Halo Infinite delayed to 2021

In an official update, 343 Industries have announced that Halo Infinite will no longer be a launch title for the Xbox Series X, being pushed back to 2021.

The decision is definitely a big one, with no “flagship AAA” now scheduled for the Xbox Series X. Halo Infinite was being a launch title for the next generation was definitely a feather in the cap of Microsoft, especially with the news that the multiplayer would be free for everybody and that it would be able to achieve 120 FPS on the console.

“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.” said Chris Lee, Studio Head.

“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.”

Fans were critical of the gameplay footage they saw at the recent Xbox Games Showcase last month, so perhaps some more time to make sure the game is looking its absolute best could be the right move. Still, it can’t help but hurt the Xbox Series X launch prospects just a little bit. While the console is still set to launch in November, it will have to rely on third party games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, along with exclusives like The Medium and Scorn.

We’re still expecting more launch information on the Xbox Series X this month, but one thing we now know for sure, is that those launch plans will no longer include Halo Infinite.