Well, Halo fans are going to face a longer wait time than anticipated. At one point, Master Chief’s return in Halo Infinity was going to be a launch title for their next-gen console, Xbox Series X. The reception to the first publicly showcased trailer was mixed until the game got officially delayed last month. 343 Industries studio head Chris Lee stated that they wanted to use the time to deliver the Halo game experience they have envisioned when they started the project. It was uncertain if this meant it would get delayed into early 2021, but it looks like that the wait will be even longer. In a blog post on the official site, creative director Joseph Staten revealed that the game is eyeing a release in Fall 2021.
It looks like their campaign demo in July hasn’t gone over as intended, which sparked a realization that they needed more time. They’ve decided that the visual fidelity and art style of the game might need a new look that would honor the past but still be approachable for new players. They’ve showcased a few screenshots for future content and player customization, which you can check out here.
They even mentioned the meme that came from the rather deadpan face of the character many know as Craig. It seems that the facial animations weren’t far in development during that showcase, so it wasn’t intended for us to see that version of the model. It looks like they are putting a lot of work into customization, achievements, and challenges to ensure a well-rounded experience. There is a strong emphasis on the long-term roadmap, so the game might take some cues from Games-as-a-Service with various seasons expanding the multiplayer content for years to come. 343i wants to ensure that they approach this project player-first, so that is the key reason they want to plan more time to ensure everything is the way that fans are familiar with.
Source: GeekWire, CNet, HaloWayPoint
