Halo Infinite has been delayed until 2021, according to an announcement from Chris Lee, studio head at 343 Industries. According to the statement, COVID was one of the primary obstacles the team faced this year, which mirrors what we’ve heard throughout the gaming industry.
The delay comes in the wake of a lackluster first look at Halo Infinite gameplay. Many fans were critical of the game’s art direction and shared the sentiment that it didn’t look next-gen. Apparently, 343 Industries also feels the game isn’t quite up to quality standards, and believe Halo Infinite needs more time in development.
Halo Infinite Development Update pic.twitter.com/TFZvXhRN9f
— Halo (@Halo) August 11, 2020
The statement from Chris Lee reads:
“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 the development challenges, including the ongoing COVID-related impacts affecting us all this year. I want to acknowledge the hard work for 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 fo 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.”
There’s no definite release date now for Halo Infinite. Previously, it was believed that the game would launch on or around the release of the upcoming Xbox Series X console, which is believed to be in November. However, now we only have a rough window of 2021.
