Here's why Halo Infinite's delay is ultimately a good thing

Halo Infinite Chief Marine Source: 343 Industries

Recently, Microsoft and 343 Industries appear that Halo Space has been delayed to 2022 due to developmental challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This news stings a lot for fans of Xbox's flagship franchise, and every bit a diehard Halo fan myself, the update initially felt like a punch to the gut. We at Windows Fundamental saw a lot of it during the recent gameplay demo and there was a lot of it to like despite some issues, then we're disappointed we won't exist able to get our easily on more of information technology.

Still, after thinking on things a fleck, I ultimately experience like this delay was the right call for both Halo Space and its developers.

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Halo Infinite

A new Keen Journey awaits

Halo Infinite is sure to be an incredible game filled with wonder, adventure, and more.

Halo Infinite'due south delay allows more time to implement feedback

Halo Infinite Source: 343 Industries

Firstly, Halo Infinite getting more time in the evolution oven ways that 343 Industries has more than time to implement the feedback given by fans following the game's official gameplay reveal.

Primarily, people were critical of the game's visuals, citing bug with the game'southward lighting and texture detailing. While 343 Industries stood by Halo Infinite's art style in a contempo blog post while also noting that the demo was shown off on an older build, it also noted that many aspects of the fan feedback take "brought new opportunities and considerations to light that the squad is taking very seriously and working to assess." Additionally, the developer acknowledged that "nosotros do have work to practice to accost some of these areas and raise the level of allegiance and overall presentation for the terminal game."

343 Industries will likely exist making changes to Halo Infinite's graphics based on what Halo fans had to say about the gameplay demo. While it's unfortunate that we won't have the game in our easily come 2022's vacation season, the filibuster volition no doubt requite the developers the actress time they demand in gild to refine Halo Space's visuals.

Ensuring polish at launch

Halo Infinite Source: Xbox Game Studios / 343 Industries

Over the years, the mighty Halo franchise has seen a refuse in overall popularity due to an increasing amount of fierce contest in the kickoff-person shooter market. Nonetheless, with its open-ended and exploration-heavy campaign, complimentary-to-play multiplayer, and position equally a platform for futurity Halo content, Halo Infinite looks to be a game that could bring Halo back to the front of the pack. This will only happen, though, if the game launches in the polished, loftier-quality land that players take come to expect of flagship AAA titles.

We've seen Halo struggle with bugs and server stability issues before — Halo: The Chief Chief Collection (MCC) launched in an unacceptable land on the Xbox One back in 2022, and although 343 Industries admirably patched it upwardly in the years that followed, the damage was already done to the game's reputation. Additionally, issues with the PC ports of the MCC games — about notably, Halo 2 Classic's multiplayer — have led to some similar situations.

These bug simply can't happen with Halo Infinite, equally the game represents the forseeable future of the Halo franchise on both Xbox Series X and PC. This delay will give 343 Industries time that it needs in club to ensure that Halo Infinite will launch in a polished and stable state, supported by all of the necessary systems and infrastructure that modernistic AAA games require.

It's true that this means Xbox Series X won't launch with its flagship game, which could pose issues for the panel'south expected November 2022 release, but in the long-term I call back information technology volition be ameliorate for Halo Infinite to launch after but with more than polish, instead of earlier but potentially crippled by stability problems. Information technology might not be good in the short-term for Microsoft, only it'll ensure a amend production for players.

Ultimately, information technology's the correct thing to practice for developers and players

Halo Infinite Source: 343 Industries

We can analyze the realities all we want, but in the terminate, delaying Halo Infinite is the right thing to do non only for players but for the health and rubber of its developers. In his declaration of Halo Infinite'south delay, 343 Industries Studio Head Chris Lee stated that "it is non sustainable for the well-beingness of our squad or the overall success of the game to ship information technology this vacation." This conspicuously speaks to the fact that developing Halo Infinite from home has proven to be a daunting and stressful chore for 343'southward staff, equally information technology has been for a lot of developers these by few months.

As disappointing equally this delay is from a fan perspective, it'southward crucial that nosotros prioritize the health of developers. The artistic minds backside our favorite video games are not robots; they're people, and they're being negatively impacted past the COVID-19 pandemic just as much as y'all and I are.

It's important to note that delays don't always necessarily upshot in healthier evolution practices. For example, Naughty Domestic dog employees suffered from intense crisis despite The Final of Us 2's delay, with one programmer noting that "People thinking the extension is somehow to relieve stress or the workload on the squad are wrong. The first affair that they wanted to reiterate is that nosotros aren't slowing down the pace." However, Lee's statement suggests that Halo Infinite's filibuster largely stems from concerns about the well-beingness of 343 Industries staff. We can merely hope that Microsoft and 343 Industries' executives do right past the studio'southward employees.

We've waited five years for Halo Infinite. If we accept to await a footling longer so that the game's developers tin maintain a salubrious state, so be it.

Halo Space is currently slated to launch in 2022 on the Xbox Series X, Xbox I, and Windows ten PCs.

The next take chances in the saga

Halo Infinite

A new Great Journey awaits

Halo Infinite is sure to be an incredible game filled with wonder, take a chance, and more. It might exist delayed for the forseeable futurity, just y'all can pre-order now.

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