perform those actions. This can also be referred to as key binding | |
| Campaign | A game mode available in single player or co-op where the player can work through a series of missions that tell a larger story. | |
| Capture the Flag | CTF | A game mode available in single player or co-op where the player can work through a series of missions that tell a larger story. |
| Career Rank | Introduced in Season 4, Career Rank is a new progression system that awards players with a title and insignia based on their accumulated Applied Score. As players earn more Personal Score, they can progress from the starting rank of Recruit to the maximum rank of Hero. Click here for more details on Career Rank. | |
| Challenges | Objectives that players can complete during multiplayer gameplay to make progress toward new unlocked customizations in their Battle Pass. Some challenges refresh daily, others refresh weekly. | |
| Challenge Swap | A type of consumable item that allows a player to switch out an active Weekly Challenge for a random new one. These are activated on the Challenges tab of the Battle Pass menu by selecting the icon to the left of the unwanted Challenge. | |
| Chat | Text and voice communication features used by teams during and outside of gameplay. The Xbox Code of Conduct must be followed in verbal and written conversations to avoid penalties. | |
| Cheat | Use exploits, or otherwise tamper with hardware or software to gain a competitive advantage, it ruins the experience for everyone (to learn more see the Xbox Code of Conduct). | |
| Cinematic | A cinematic sequence that plays between missions to help tell the campaign story. | |
| Clamber | In Halo Infinite this refers to climbing onto a ledge or leaping onto a ledge while airborne. By default, players auto-clamber onto nearby ledges they are looking at and moving towards while airborne, this can be turned off in settings. | |
| Coatings | Paint, textures, and materials that can be applied to armor, vehicles, and weapons in the Customization menus. Often referred to as "skins", these cosmetic changes that do not impact gameplay. Additional coatings can be earned through Seasonal Battle Passes or purchased in the in-game Shop. | |
| Collectible | In Campaign there are special items that can be found in an area. They are listed as Collectibles in the TacMap. Collectibles include audio logs, Skulls and Spartan Cores. | |
| Co-op | A type of gameplay where players are on teams working together toward a common goal. | |
| Community | A section of the main menu in Halo Infinite that includes social and creative features. | |
| Competitive | Ranked gameplay, in which the outcome of a match is tracked and compared with other players performance in an overall ranking system. | |
| Competitive Skill Rank | CSR | The ranking system that measures a player's skill level in Ranked multiplayer matches. CSR is determined by performance in matches and can increase or decrease based on wins, losses, and individual contributions. See also: Guide to Halo Infinite Game Modes |
| Configuration | Platform, game version, and setting details. Configuration information is collected in Halo Support tickets to enable our developers to replicate and work on fixes for in-game issues. | |
| Consumable | Items which increase progress toward a goal, these are earned or purchased and can only be used once. | |
| Core | A customizable foundation for weapons, armors, and vehicles. Customization options are tied to specific cores. For example, a helmet from one armor core cannot be applied to another armor core. | |
| Cosmetics | Items that change the visual appearance of a character or their equipment. These items do not grant bonuses, they only effect visual appearance. | |
| Custom Game | Players create their own personalized game mode using an options menu to change the rules. Depending on the settings, either friends or a player's Fireteam can then join a custom game lobby to play together. | |
| Customization | The ability to change the player's Spartan, weapon, and vehicle appearance (armor, helmet, coatings, emblems, etc.) in the Customize menu. The Armor Hall, Weapons Bench, Vehicle Bay, Body & AI, and Spartan ID menus are all within the Customize menu. | |
| Covenant | A hostile alliance of alien races led by the San’Shyuum and Sangheili, and founded on the worship of the mysterious Forerunners. | |
| Death Cam | A third-person perspective playback view that shows your character's body after being killed or dying in game. | |
| Dialogue | Character-driven audio that provides contextual information or story elements. | |
| Double Key Bind/Triple Key Bind | In Keyboard/Mouse settings, players can key bind one action to two or three different keys. | |
| Doubles | Another term for 2v2 game modes. | |
| Easy Anti-Cheat | EAC | Software used in Halo Infinite on PC that detects and blocks cheating to ensure fair gameplay. Official Site: Easy Anti-Cheat |
| Emblem | A symbol that players can choose to customize their weapons, armor, and vehicles. | |
| Enforcement and Safety | Halo Studios processes, articles, and ticketing systems designed to creating and protect safe, inclusive player experiences in Halo games. | |
| Equipment | In Halo Infinite, equipment refers to devices that by default can be activated by pressing LB or Q. Equipment items in Campaign and Multiplayer include Grappleshot, Drop Wall and Thruster. Multiplayer exclusive equipment includes Active Camouflage, Overshield and Repulsor. In Campaign, equipment can be upgraded by using Spartan Cores. | |
| Exchange | A shop within Halo Infinite that features a mix of previously available limited time offers and new items. All items in the Exchange can only be acquired with Spartan Points. Exchange is accessed through a tile found on the left side of the Shop tab. | |
| Extraction | Game mode where two teams of four players compete to arm and defend Extraction Sites on the map. | |
| Fast Travel | Campaign-only ability to quickly move from anywhere in the game to key points on the TacMap. | |
| Field of View | FOV | How much of the surrounding area you see in-game. A higher FOV will show more of the surrounding scenery. For some players, a higher FOV helps reduce potential motion sickness experienced during gameplay. |
| File share | The feature that allows players to add their own game files (maps, game modes) for other players to use. | |
| Firefight | A cooperative multiplayer mode where players team up to fight against waves of AI-controlled enemies. | |
| Fireteam | A group, or party, of players that enter matchmaking together and can communicate with each other. Fireteams can be formed through the Social menu. | |
| Flight | A term used by game developers to describe early versions of a game in the testing phase. Players may register for the Halo Insiders program to request inclusion in player tested flights. | |
| Forerunners | A race of characters in Halo lore that served as stewards of all life in the galaxy. At the height of their power, their civilization spanned over three million inhabited worlds. Forerunners created the Halo rings, a collection of seven ringworld installations which form a weapon network capable of destroying all sentient life in the galaxy. | |
| Forward Operating Base | FOB | Strategic bases that can be captured for the UNSC in Campaign, they often have collectibles nearby. Capturing them rewards Valor and reveals points of interest on the TacMap. In the TacMap, FOB menu shows resources that will be at your FOB. |
| Frames Per Second | FPS | The number of images that are displayed each second. It can be used as a setting (defining how many FPS should be shown) or a graphics performance measurement. Higher FPS creates a smoother and more responsive visual experience, while fewer FPS takes less processing power. |
| Free-for-All | FFA | A multiplayer game mode with no teams, where every player plays against each other without teams. |
| Free-to-Play | F2P / FTP | A game that is available to play at no cost. May require an account (for Halo, that means an Xbox account) and may offer optional in-game purchases. |
| Game Modes | A set of rules that determines the objectives and winners in a Halo Infinite multiplayer match. There are different game modes available in smaller Arena matches compared to larger Big Team Battle matches. Examples of game modes include Slayer, Oddball, and Capture the Flag. | |
| Gravity (Grav) Lift | A lift the that operates by changing the gravity in an area. Players that step into the beam of energy are immediately lifted up. | |
| Halo rings | A weapon array built by the Forerunners 100,000 years before the time Halo Infinite takes place. Also referred to as the "Halo Array," "Halo installations," or just "Halo" or "Halos." | |
| Halo Championship Series | HCS | The official Halo esports league with events across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand. HCS features some of the biggest teams in esports, and it is an open ecosystem meaning anyone can sign up and compete for first place. |
| Halo Insider | A program offered to enable players to test Halo games before public releases. For info, go to https://aka.ms/HaloInsider | |
| Halo Waypoint | The official website for Halo news, support, blogs, player profiles, and special events. | |
| Harassment | Any negative behavior that’s personalized, disruptive, or likely to make someone feel unwelcome or unsafe. To qualify as harassment, the behavior doesn’t have to be drawn-out or persistent. Even a single abusive message could harm someone’s experience (to learn more see the Xbox Code of Conduct). | |
| Heads Up Display | HUD | Tactical information that displays on the screen. This includes status information such as health and ammo, and strategic markers, such as where weapons are. In Multiplayer chat messages and scoring are shown through HUD. Frames Per Second counter and Network statistics can be added to the HUD via UI Settings. |
| Local Area Network | LAN | In Halo Infinite, this is a Server option in Custom Game lobbies that creates a LAN server on the same PC. This allows players on the same local network to join a custom game. |
| Leaderboards | An ordered ranking of top player scores, listed in order of performance. | |
| Linear Navigation | An accessibility feature that adds a visual highlight that allows the user to move between all available menu options on the screen with a limited subset of controls. | |
| Load(ing) screen | A moving or static image players see when the game is loading into different modes or different areas. It is often accompanied by a progress bar and a gameplay tip. | |
| Man cannon | An altered gravity beam that launches players or vehicles a long distance horizontally. It looks like a ramp made of energy. | |
| Matchmaking | The system used to automatically put players in games together for multiplayer modes in Halo Infinite. | |
| Match XP | Match XP is one of the progression systems used to complete seasonal Battle Passes and Operation Passes in Halo Infinite. Players earn Match XP for completing a matchmaking session and for specific accomplishments in that match, such as being on the winning team or being the match’s most valuable player. Click here for more info on Match XP. | |
| Multiplayer | A game mode which allows social or competitive online play sessions. Players can choose to play with friends via party or fireteam, or use matchmaking to be randomly grouped. Chatting via text or using a headset/microphone is not required to play multiplayer. | |
| Nameplate | The stylized rectangular background of your gamertag within Halo Infinite. The nameplate image, color palette, and backdrop can be customized within the Spartan ID menu. | |
| Network Performance | How the player's network performs when sending information between client and server. It is heavily impacted by bandwidth and connection quality. Xbox supports networking scenarios, read more here: https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/hardware-network/connect-network/xbox-one-network-connection | |
| Non-Player Character | NPC | Any character in the game that isn't controlled by a player. |
| Oddball | A multiplayer game mode where holding the "oddball" (a flaming skull) accrues points for the holder's team. The first team to reach a certain number of points wins. | |
| Operations | Progression tracks that are available to all players for free for the first 4 to 6 weeks of its release. Players earn Match XP to unlock up to 20 tiers of rewards for cosmetic items and special gear. Operations can be purchased in the Shop once they’re no longer available for free. | |
| Personal AI | An artificial intelligence (AI) model that aids players in multiplayer matches by helping capture objectives, unlocking doors in Big Team Battle, and offering words of encouragement. Each Personal AI has unique a voice and design. Players can select a Personal AI and its color in the Body & AI menu. | |
| Personal Score | Personal Score is earned based on how well individual players performed during a match. In matchmaking, Personal Score is multiplied against the playlist's multiplier for Career Rank progress. | |
| Party | Another term for "Fireteam," referring to a group of players that enter matchmaking together and can communicate with each other. Fireteams can be formed through the Social menu. | |
| Pause Menu | Opened by pressing Menu on Controller and ESC on Keyboard by default while in-game. Depending on the mode this menu has different options, but the Settings menu will always be available from the Pause menu. In Campaign and Academy this pauses the gameplay in the background. In Multiplayer the game is not paused while in this menu and other players may attack you. | |
| Platform | The hardware and software used to run an application or game. | |
| Ping | A player-marked spot or item in a multiplayer game may be referred to as pinged. This term is also used as a measure of network latency. A high network ping indicates that a player's device and the multiplayer server are taking longer than expected to communicate. This can result in a delay between a player's button press and the assigned action happening. | |
| Playlist | Preset multiplayer mode and map settings used when entering matchmaking. | |
| Points of Interest | In Campaign, points of interest are locations in the environment where players can complete activities or find collectibles. If you experience a bug while playing Halo Infinite, taking note of the nearest point of interest helps the developers. | |
| Post Game Carnage Report | PGCR | The scoreboard that provides a detailed breakdown of how each player performed in a match, including medals and objective contributions. |
| Ranked | A playlist where the outcome of the match is tracked and compared with other players' performance in an overall ranking system. | |
| Report a Player | A system used to intake tickets where players are reported for breaking the Xbox Code of Conduct. Evidence is required, and false reports may result in an enforcement action against the reporter. To report another player, visit aka.ms/HaloReportAPlayer | |
| Sandbox | The weapons, equipment, vehicles, objects, and movement abilities available to a player are sometimes referred to as "the sandbox." | |
| Scoped | The state of viewing an object through the magnified scope of a weapon, such as a sniper rifle. Not all weapons in game offer a scoped view. | |
| Season | Regular updates that evolve the game experience over time with events, new modes and maps, and community-focused content. Rewards for a Season's Battle Pass vary based on free or paid tracks, but players can always apply their Battle Pass progress to an older Battle Pass, regardless of season. | |
| Service Record | A summary of player's online career, including Campaign progression, multiplayer rank, and game performance stats like kill/death ratio. | |
| Service Tag | A series of four letters and numbers chosen by the player to display alongside their gamertag within Halo Infinite. | |
| Shop | The in-game marketplace, where customization items may be unlocked - some may be earned through gameplay and others may be purchased. | |
| Single Player | The term for a game mode that can be played without any other people. The Campaign mode can be played single-player. | |
| Skulls | A type of item that can be collected in the Campaign. Each one unlocks a special, game-changing effect that can be activated later. | |
| Slayer | A game mode in Halo Infinite where players win by killing opposing players until their team reaches a certain number of kills. Sometimes referred to as Team Deathmatch. | |
| Social | Playlists that aren't Ranked are referred to as Social playlists. Also, the higher-level menu that contains the Fireteam, Friends, and Recent menus. These menus are the main way to find and play with your friends and people you recently played with. | |
| Spartan | Genetically superior super soldiers in the unique Spartan military branch within the UNSC. The Master Chief and player characters in multiplayer games are types of Spartans. | |
| Spartan Points | SP | In game currency for the Exchange shop that can be earned by completing Daily Challenges, Ultimate Challenges, or leveling up all new Operation Passes starting with Banished Honor (which launched on April 30, 2024). |
| Split-Screen | When two or more players' views are shown on the same screen by dividing it equally. | |
| Stance | The pose a player can choose under Customization in the Spartan ID menu. It determines the stance of the player's Spartan in the end-of-match screen, Social menu, on some main menu screens, and the profile. | |
| Squad | In Campaign, squads are groups of marines you can rescue from the Banished. In Multiplayer Big Team Battle game modes, each team contains several squads. | |
| Sudden Death | When a match or round is about to end in a tied score, extra time may be added so that one of the teams can complete the objective and be declared the winner of the match. | |
| TacMap | By default, pressing Tab or selecting the View icon in Campaign mode opens the Tactical Map. The map information includes mission questions, number of collectibles that can be found in an area. Players can set and clear waypoints and fast travel to some locations. From the TacMap, players can access the Upgrades, FOB, Targets and Database menus. | |
| Teams | In player versus player modes, the players are often divided into two teams competing over a shared objective. | |
| Theater | A feature in the Community menu where players can watch interactive replays of multiplayer games, including their own. | |
| Ticket | Support Tickets are the method by which Halo Studios tracks player-reported in-game issues. Halo Support Agents process and manage these tickets, and use them to share configuration details and data with Halo Studios developers to improve our games. Tickets may also be submitted to Report a Player or Appeal an enforcement action. | |
| User Generated Content | UGC | Any form of content, such as images, videos, text, and audio, shared by players on online platforms, in game chat, and in social forums or social media. |
| UNSC | Short for "United Nations Space Command", a military organization containing branches for the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Spartan Operations. | |
| Valor | In Campaign, Valor can be earned by capturing FOBs, completing story missions and eliminating strategic targets. The higher your Valor level, the more resources are available in FOBs. Valor is not a currency that is spent when you use it, it reflects what is unlocked and available. | |
| Waypoint | 1) A target location on an in-game map that indicates a goal or key activity. Halo games will often offer waypoints that are preset, and in Halo Infinite you may also set markers to select the next area or challenge you want to play. 2) The website, HaloWaypoint.com is named for this feature because it serves as a key location for players to learn, engage and grow. | |
| Weapon Drills | Weapon Drills allow players to choose a weapon and immediately begin a practice firing drill with that weapon. These drills are a good way to learn each weapon. Each attempt has a final score based on performance. | |
| Zeta Halo | One of the seven rings in the Halo Array and the location of the Halo Infinite campaign. | |
| Zoom | Using a key or controller button to change the view when using weapons that lack a scope. Using the Zoom feature does not change weapon behavior. |