343 Industries has announced the delay of anticipated shooter Halo Infinite, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and quality polishing as factors.
In a tweet, Halo Infinite studio head Chris Lee stated the “difficult decision” was made to give 343 developers more space while they work from home.
“It is not sustainable for the well-being of our team or the overall success of the game to ship it this holiday,” Lee wrote, adding the release would be pushed down for sometime in 2021. “We wanted nothing more than to play our game with the community this holiday.”
But while a release window goes past the Xbox Series X launch on Holiday 2020, it’s also suggested that most of Halo Infinite‘s development hasn’t been too far off from publishing. Fans have also encouraged 343 to continue improving the game’s visuals following a divisive campaign reveal on July 2020. One of the most notable holes in the design included Craig, a brute who showed off a one-dimensional face before it was hit by the Master Chief. This also spawned endless memes as a message from the internet, while Xbox and 343 later accepted him as a call for improvement.
The delay also gives time for 343 to work on Halo Infinite‘s multiplayer portion, which was also confirmed to be a free-to-play by Microsoft earlier in July. Rumors connected the game’s open-ended environment as a battle royale map, alongside its notable Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Capture the Flag and Oddball modes. Adding to the delay woes are Halo Infinite skipping its early beta tests for insiders, while any other feedback would be reserved for a later time in 2021.
But for now, excited players and fans would have to wait until after the new year and Xbox Series X launch to enjoy Halo Infinite on the next-generation system and PC.
