Update: 343i has confirmed that the first Halo Infinite technical preview will begin July 29 at 2pm PT and run through August 1. Here's how to get an invite.

It may seem like wishful thinking, but thanks to the technical preview, we may be able to play "Halo Infinite" well before its scheduled fall 2021 release.

Developer 343 Industries stated on the Halo Waypoint site: "The first bot-focused technical preview could happen as early as next weekend. This means that if you are selected as a member of the "Halo Insider" program, you will be able to try out Halo Infinite in the next week or so.

Apparently, 343 Industries is looking for "hundreds of thousands" of people to participate in the testing of "Halo Infinite". Since this will be a multiplayer test, you won't get a peek at the game's campaign, but that may not be much of a concern. After all, Halo Infinite's multiplayer was shown off at the Xbox and Bethesda Games showcase at E3 2021 and looks like a righteous return to the glory days of Halo 3.

343 will use the test to get really deep feedback on the multiplayer experience and perhaps tweak and refine it before the final game's release. In their post, 343 stated, "We want to know how you guys feel about the core combat experience. 'How do you feel about player movement, weapon balance, equipment, etc., and how enjoyable is combat in Halo Infinite?'

In the technical preview, "Halo" insiders will not have access to the massive multiplayer action, but they will have the option to play against bots or four human players against four AI opponents. There will also be an Academy Weapon Drill, where players can pit 12 different weapons against bots of varying difficulty in a replayable training zone.

This should be exciting for "Halo" multiplayer fans, and we're eager to see what the developers have done with the Xbox Series X's 12 teraflops of graphics power. Of course, "Halo Infinite" will also be available on PC, via Xbox Game Pass, so it should be accessible on multiple platforms and even Valve's new Steam deck.

However, those who want to be among the first to see "Halo Infinite" multiplayer will need to keep in mind that 343 has a bit of a selection process.

"The number of insiders invited and the criteria by which insiders are selected will depend on the specific scope and goals of the flight. In the tech preview, there is a concurrency goal that relates to our overall goal, which determines how many insiders should be invited," the developer explained." Among the pool of players, our first priority is to ensure we have a wide distribution of platforms (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and various PC configurations), then prioritize our most persistent insiders until we allocate all invites We will rank them and look at the overall enrollment period of the program."

In addition, 343 noted that testers of Halo Infinite may encounter "some bumps and rough edges in this build."

In short, it is worth registering as a "Halo" insider, and the process is easy, but keep in mind that it does not guarantee early play of "Halo Infinite" Since "Starfield," "Redfall," and "Fable 4" are also in development and the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will have a great lineup of exclusive games in the near future.