Multiplayer mode in games helps improve the life of the game. It allows for players to compete against other players worldwide, or in the living room, for an experience that is often far greater to the single player mode.

Halo 3 features several different forms of multiplayer mode. As seen with many Xbox games, the option of playing multiplayer Xbox Live is available, and also the option of split-screen is there.  Another feature is the ability to play against other people via System Link, which is when the Xbox 360 consoles are connected via a network.

A maximum of four people can compete against each other on a single Xbox 360 console via the split screen arrangement, and up to 16 players may compete in single game using the System Link or Xbox Live arrangements. Another thing to note is that any combination of these arrangements can be used to get 16 players competing against each other. A huge benefit compared with the previous Halo titles is the ability for players to advertise their created games via Xbox Live public, which makes finding games that you want to play much easier and without the need for having to connect with friends.

As with most Xbox 360 games that use Xbox Live, the ranking system and matchmaking facilities are controlled using a customized version of TrueSkill. The matchmaking in Halo 3 will consist of two parts which is skill and experience. These will be placed into a military rank style system with a General being someone who has played a lot more than a Recruit. The system is here to make the system fairer for all players, and also to try and curb the quitting from matches problem in Halo 2.

Apart from the standard modes of multiplayer, there is also cooperative play over the System Link, Xbox Live and via two person split screen. Split screen coop play was available in the first two games, but System Link and Xbox Live are newly added for Halo 3. There can be a total of four players playing one cooperative game across the various methods of playing.

Unlike in the first two Halo’s, each player will not be an identical Spartan. Instead, player one will be the Master Chief, player two will be the Arbiter, and the last two players are two newly created Elites, N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham, who have both had their own stories created.