Halo Infinite just dropped one major plot point – and it has to do with Halo Wars 2

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Halo Infinite (also known as Halo 6) just saw one massive plot point leaked on the official Halo Twitter account.

@Halo posted a clip of an incoming audio transmission, with the caption "SIGNAL DETECTED". The clip sounds like the usual kind of ominous rambling we usually get from villains in sci-fi franchises, with one major tidbit towards the end – namely, that the villains in Halo Infinite will be none other than the Banished:

"The hour approaches. Our forces occupy the Ring. Within hours, it will be under our control. Humanity will burn. Defiance will be all but a memory. No more prophets. No more lies. We stand together. Brothers, to the end. We are his will. We are his legacy. We are the Banished."

SIGNAL DETECTED pic.twitter.com/LNQcoc4spAJune 24, 2020

Wait, who?

Who are the Banished? They first appeared as a playable faction in Halo Wars 2, and are separatists that left the Covenant – the usual baddies – to form their own mercenary organization, with a Brute warlord at its head. The Banished is largely made up by other Brutes, with a smattering of other Covenant races included too.

This will be the first time they appear in a mainline Halo game, but you can be sure Master Chief will be on the receiving end of their firearms.

The audio clip mentions the Banished occupying one of the 'Rings' – massive, planet-sized structures built by the long-lost Forerunner civilization, with hugely destructive power. Usual Halo fare, then, and the kind that on Xbox Series X will no doubt be gorgeously rendered.

We're set to get a better look at the game at the upcoming Xbox Series X game showcase in July, along with a host of other XSX titles. Fans will be eagerly awaiting some actual gameplay footage, after a distinct lack of in-depth footage at the game reveal Xbox hosted back in May. The hour approaches indeed.