Head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty recently discussed the notoriously troubled launch of Halo Infinite, comparing the game to a runner tripping and falling down right before crossing the finish line during a foot race. Halo Infinite was released on December 8, 2021 to mostly positive reviews, critics praising the visuals, gameplay mechanics, open world design, soundtrack, and story in the main campaign. The multiplayer component on the other hand has been called out for its progression system, lack of content, and a variety of differnet technical issues.

The news comes from a recent interview featuring the executive by the Friends Per Second Podcast. "The classic runner's mistake of tripping and stumbling as you come across the finish line,” Booty said about the launch. “We've got to recover there. The burden is on us.”

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Booty explained that Halo Infinite got off to a good start, reaching over 20 million players and setting all sorts of records for the franchise. The executive however noted the difficulties involved with finishing one of the biggest games of the decade during a global pandemic. Booty said that shipping Halo Infinite was a worst case scenario, pointing out how the studio behind the game, 343 Industries, had several hundred people across the world working remotely.

The lack of post-launch content for Halo Infinite has been a continuing complaint among fans of the franchise. "These days, with a game like Halo Infinite, shipping the game is just the beginning. There has got to be a plan for content sustain,” Booty remarked. “There has got to be a plan for regular continuing engagement. And we just fell short of the plan on that.”

Booty went on to describe how 343 Industries "retrenched," coming up with a new strategy for delivering content, slowing down the pace of updates for Halo Infinite in order to concentrate resources. "Thank you to the players for sticking with us through this. We know there is way more demand and there is so much more we could be delivering," Booty pointed out. "That is our focus right now, on quality of life for the game and getting on a regular cadence of content, getting back to that." The next major update for Halo Infinite is currently expected to launch on November 8, 2022.

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