The news around Halo Infinite’s delay has disappointed legions of fans around the globe. But most of them are pretty understanding given how important Halo is to the Xbox brand and Microsoft at large. Yet the idea that the game might not even come out for the Xbox One has left a sour taste in the mouths of some, even though it’s just a rumor at this stage.
For those of you who haven’t kept up with the saga surrounding Halo Infinite, let’s just say that the game has gotten its fair share of criticism in the press. According to some people, that criticism is rightly deserved. To start, the gameplay debut a few weeks back showed off some graphics that became instant meme material in some corners of the gaming universe. Aside from being unimpressed with the graphics, some fans openly expressed derision at the direction the game was taking.
The delay of the title was thus inevitable if not somewhat surprising given that Microsoft is launching a new console this year.
Now word comes that the Xbox One might not even get its own version of Halo Infinite. In fact, the game could be delayed beyond even 2021. If you think that’s a string of bad news, you’re not the only one.
According to an insider at 343 Studios, the problem is that devs can’t seem to get the Xbox One’s performance above 900p. This has led to in-depth internal discussions about making the game a truly next-gen only title. Like we said in the opening, given how much weight is on the shoulders of the Halo franchise, we wouldn’t be shocked if this rumor becomes reality based upon that alone. Microsoft isn’t going to want performance issues to hold back its next Halo title and that by itself could be enough to scuttle the Xbox One release.
On the bright side, the insider reports that there is a marked effort on the part of Microsoft brass and those in charge of the development of the game to make it the “best Halo ever.” That probably explains a lot of the thinking behind the delay and even further extension of that timeframe. However, there is also an element of needing to “get the show on the road,” especially since Microsoft is bringing new hardware out fairly soon. There’s nothing that will move consoles faster than an epic IP and it seems that the Redmond company is painfully aware of that.
The decision to shift our release is the result of multiple factors that have contributed to development challenges, including the ongoing COVID-related impacts affecting us all this year. I want to acknowledge the hard work from our team at 343 Industries, who have remained committed to making a great game and finding solutions to development challenges. However, it is not sustainable for the well-being of our team or the overall success of the game to ship it this holiday.
We know this will be disappointing to many of you and we all share in that sentiment. The passion and support the community has shown over the years has been incredible and inspiring. We wanted nothing more than to play our game with the community this holiday. The extra time will let us finish the critical work necessary to deliver the most ambitious Halo game ever at the quality we know our fans expect.
Halo Infinite Blog
What do you think of the Halo Infinite delay? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Also, check out our other gaming content by clicking here.
Sources:
https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/halo-infinite-development-update
