Xbox Exec Gives An Update On Halo Infinite

To date, Microsoft has released just one trailer for Halo Infinite (apart from the SlipSpace Engine trailer), so fans are understandably eager to see and learn more about the next-gen Halo title. Given the studio’s relative silence on the project, some are wondering how the game is progressing.

Xbox executive Aaron Greenberg said on Twitter that he has weekly check-ins with the studio, 343 Industries. He asked fans for their patience, especially now during the COVID-19 crisis as 343–and Microsoft’s other teams–are now working from home (and with goats, in at least one case).

“Know that I meet with Halo team every week,” Greenberg said. They are working incredibly hard for their fans trust me. Just give us a little patience as everyone is WFH right now and dealing with a lot so everything is harder. But team is cooking up some 🔥 🔥 🔥” Greenberg said.

Greenberg’s comment came in response to a fan asking if Microsoft would hold an Xbox 20/20 event dedicated to Halo Infinite. It remains to be seen if Microsoft will do that, but the company does plan to show more of its first-party games during an event in July, and this will presumably include Halo Infinite.

News about Halo Infinite was supposed to come sooner. At E3 2019, Microsoft said E3 2020 would be a big show for Halo Infinite, and that the developer would stay mostly silent until then. With E3 2020 canceled, Microsoft has shifted its plans, and it seems the next info release for Halo Infinite will come in July.

With Microsoft’s game development teams working from home, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said the game development teams are feeling “stretched.” Right now, Halo Infinite remains on schedule to be a launch title for the Xbox Series X. Spencer has said Microsoft will launch the Xbox Series X this holiday, even if some titles have to be delayed.

Part of the reason why Halo Infinite is taking so long is because Microsoft created an entirely new engine, SlipSpace, to power the game. The game is said to have been so ambitious that it needed a new engine.

343 Industries boss Bonnie Ross has said the studio considered releasing a less ambitious game, something referred to as Halo 5.5, but the studio opted instead to go for a more innovative vision. Halo Infinite is described as a “spiritual reboot” of the Halo franchise, and with Infinite in the title, fans will be hoping it delivers something truly worth the wait.

Halo Infinite will release on Xbox Series X, as well as Xbox One X, Xbox One S, and the original Xbox One. In addition, the game will be released on PC. Halo Infinite is developed by a second team inside 343 Industries, alongside the other team that’s working on Halo: The Master Chief Collection for Xbox One and PC.

In other Xbox news, the first of the Xbox 20/20 events takes place on May 7, beginning at 8 AM PT. It will reveal next-gen gameplay for a series of third-party titles, including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The event may also serve as the proper introduction for the “Optimized for Series X” logo.