Few videogame franchises form as big a part of Xbox’s identity as Halo – and Microsoft knows it. When you think of Xbox, it’s hard not to imagine the algae-green super soldier that is Master Chief and hours spent fending off the Flood.
So it’s no surprise that there’s a massive new entry on the way for the series: Halo Infinite. Not only that, but the latest chapter in Master Chief’s saga is set to release Holiday 2020 as a launch title for the next-generation Xbox Series X.
The Halo series has had its ups and downs over the years; the latest, Halo 5, was a major disappointment for anyone who loved the series’ single-player campaigns. But Halo Infinite could hopefully be a return to form, reminding people why the games have been so highly regarded in the past.
So far we’ve only got so much to go on: 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 (spoiler: Halo Infinite has it!). We also know the series’ protagonist, Master Chief himself, will be taking center stage, exactly where he belongs.
Ready to board the Halo hype train? Here’s everything we know so far about Halo Infinite.
[Update: 343 Industries has posted an end-of-year Halo update that includes some brand new concept art. Read on to find out more.]
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The sixth game in the main Halo series
- When’s it out? Holiday 2020
- What can I play it on? Xbox One, PC and Xbox Series X
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.
At the same presentation, we learned that Halo Infinite will be a launch title for the Xbox Series X console (coming in Holiday 2020).
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 game-changer for the series.
Check out the trailer to see what we mean:
Halo Infinite was officially announced during Microsoft’s E3 2018 conference.
You can check out the announcement trailer below, but it’s a lot more evocative imagery than, say, a clear idea what the game’s about. See for yourself:
There isn’t much else to take away from the trailer other than establishing, dramatic landscape shots and a glimpse of Master Chief’s helmet. Judging by the appearance of prehistoric-like animals, we wouldn’t be surprised if this next game wasn’t set in the past somehow.
And, of course, the Warthog vehicle is back. Oh, and we see Master Chief jack some sort of chip into the back of his helmet. Who could this new artificial intelligence be if not Cortana?
- Xbox Series X games: all the games confirmed and expected on the next Xbox
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).
It’s a bit longer than we might have expected since the last Halo title – Halo 5: Guardians, back in 2015 – but we don’t blame Microsoft for making sure they have the goods for a new console launch. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all.
Halo Infinite news and features
End-of-year update
343 Industries has used its blog to deliver an end-of-year update to Halo fans, which is probably greatly appreciated since the last we heard from the game was around E3 time. There aren’t many new details to find in the post but it does suggest that you might want to be a part of the Halo Insider programme if you want to get as-yet-undetailed access to Infinite before its Holiday 2020 release as there will be early Flighting Programs at some point in 2020.
Further to that, 343 confirmed that splitscreen play is up and running for the game and that the level of armor customization available in Halo: Reach will be reflected in Infinite. Not only that, the Forge editing tool is back and includes Undo and Redo options for the first time.
To finish things up, 343 also included two pieces of new concept art to tide fans over through the holiday season.
Gamescom 2019
Unsurprisingly, we didn’t hear any new details about Halo Infinite at Gamescom 2019.
Halo Infinite will be a cross-generation title
While the launch of Halo Infinite will coincide with release of the next Xbox consoles, known as 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 – we hope so, at least – 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 (July 2019) that “Xbox One is not going to be a second-class citizen” (via GamesRadar).
E3 2019
We got our best look yet at Halo Infinite at E3 2019, though even that wasn’t very much. Nonetheless, we did get a formal release date (Holiday 2020) as well as a first look at some in-game footage, and confirmation that Halo Infinite will be a launch title for Xbox Series X.
Multiplayer
Halo Infinite, and all mainstream Halo games after it, will include split-screen co-op multiplayer. Bonnie Ross, head of 343, confirmed this piece of news in February at DICE 2017.
The decision to remove split-screen co-op from Halo 5, in favour 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. Ross said Halo 5’s removal was “painful”, adding that “It erodes trust with the community. [We’ve had a] lot of learnings from that, and I would say for any FPS going out forward we will always have split screen going forward.”
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 specialised loadouts for the different playable Spartans in the campaign.
Following the troubled launch of The Master Chief Collection back in 2014, Bonnie Ross told Game Informer (via IGN) that all Halo games will have some sort of beta prior to the official release. This is to ensure that many issues that plagued The Master Chief Collection’s multiplayer do not happen again. After successful betas for Halo 5 and Halo Wars 2, there’s no reason to think that the studio would suddenly change its mind for Halo Infinite.
It’s yet to be announced whether the beta will be available to everyone, or just those who receive a code by purchasing a different game.
Gameplay
Despite not knowing much, it’s unlikely that Halo Infinite will be shaking up the formula in any meaningful way. The core mechanics of running around shooting things will likely stay the same, though it’s likely that 343i will be fine-tuning the mechanics to (hopefully) make for a better gameplay experience.
It’s safe to assume that there will be a wide range of multiplayer modes and maps to play on, along with a Forge map editor and a Firefight horde mode.
You can probably expect the game to run at 4K 60FPS on the Xbox One X as well, given its status as a first party title. That likelihood is increased by the fact Halo Wars 2 is already capable of running at 4K, and Halo 5 will be getting a 4K update in the near future.
PC Gaming
Microsoft’s ‘Play Anywhere’ programme also means that there’s a chance Halo Infinite will be the first full main-series Halo game to hit PC since the release of Halo 2 PC in 2007. This would also mean you could pick up a copy of Halo Infinite on Xbox One and still be able to download and play it on your PC without buying a second copy, or vice versa.
There’s no guarantee that Microsoft will make Halo Infinite a Play Anywhere title, but Phil Spencer, current head of Xbox, confirmed to PC Gamer that there is no ‘ideological reason’ why Halo Infinite couldn’t come to PC.
Story
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.
Loot boxes
If you’ve been hearing rumors that Halo Infinite will be inundated with Loot boxes, try not to fret too much. On his podcast, industry reporter Brad Sams’ claims that sources had told him Microsoft wanted to include loot boxes in Halo Infinite but was re-evaluating its options after the controversy that Star Wars Battlefront 2 faced.
Franchise Director at 343 Industries, Frank O’Connor, however, has called the rumors “bunk.” Taking to the ResetEra forums, O’Connor stated that 343 is “not reevaluating anything (significant)” before adding that “Microsoft’ isn’t designing anything for the next game – 343 is.” O’Connor said that while the team watched the Battlefront 2 backlash “with the curiosity you’d expect”, they believe that the req system currently in use Halo 5: Guardians are “player focused and well liked and unintrusive as far as these things go.”
“We have made zero announcements about our next projects and continue to work on our next game and technology with player’s needs and interests in mind, ” O’Connor continued, “However the story as loosely presented as it is – has no bearing on or relation to any current efforts. I suppose you could say ‘company x is evaluating feature y’ and always have some grain of truth, but we are neither aping nor adapting an unrelated system from another game.”
O’Connor finished up by stating that 343 Industries would be evolving its systems and tech “in the future” and that maybe then the emerging stories about changing systems and tech would “have brief applicability. But right now? Nah.”
What we want to see from Halo Infinite
Unanswered Questions
What happened to The Didact? If Cortana could survive Halo 4’s final battle, then why couldn’t the big bad?
Unfortunately the Forerunner warlord was completely absent from Halo 5, and while the immediate aftermath of his battle with Master Chief was covered in the comic series Halo Escalation, it was implied that he would eventually return. Of course not all players read the comics, leaving his eventual fate unknown to most. This question also raises the problem of integrating the lesser-known expanded universe canon into the games, which 343i has been wont to do since it took over the franchise from Bungie.
Wish list
After the cliffhanger ending of Halo 5 Guardians, and a petty lackluster campaign plot, what Halo Infinite really needs is solid story with a satisfying end to the story. The Halo 3 to Halo 5’s Halo 2 if you will. A more equal approach to the campaign/multiplayer balance will also help address some of the issues people had with the previous game.
Speaking of multiplayer, the fact Halo 5 included microtransactions didn’t go down particularly well – especially since the REQ packs could let players unlock more powerful weapons that gave them an unfair advantage. While a lot of games have a lot of success selling cosmetic items (Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch come to mind), players are less enthused about Pay-to-Win systems.
A link to Halo Wars 2 would also be welcome, and finally bring the story of the UNSC Spirit of Fire back into the mainstream canon. That’s not that much out of the question either, given the RTS sequel’s final cutscene.
More time playing as the Master Chief. Spartan Locke might have been an interesting character, but players buy Halo expecting to play as their favourite super soldier – not a low-budget knock-off.