Cut Halo 4 customization

This page discusses elements of deleted material and cut content. Some information on the page is sourced from game files and may not be verifiable through external sources. Where possible, such information should be clearly-marked and replaced with a proper external source as soon as one is available.

Following in the footsteps of Halo: Reach, Halo 4 featured a large variety of player customization options, some of which hit the cutting room floor.

Armor

CIO

Main article: CIO-class Mjolnir

The CIO armor of Halo 4 featured multiple released skins, one of which was "Ruin", released with Series 2 of McFarlane's Halo 4 line of figures. The concept art of "Ruin" shows the armor's skin was originally present on its wrists and legs, but the skin's final release only features the skin on the armor's helmet, chest, and shoulders.

A piece of art for the "Ruin" skin, showing the original wrist and leg patterns.

Gungnir

Main article: GUNGNIR-class Mjolnir

The Gungnir armor set's renders show the armor possessing unique wrist armor that would not be seen in the final release of Halo 4. While it would not appear in Halo 4, the armor's Halo 5: Guardians incarnation would feature it, as would Halo Online, and later, Halo 3's variant of the armor, dubbed COS-class Mjolnir.

A render of the Gungnir set for Halo 4, featuring unique wrists.

Hayabusa

Main article: Project HAYABUSA

The Hayabusa armor, originally debuted as a crossover armor set in Halo 3, was concepted and modelled for inclusion in Halo 4 though ultimately never realized. This may be due to rights issues, as the original Hayabusa design was created because of Dead or Alive 4's inclusion of Nicole-458 as a character.

Concept art for many Halo 4 armors, including Hayabusa (third row, third column).
Front and back renders of the Hayabusa armor in Halo 4.
Angled front and back renders.

Infiltrator

Main article: INFILTRATOR-class Mjolnir

The Infiltrator armor was implemented in the final game, though some in-progress renders showcase a unique forearm design for the Infiltrator set not used in the final Halo 4 release. These wrists would later go on to be used in Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Online, and the Online armour port to Halo 3.

Concept art for Infiltrator, with the unused forearms on the left.
A render of the Infiltrator high-poly model, with the unused forearms.

Locus

Main article: LOCUS-class Mjolnir

The Locus helmet originally featured a more basic striped pattern instead of the X-shaped pattern the helmet would be known for. Screenshots and earlier builds of Halo 4 featured this variant of Locus, however, it was ultimately changed, with the striped pattern being effectively cut. In spite of efforts to add new and cut content through content updates, this variant of Locus remains unobtainable in both Halo 4, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

The original design for Locus, seen in a render done by Liquid Development's John Turner.
The original variant of Locus, being used on Ragnarok.
A Spartan wearing the original variant of the helmet on Solace.

Mark IV

Main article: MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark IV

As seen in Awakening: The Art of Halo 4, the Mark IV armor set was concepted for inclusion in Halo 4. For unknown reasons, it was never fully realized, although it'd later make its debut in Halo 5: Guardians during the Cartographer's Gift update.

Concept art of Mark IV.

Recon

Main article: RECON-class Mjolnir

Liquid Development renders for Recon show the armor set was meant to get a unique set of leg armor, which was modelled fully. This unique permutation would be seen in Spartan Ops, with Anthony Madsen wearing it, but would remain unobtainable to players. While the armor would not appear in Halo 4, the armor's Halo 5: Guardians incarnation would feature this unique leg armor.

The Recon armor set's unique leg armor.
Anthony Madsen's character model, featuring the same armor.

Soldier

Main article: SOLDIER-class Mjolnir

Renders seen for the Soldier armor set in Halo 4 show the set featuring unique wrist and leg armor. These unique permutations would be seen in Spartan Ops, with Paul DeMarco wearing them, but remain unobtainable to players in-game. While the armor would not appear in Halo 4, the armor's Halo 5: Guardians incarnation would feature it, as would Halo Online, and later, Halo 3's variant of the armor.

The Soldier armor set, featuring the unobtainable wrist and leg armor.
Paul DeMarco's character model, featuring the same armor.

Protector

Main article: PROTECTOR-class Mjolnir

The Protector armor was implemented in the final game, though some in-progress renders showcase a unique leg design for the Protector set not used in the final Halo 4 release. These legs would later go on to be used in Halo 5: Guardians.

A render of the Protector set's high-poly model, with the unused legs.

Weapon skins

Cut skins

In addition to cut armour options, Halo 4 had a large number of weapon skins that went unused in the original launch. Two such skins; Concrete (DMR) and Blast (BR), were present in the files of the original Halo 4 Xbox 360 release, introduced in the 8/19/2013 Title Update though unusable in-game outside of a glitch in custom games, and modding. These two skins were introduced into the Halo 4 component of Halo: The Master Chief Collection with the game's release on PC platforms in Series 4: Reclaimer and Series 7: Elite for Blast and Concrete, respectively.

Blast (BLS) Battle Rifle.
Concrete (CTE) DMR.
Blast BR skin.
The cut BR85HB Blast skin if it was included in Halo 4.
A close-up of the menu render of the Blast skin in Halo 4's menu.
Concrete DMR skin.
The cut M395 DMR Concrete skin if it was included in the game.
A close-up of the menu render of the Concrete skin.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection skins

In addition to the skins above, a number of additional never-before skins were introduced to The Master Chief Collection in Seasons 4 and 7, respectively - presumably additional cutting room floor skin variants that never saw the light of day in the original release.