Halo: Reach Multiplayer

Reach features loadouts, which allow players to pick a predefined choice of armor abilities and weapons at spawn time. The veto system has been improved, allowing players to vote for their preferred map and game mode out of a few choices. You are now rewarded with credits (even when not online), which you can spend on aesthetic armor customizations. Players can also choose the gender of their Spartan and almost all armor settings and investments translate across Reach's game modes.

Among standard multiplayer modes such as Slayer and King of the Hill, Reach includes gametypes new to the franchise. In Headhunter, players drop skulls upon death, which other players can pick up and deposit at special zones for points. When a player dies all their accumulated skulls are dropped as well. Stockpile has teams race to collect neutral flags, holding them at capture points every minute for points. Generator Defense pits three Spartans against three Elites . The Elites' objective is to destroy three generators, while Spartans defend the installation. After every round the players switch roles. "Invasion" is a six versus six mode with 3 squads of two on each team. The gametype pits Spartans against Elites; Elites fight for control of territories to disable a shield guarding a navigation core; once the shield is disabled, they must transfer the core to a dropship—the Spartans must prevent this from happening. As the game progresses, new loadouts, vehicles, and areas of the map become open. Invasion is a lot like slayer where both teams goal is to reach a certain number of kills in the allotted time. Vehicles and weapons are unlocked by controlling a moving territory.

Alongside other multiplayer options is Firefight, a version of which appeared in Halo 3: ODST. In Firefight players take on increasingly difficult waves of foes in a game of survival. Players can customize Firefight options, including the number and types of enemies. It has also been announced that a firefight versus is playable in which there is an elite team trying to keep the spartan team from scoring points. Some game modes such as Generator Defense are playable in Firefight.