Halo Infinite's Multiplayer Should Reintroduce Playable Elites
Halo Infinite developers 343 Industries have not included playable Elites in any of its Halo games since it took control of the franchise with Halo 4. However, letting players control Elites was one of the series' better additions, and 343 should reconsider their reintroduce them in Halo Infinite's multiplayer.
Originally devised as enemies in the original Halo, Elites soon graduated to playable character status with the introduction of the Arbiter in Halo 2. From Halo 3 onward, players were allowed to take control of Elite characters in multiplayer modes and even Halo 3's campaign. This changed following Bungie's departure from the series, with Halo 4 and 5 offering only playable Spartans. Granted, this is far from a make-or-break issue. Fans aren't refusing to play Halo simply because their favorite split-jawed aliens are gone, but it's hard to deny how much better Halo Infinite could be if 343 reintroduced them.
Really, the only reason one might need to justify a reintroduction of Elites is for variety's sake. Sure, Spartans and Elites generally play the same, but there are some minor gameplay differences in addition to the obvious thematic ones, like vehicles and weapons specific to Halo factions. The Elites in Reach, for instance, are much larger and faster than Spartans. They also have tougher shields and passively regenerate health (though they have less of it). Even still, the core gameplay isn't drastically altered by these traits. The real benefit of making Elites playable comes through their ability to influence the game's narrative in a way that facilitates a tangible change in the gameplay. Basically, because Elites have cool lore, their inclusion in the multiplayer creates more ways for the player to have fun.
The Arbiter's campaign in Halo 2 alone is proof enough that players are interested in Elites. He's got one of the best character arcs in the series, and through it, Halo was able to add new depth to its lore by expanding on Covenant society. Elites (aka Sangheili) were no longer just alien fodder for Master Chief's rampage, but were instead proud Sangheili warriors, worthy of the same consideration on the battlefield as a Spartan decked out in Mjolnir armor.
Even if playing as an Elite doesn't feel like a drastic change, the lore surrounding the species puts a new lens on the gameplay experience. If they so choose, players can (if ever so slightly) roleplay with a perspective different from that of a Spartan. Bungie encouraged this kind of thinking with customizable Elite Halo armors and a new game mode. Halo: Reach's Invasion mode was based on the idea of having a team of Spartans and a team of Elites fight to control each other's territory in a way that felt in line with Halo's canon. Elite players used Covenant weapons, and the resulting chaos from having two differently-equipped teams duke felt truly unique.
In the end, Elites are fun for the same reason that it's fun to pick Ryu vs Ken in Street Fighter. It makes the multiplayer feel more lore-appropriate, as if the players are acting out a scene within the game's universe. This has often felt like a goal for 343, given how Halo 4 had so many lore nods in its multiplayer. Things like Spartan-Ops, War Games, and the way that the Flood now ties into the Infection game mode are all things that seem to indicate a desire at 343 to include story elements in multiplayer. Reintroducing Elites seems like a choice that would actually align with 343's goals for Halo Infinite's multiplayer, and feels like an obvious choice for fans.
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