'Halo 5: Guardians' DLC news: January free content update

Halo Waypoint website

Developer 343 Industries has just announced the January free update for its latest franchise installment, "Halo 5: Guardians."

The upcoming new DLC, dubbed "Infinity's Armory," is set to introduce new items for the first-person sci-fi shooter. In its announcement on the Halo Waypoint website, 343 Industries listed at least two new maps, a returning weapon, a number of REQs, and other items for the upcoming update.

According to Games Radar, one of the main features of the upcoming "Infinity's Armory" update is the throwback pieces. Chief among the items making a comeback is the Battle Rifle, last seen as a main weapon in "Halo 2." However, the industry follower observed that while it may look like the old weapon, the new Battle Rifle has been clearly redesigned in looks, and might also have gotten an upgrade in stats such as firing rates and damages dealt.

Aside from the Battle Rifle, there seems to be also a returning armor set, the Mark V Alpha. Although it was not mentioned if it was advertently done, the new armor set looks like it is modeled after the original appearance of Master Chief in the first "Halo: Combat Evolved" title. Screen Rant listed two other new armor sets that will be unlocked when the new DLC goes live, the Atlas and Achilles armor sets.

The industry follower also delved into one of the two new maps for "Infinity's Armory," the Urban map. Quoting multiplayer environment artist Tim Diaz, the upcoming Urban location will possibly entail night operations.

Diaz said, "One of the things I talked over with our lighting artist, Kevin Daziel, was the intense lighting we had for Battle of Noctus. We decided we should go just as extreme, so we made this level a night level. It may not seem like much on paper but going with that decision has many perils."

"Infinity's Armory" has yet to have a roll-out date, but players may expect the new update to go live before the month ends.