One of the biggest exclusives that Microsoft has for the Xbox brand is Halo. The video game franchise got its start back with the development studio Bungie on the original Xbox platform. Over the years we’ve seen several installments released both mainline and spin-offs. However, after so long Bungie took their leave from the IP to start work on their next project, Destiny. That prompted Microsoft to put 343 Industries to step in and take control of the franchise. With their first game brought into the markets exclusively on the Xbox One, Halo 5: Guardians, fans were not all thrilled over the direction the studio started to take this IP.
As a result, it was likely a big priority to go back and deliver a new experience but one that would be familiar with the groundwork Bungie laid out for the IP. This would be their next major release, Halo Infinite, a game fans were teased with during E3 2019. While we were all hoping to see some gameplay footage of the title, what we got instead was a cinematic trailer to help keep anticipation running high for the gameplay reveal set to be unveiled during E3 2020. That, of course, didn’t happen thanks to the coronavirus health pandemic outbreak.
Still, we finally received the gameplay footage during a stream even held by Microsoft in July of this year. That gameplay footage didn’t hit the expectations fans had placed on 343 Industries. There were a few graphical issues that popped up and the level of quality of what was to be a next-generation Halo title didn’t seem to match the hardware power the console would be able to provide. As a result, rumors have been flying around online that suggests why the development studio is falling behind with the game project.
343 Industries have been firing back statements shutting down these rumors. However, the latest out of the bunch that started to make its way around the web is that Halo Infinite could be pushed ever further back with a launch set in 2022. Likewise, this would come in tandem with an announcement regarding the cancellation of an Xbox One port. Now John Junyszek, the community manager for the studio has taken to his personal Twitter account.
John has claimed these leaks are nothing more than false rumors. There are no plans to push the game back into 2022. Instead, you can expect to see Halo Infinite launch into the market sometime in 2021 for the PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
