Multiplayer emblems

Emblems, first introduced in Halo 2, are small designs that are associated with a Character Profile and used to represent a player's identity in multiplayer games and online play. They consist of a two-colored design or pattern overlaid upon a background (typically a geometric shape), with a user-selected color scheme applied to the result. The feature was later carried on into Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach and Halo 4.

Halo 2 emblems
In Halo 2, when a Character Profile is created, there is an option to make an Emblem for the player's in-game avatar. Emblems are the primary means of identifying players in multiplayer games and online play; they also appear in the game type Territories, where they are displayed on the flags that denote captured territories. The color and background of the emblems are usually determined by the primary and secondary armor colors. In-game, a player's emblem can be seen glowing on their back and shoulders.

Halo 3 emblems
Emblems also appear in Halo 3. All of the designs from Halo 2 (except for Sergeant, Waypoint, Cleave, and Race) are available, along with numerous new designs unique to Halo 3. The background shape's color is now determined by a third, user-selected color, as opposed to Halo 2, where it took on the same color as the player's armor. Also, in both games, a design can be "toggled" — the secondary Emblem color can be hidden.

Emblems in Halo 3 are less prominent than they were in Halo 2; in Halo 3, a Spartan player's emblem is only shown on their right shoulder, whereas in Halo 2, it could be seen on both shoulders and the player's back. Elite players' emblems are shown on their right shoulder and upper back. Emblems are no longer used to uniquely identify a player; that job has been taken on by a new, user-customizable call sign composed of a letter followed by two digits.

Some clans encourage their members to use the same emblem to signify unity; in such cases, the emblem functions similarly to a US Army Shoulder Sleeve Insignia.

The 80 primary emblem designs, the 80 "toggles" of those designs, the 48 possible emblem backgrounds, and the 30 possible colors for each of the above all allow for a combined total of 7,680 possible Emblems in Halo 3.

Halo 3: ODST emblems
Emblems are also featured in Halo 3: ODST's Firefight mode. All Emblem designs from Halo 3 are available, along with 16 new designs unique in Halo 3: ODST, bringing the total to 96. Emblem designs appear on the player's chest plate.

Halo: Reach emblems
Emblems return in Halo: Reach. They were also featured in the Multiplayer Beta. Once again there are 80 different emblems; 15 new emblems are available, while 31 of the emblems available in Halo 3: ODST have been removed. Notable among the deleted emblems are several which date back to Halo 2, including "Mark of Shame", "Snake", "Hawk", "Marathon" and "Trident." Three of the new designs featured in Halo: Reach were selected after Bungie held a contest where players could send in their ideas for emblem designs, similar to the contest that was held before Halo 3 was released.

Emblems are far less prominent on player armor in Halo: Reach than in previous games. Very small emblems appear on the upper right side of the player's chest piece; a UNSC logo is found in a similar position on the left side of the chest piece. In addition some of the unlockable chest pieces obscure the emblem entirely. Halo: Reach also marks the first appearance of emblems in campaign, being found on the player-customized SPARTAN-B312. The emblems are not present on Elite armor variants. Emblems only appear on player armor in campaign and Firefight; they are not visible in multiplayer.

Halo 4 emblems
Halo 4 features a total of 109 emblems. Of these only 37 return from Halo: Reach. Three more return after being absent in Reach (ONI, Snake, and Cube [now called Ordnance]). The remaining 69 emblems are all new.

Halo 4 is the first Halo title that requires emblems to be unlocked before they can be used. The Recruit emblem is unlocked by default. Ten emblems are unlocked at SR-5, ten more at SR-19, ten at SR-28, and eight at SR-36. Each of the Specializations unlock four emblems each. Thirty additional medals are unlocked by through in-game achievements such as commendations.

Five emblems and backgrounds are offered only as exclusive emblems for players who pre-order the game from specific retailers. The Halo 4 Limited Edition, Halo 4 Limited Edition Console, and War Games Map Pass each come with an exclusive emblem and background.

Backgrounds must be unlocked separately; the first ten are unlocked at SR-21, the second ten at SR-32, and ten more at SR-44. Each Specialization unlocks a unique background.

The Guilty emblem was originally unavailable by any means, but it was unlocked for everyone who played a matchmaking or Spartan Ops game in November 6, 2013, the first anniversary of the Halo 4 release.

Trivia

 * In the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta, emblems were not visible on the players' armor.
 * The player can "toggle" a design by pressing X (LS in Halo 4) while modifying his/her emblem's design, background, or colors; doing so hides all portions of the Emblem that use the secondary emblem color.
 * Some players have formed unique emblems by toggling the designs. As an example, toggling the Grunt design and using the Arrow background makes "The Bat". On a similar note, a chicken can be created by using a Bullseye with the Ball of Fire.
 * Toggling the Seventh Column design makes it completely invisible, as the entire design is shown using the secondary emblem color. This, in combination with the Blank background, makes it possible to have a completely transparent emblem.
 * The Bubble Shield and Trip Mine emblems return in Halo 3: ODST, despite the player not using Equipment in Halo 3: ODST while playing as an ODST. These emblems probably returned due to the fact that Brutes can still carry and use them.
 * Prior to Halo 3 's release, Bungie held a contest in which people could send in their ideas for Emblem designs. The Pirate Emblem was the winner, and can be used in Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo: Reach.
 * The three Spartans from Red Team in Halo Wars have emblems from Halo 3 and are also the first characters to use emblems in Campaign.
 * In Halo 3: ODST, one of the many new emblems added is the seal of the rampant UESC AI Tycho. Tycho's seal is the second emblem to be added to the list that makes reference to Bungie's previous game, Marathon.
 * Every player on Live that played a Halo 3 or Halo 3: ODST game on the 21st/22nd of January with the "Hearts" icon colored red and white, Bungie donated $100 for every 1,000 players, up to $77,000, to Red Cross for Haiti earthquake relief efforts. The campaign was called:Be a Hero! with the slogan: Help us help Haiti.
 * The new Halo: Reach emblem that is a human skull with a bullet hole through the head was designed by a fan in an emblem contest Bungie held. The emblem has since been made into a T-shirt available on the Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace.
 * The "Triad" emblem is identical to the Triforce from the Zelda franchise.
 * The "Grunt Symbol" emblem resembles the Slavic Kolovrat, however the emblem has six spokes rather than the full eight.
 * In Halo: Reach, the "4 Diamonds" background is a duplicate of the "4 Plots" background, unlike in previous games where it has been its own design.
 * In 2005, as an April Fools' joke, Bungie announced the addition of a Mountain Dew emblem in Halo 2.