Halo Infinite has released a new launch date window. The latest installment in the series was supposed to mark a triumphant start to the Xbox Series X/S’ new life cycle. But it was delayed due to certain issues at launch.
Halo infinite was initially scheduled for release on November 10th, the same day Microsoft launched their new consoles. But developer 343 Industries decided to postpone the title’s launch to 2021 following its first gameplay reveal on July 23, 2020 that was poorly received by fans. Gamers weren’t impressed by Halo Infinite’s graphics compared to other next-generation shooters that have recently debuted, like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, which looked far better.
Halo Infinite has been five years in the making. 343 has set out to reboot the iconic Xbox franchise that many fans complained has been watered down since the 2015 release of Halo 5: Guardians. The studio has seemingly been facing problems after problems, since the early days of development. Studio head Bonnie Ross told IGN that Infinite will be a “spiritual reboot” of the sci-fi shooter.
The July 23, 2020 showcase confirmed the game will revolve around the return of Atriox and the Banished as the game’s primary antagonists.
Here’s everything we know about Halo Infinite.
Release Date
343 Industries announced on December 9 that Halo Infinite will be released in Fall 2021, almost a year after its originally scheduled release date.
“That’s when the game is coming out,” he writes. “And from now until then, every one of us at 343 Industries and our great partner teams will be building, testing, and polishing an experience we hope all of you love.”
Graphics Controversy
343 Industries provided an update on the graphical changes it is in the process of making to Halo Infinite:
“Much of the feedback we heard from the community aligned with our own views and work we were already committed to doing around things like indirect lighting, material response, foliage and tree rendering, clouds, level-of-detail transitions, and character fidelity. Still, the feedback was humbling, and it also pushed us to look at additional opportunities for improvement.”
Trailer
Cinematic trailer:
Story Trailer:
Gameplay
Microsoft revealed eight minutes of Halo Infinite gameplay during its July 23 Xbox Game Studio showcase. The snippet of gameplay footage teased all-new tools, the return of some of the series’ most recognizable weapons, and the most expansive Halo game of all-time. Watch the clip below:
From the video, we can see that Master Chief now has a grappling hook attachment on his power armor, giving him all-new movement and traversal options as well as offensive and defensive capabilities in the middle of a firefight.
Microsoft has also updated the list of available weapons in Halo Infinite. All of the following guns will be available in-game upon release:
- MA3/5
- Plasma Pistol
- MK50 Sidekick
- VK78 Commando
- Ravager
- Pulse Carbine
- Mangler
- CQS48 Bulldog
Story
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Speculation by fans based on the two trailers seen at E3 2018 and E3 2019 has led to the conclusion that Halo Infinite takes place after humanity has lost a heated battle. A marine who finds Master Chief in stasis tells him, “We lost. We lost everything. There’s nothing left for us here,” before jumping into action. These clues suggest the game could take place in the aftermath of a massive fight, finding Master Chief tasked with redeeming humanity.
Multiplayer
Microsoft has made an unprecedented move when it comes to Halo Infinite’s multiplayer. The company has made Halo Infinite’s multiplayer free-to-play with support for 120 frames-per-second. This means that Halo Infinite’s single-player campaign will be completely optional, much like how Activision made Call of Duty: Warzone free-to-play earlier in 2020.
The Japanese Xbox store, accidentally revealed that Halo Infinite would have a battle-royale multiplayer mode.
Platforms
Halo Infinite was announced to be released on the Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Windows 10. In an exclusive for Xbox users, Microsoft announced that Halo Infinite will be available on Xbox Game Pass on the day it’s released.
“In addition to games from across four generations of consoles, our leading game subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, will continue to have our first-party games, like Halo Infinite, included at their launch,” wrote Xbox chief Phil Spencer in a February 24 release. It’s still not sure if that means the game will also be playable on the Game Pass’s PC library, or if it will be exclusively for Xbox One players.