One of Microsoft's biggest launch titles has just gone AWOL.
Halo Infinite, the next entry in the pedigreed shooter series, has been hit with a pretty major delay. Originally intended to be a launch title for the Xbox Series X, the game will now see a release in 2021. No new date has been set for the title.
In a Twitter post explaining the decision, 343 Industries studio head Chris Lee attributed the delay to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic - as well as the desire to "deliver a Halo game experience that meets our vision." He went on to promise fans that Infinite will be the "most ambitious Halo game ever."
As much as we didn't want to believe it, the writing was on the wall for this one. While plenty of people walked away from Infinite's gameplay debut with a healthy bit of hype, a vast swath of gamers took to social media to make their displeasure heard. Critics tore apart the game's visuals, the sprinting mechanic, and the dubious promise that Infinite would be a "platform" as opposed to the next game in a series. Social media pressure was probably weighing down on the team pretty hard, and forced their hand into making this decision.
Or not. Truth be told, we might not never know the official reason behind this delay. But that doesn't make it any less real, and if you were looking forward to rocking around the Christmas tree with Master Chief this year, well, tough luck.
Halo Infinite launches sometime in 2021.