Introduced in 2010’s Halo: Reach, Assassination is a gameplay feature that allows Halo players to enter a third-person view in multiplayer matches and watch their character elaborately kill an opponent with an Energy Sword or other popular close-combat weapon. Players can initiate the Assassination feature simply by holding the melee button behind their victim and gloat in what is essentially an instant kill technique.
Unfortunately for the more narcissistic Halo players, developer 343 Industries has confirmed that the Assassination feature will not be available in its upcoming Halo game, Halo Infinite, at launch. According to senior mission designer Tom French, 343 Industries has opted to shift its priorities away from the feature due its reception by Halo players. Apparently, nobody really cares about them anymore because they can actually put players into a combat disadvantage.
“[Assassinations] are not in for launch,” French said. “We actually really love assassinations…but what happens at a lot of levels is people just turn them off because there’s a gameplay disadvantage to it.”
It isn’t even clear if Assassinations will ever make their way back into Halo Infinite at all, as French went on to say that the team was taking a “step back” and would only revive the feature when it “really just feels meaningful so that they’re always an accessible tool.”
Halo Infinite will be available this holiday for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10 PCs. Its multiplayer component will be free to play.
Halo Infinite developer, 343 Industries, confirmed assassinations will not be available in the sci-fi shooter during a livestream back at the end of July. However, the recent test flight has seen interest in the notably absent franchise tradition resurface online.
Source: Eurogamer