Halo Infinite Delayed to 2021 Release Due to COVID-Related Setbacks

Microsoft and 343 Industries shared an announcement that the release of a major first-party title for the upcoming Xbox Series X, Halo Infinite, will be delayed to 2021 from its planned 2020 release date.

In a statement from Studio Head for Halo Infinite Chris Lee, he shares, “We have made the difficult decision to shift our release to 2021 to ensure the team has adequate time to deliver a Halo game experience that meets our vision.” The announcement comes after gameplay was revealed via an Xbox Series X live stream where many criticized the game’s visuals and compared them to other games out currently. This created a shift in tone where the game’s graphics would need to be improved if they are being created for next-generation hardware.

Lee continues, “The decision to shift our release is the result of multiple factors that have contributed to development challenges, including the ongoing COVID-related impacts affecting us all this year.” He adds,”…It is not sustainable for the well-being of our team or the overall success of the game to ship it this holiday.”

This could be a huge hit for Microsoft after they’ve been playing catch up with Sony’s PlayStation 4 for a few years now. The company purchased new studios to assist with first-party titles, but the new console generation seems to be bleak if they don’t launch with one of their mainstay IPs to grab early attention from players.

You can read the full statement below: