343 Industries has announced that Halo Infinite is being delayed to an unspecified date in 2021. This means that Microsoft’s Xbox Series X will be launching without its flagship title. It also suggests that 343 really took those criticisms of Halo Infinite having terrible graphics to heart. Here’s the full statement from Studio Head Chris Lee:
Halo Infinite Development Update pic.twitter.com/TFZvXhRN9f
— Halo (@Halo) August 11, 2020
Today I want to share an important Halo Infinite development update with the community. We have made the difficult decision to shift our release to 2021 to ensure the team has adequate time to deliver a Halo game experience that meets our vision.
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.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Chris Lee
Studio Head, Halo Infinite
We’re expecting major changes for 343 Industries following this sudden lapse in scheduling and management. Imagine being in Microsoft’s shoes, thinking you’d be able to push next-gen console sales with a beautiful, new Halo title at launch. Clearly, that’s no longer happening. Halo 5: Guardians wasn’t a big hit with fans, either, so a shake-up wouldn’t be all that surprising.