Halo Infinite is going to be a massive release when Master Chief returns in late 2020. The most popular game that comes into your mind when you talk about Microsoft/Xbox is Halo, about the super solider that spends hours fending off the alien horde. So, it's no surprise that there's a massive new entry on the way for the franchise: Halo Infinite. Not only that, the latest chapter in Master Chief's saga is set to release in late 2020 as a launch title for the next-generation Xbox Series X.
Like all game series, the Halo franchise had its ups and downs over the years; the latest game Halo 5 was a disappointment for many people who wanted to see how the story progressed, even though I personally found it to be fine. But Halo Infinite shows a lot of promise, bringing back what all the fans want, and even more.
So far, we've only got a couple of brief trailers, and not much in the way of actual gameplay, though there is some very good news about split-screen multiplayer that should please long-term fans of the franchise. We also know the series' protagonist, Master Chief himself, will be taking center stage, exactly where he belongs.
With Microsoft attending E3 2020, we might get a full reveal on Halo Infinite along with gameplay footage. Some of the confirmed news is that you can play Halo Infinite on Xbox One, PC and Xbox Series X, and it will have split-screen multiplayer.
The launch of Halo Infinite will also coincide with the release of the next Xbox console, Xbox Series X. The game will also be playable on the current generation of Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X consoles. Halo Infinite will undoubtedly look better on its newer hardware, but at least nobody has to miss out.
Halo franchise director Frank O'Connor put fears about the quality difference to rest, though, saying at a Halo Outpost event in Orlando that "Xbox One is not going to be a second-class citizen."
Halo Infinite release date
We now know that Halo Infinite is coming at the end of 2020, to coincide with the launch of the Xbox Series X (though it will be a cross-generation title). Microsoft has given a release window of "Holiday 2020", so we're expecting the game to release, alongside Series X, sometime between October and December of 2020.
Halo Infinite Trailers
Microsoft couldn't resist teasing Halo Infinite during its E3 2019 keynote, showing a trailer that raised more questions than it answered. Yes, Master Chief comes back... but he's powered down and alone in space.
The Halo Infinite E3 2019 teaser felt appropriate, hearkening back to the original Halo: Combat Evolved with very familiar moments, sights, and sounds. We're hoping it will be a much-need return to form for the series.
Halo Infinite News and Features
Xbox Game Pass
We now have confirmation that Halo Infinite will be landing on Xbox Game Pass – from its launch day on Xbox Series X, no less. That means the cheapest way to play as Master Chief in the new entry will be to sign up to Game Pass, especially if you stick with the game on Xbox One rather than the incoming Xbox Series X console.
Unique features to come
While we don't know much about the game itself, a video released by 343 Industries teased some 'unique' features enabled by its brand new Slipspace engine – some of which its designers may not even have foreseen.
David Berger, the game's engineering director, says that Slipspace was specifically designed to allow the introduction of ideas and gameplay features they couldn't have conceived of earlier in development. "You have to make tools that allow you to make new features that weren't thought about," he said in a video released by 343 Industries. "You've got to give the content-creators room to ideate outside of that."
Multiplayer
Halo Infinite, and all mainstream Halo games after it, will include split-screen co-op multiplayer. The decision to remove split-screen co-op from Halo 5, in favor of an online-only version, was met with criticism from fans as it had been a staple Halo feature that had been around since the first game was released in 2001.
Despite this, Franchise Coordinator Frank O’Connor has confirmed that the studio won’t be abandoning the co-op systems that were first introduced in Halo 5. These systems included the option to drop in and out of gameplay at will, four-player cooperative play, and specialized loadouts for the different playable Spartans in the campaign.
Storyline (Spoilers)
At the end of Halo 5, a revived Cortana and The Created (a group of AI who believe themselves to be superior to organic life) seized control of the galaxy using massive Forerunner constructs known as Guardians. The Created were determined to bring order by force and had the tools to do it. The last thing we saw was the UNSC Infinity’s crew fleeing Cortana’s forces, heading for parts unknown, and the Master Chief regrouping with allied forces with the intention of fighting back against the new regime.
It’s not clear where Halo Infinite will pick up after this, though the timeline of Halo Wars 2, and the final cutscene, indicates that Halo Infinite is unlikely to be set less than six months after the events of Halo 5. It’ll probably involve humans and elites fighting together again, trying to bring down Cortana and the Created in order to restore freedom to the galaxy.
So, what are your thoughts on Halo Infinite? Do you think it's going to bring the old player base back together? Personally, I think we can only wait and see what happens, but the plans and trailers they’ve shown so far are amazing. Whatever your thoughts may be, let us know in the comments below.
