In classic Halo games playable Elites have been a common addition. H2, H3, and HR all added playable Elites. Halo 2 added it for no other reason other than it was cool. Halo 3 added it for no other reason other than it was cool. Halo Reach added it for their mode Invasion but also because it was cool. In all of these games it was generally accepted that Elites were less viable for combat than Spartans due to their larger hitboxes, but they were added anyway. In other words, it was fully understood that you putting on an Elite body type was painting a large target onto yourself but due to the simple fact that Elites are absolutely SICK people did it anyway and a decent portion of the community were grateful to the developers for it having been added.
Fast forward 10 years after Halo 2, Halo 4 comes out. 343 has made their first Halo game and everybody thinks that the better graphics are awesome and the story is passable. But then . . . . they see the multiplayer. Nothing but a blatant COD copy that is Halo-themed, the community yells in outrage at this affront to Halo dignity. This great travesty is so distracting that the shock of another realization is hidden at first. For the first time in 10 years, an FPS Halo game with non-firefight multiplayer has not given the community the option of playing as an Elite. And then, 3 years after this, 343 does it again in Halo 5. Despite their (partially) repaired multiplayer, 343 has completely ignored playable elites. One may argue that due to the change in the design of elites, making them huge, they would be easy targets on the battlefield. Yet you have to realize that this was exactly how it was in Halo Reach but they added it anyway. Now, 6 years after Halo 5, 343 has done it a third time. Halo Infinite has been confirmed to not have Playable Elites at launch or in the foreseeable future.
The commonly used argument is that Elites are not viable in competitive combat due to their larger hitboxes, yet Elites have always been at a disadvantage. In fact, I was always confused why Elites were only playable in social matches. Playing as an Elite is a choice, players should have the choice to put themselves at a disadvantage for the sake of being an epic ninja/shark alien in any match. However, if the developers wish to put players on equal footing in competitive matches that is fine with me so long as they are available in some other type of match. Such as social matches.
Yet perhaps Elites don’t have to be put at a disadvantage. Suppose there was a way to cancel the disadvantage of larger hitboxes, allowing Elites to be added as a different type of playstyle, a “class” if you will.
Here are 3 possible solutions I have:
#1) Different starting weapons. Elites could start with long/medium range weapons such as the Covenant Carbine along with the Plasma Pistol as a sidearm that can burn through shields while the Spartans start with the AR and the Magnum, weapons that have shorter ranges but exploit the larger hitboxes of the Elites that have a greater suface area, so soak up more fire from automatic weapons such as the AR. This allows Elites to have a different but fair playstyle by starting with weapons of greater range but being vulnerable at a closer distance.
#2) Cloak. Another Solution is for Elites to start with the same weapons or Covenant/Banished weapons that have the same combat viability as the Spartans range-wise but for the Elites to have a cloak similar to Halo Reach but one that lasts far less time, in other words, a cloak that makes them visible while moving but completely invisible while stationary, making Elites more dangerous at close range but giving Spartans the edge at long ranges and having both sides equally matched at medium ranges.
#3) Improved starting ordinance. The simplest solution if for Elites to start with Frag Grenades AND Plasma Grenades, once again, making them more dangerous up close than Spartans but making them vulnerable at range due to their larger hitboxes. In this case Elites start with Covenant/Banished weapons that have the same range as the Spartan starting weapons but with different damage types just like with the cloak solution.
Of course, every one of these possibilities would have to go through vigorous testing for perfect balance.
Those are all the ideas I can come up with as possible individual solutions. I would love to hear all of your ideas!