Skip to main content

Halo Infinite delay hobbles the Xbox Series X launch

 

Delays are a fact of life in the video game industry — and they usually make for much better finished products. But the postponement of Halo Infinite couldn’t have come at a worse time for Microsoft.

Recommended Videos

As the company gears up for another battle with Sony amid a year that has been a financial windfall for game makers, it’s had to temporarily holster its most powerful weapon — and in doing so has muted one of the loudest arguments for buying an Xbox Series X.

Let’s be clear: The decision to delay the game was the right one, no matter how disappointing it might be to fans. The pandemic (and other challenges it didn’t detail) slowed things down. And developer 343 reportedly took the well-being of its team into account. And after the disappointing fan reception of Halo 5, Microsoft needs Infinite to be near perfect. Its hands, ultimately, were tied.

But from a competitive standpoint, it’s going to result in a lot of scrambling.

Planting the seeds for a delay

While Tuesday’s news was shocking to fans, Microsoft may have started dropping hints about this as early as May. Speaking as a guest on CNBC, Xbox chief Phil Spencer said he was confident about the Series X hitting its target, but was less certain about games.

“Teams are doing a really good job of keeping our hardware on track. I’d say the bigger unknown is probably the game production — just being honest,” he said. “On the hardware side, we feel good about our plan. Obviously, [there’s] some impact to schedules, but overall, we’re where we thought we would be. On the game production side, we’re learning every day. I still feel good about it, but I need to make sure the safety and security of the teams is the most important thing and not unduly push when things just are not ready.”

Even in July’s Games Showcase, Halo Infinite didn’t get the sizzling reveal many people were expecting. It offered a relatively short display of real-time gameplay that harkened back to the first game in the series but didn’t showcase many new features.

Series X will appeal to the wallet

On the heels of the Halo Infinite delay announcement, Microsoft posted a separate blog post, touting that the game would have “over 100 optimized for Xbox Series X titles” when the system launches in November. And it played up the system’s backward compatibility. But none of the new games for the Series X are from a Microsoft studio (a surprising revelation, given the company’s spending spree on studios of the past couple years).

So how will it lure buyers? The answer could lie, once again, in last month’s Games Showcase.

The real star of that online event was Game Pass, a Netflix-like all-you-can-play model, which will also include access to the company’s xCloud cloud gaming program for Ultimate members. For $15 per month, Xbox owners will gain access to all of the company’s first-party games as they come out along with a large collection of catalog titles as well as the ability to play anywhere on Android phones and tablets.

Price is a big differentiator for consumers at a console launch. If Microsoft either bundles a few months of GamePass with the Series X or makes a convincing value argument, it could make the best of a regrettable situation.

The PlayStation 5 factor

That said, there’s no denying a Halo delay is a huge advantage for Sony. The PlayStation 5 showed off a collection of solid games at its showcase event and, as the leader this generation, already had a bit of a head start with buyers.

Console generations aren’t sprints, though. They’re marathons. While there’s a lot of excitement around the initial holiday launch, it’s usually at least a year before anyone has any clarity on which system has a stronger market position. And while it might drive eager fans batty, one of the smartest things Microsoft could do is hold Halo Infinite back for a full year. This would let the company get its inevitable hardware supply issues straightened out and ride the second-holiday wave when Sony’s certain to have a few heavy hitters of its own hitting the market.

That would also let the company work out any potential kinks in xCloud to further make the value case in its marketing for holiday 2021 when it won’t just be the hardest of the hardcore looking to buy the system.

Halo Infinite missing its planned launch date might be a blow, but it doesn’t have to be a fatal one to the Series X.

Chris Morris
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chris Morris has covered consumer technology and the video game industry since 1996, offering analysis of news and trends and…
A new Dynasty Warriors game just surprise launched during Sony’s State of Play
A warrior on a cliff surrounded by enemies in Warriors: Abyss.

Warriors: Abyss - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

A brand new entry in the Warriors franchise got a shadow drop during the PlayStation State of Play. Warriors: Abyss is a roguelike twist on the classic Musou series you can purchase right now on PlayStation 4 and 5.

Read more
One of 2024’s most overlooked games just came to consoles. Don’t miss it twice
A young girl in a white dress looks back. She carries a bag and a bow on her back while holding an orange leaf in her hand.

We are currently in something of a Metroidvania boom. With the genre reaching peak saturation, new releases -- of which there are many -- are forced to expand upon the core formula fans know and love in hopes of standing out. Take the thrilling Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist as an example, which imbues the Metroidvania with RPG systems and a focus on player builds. Momodora: Moonlit Farewell, on the other hand, believes that simple is better.

Originally released in January 2024, Moonlit Farewell is the fifth and final entry in developer Bombservice’s Momodora series. While it might not have any ostentatious additions to the basic Metroidvania formula, Moonlit Farewell’s devotion to a sleek rendition of the genre’s core pillars make it a refreshing adventure. The game went under the radar in 2024 but now, with its release on consoles, Metroidvania fans have the perfect way to tide yourself over until Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Read more
The best Xbox Game Pass game of 2024 is coming to PS5
dungeons of hinterberg preview gdc 2024 combat

Dungeons of Hinterberg, the cel-shaded action RPG from Curve Games and Microbird, is making its way to the PlayStation 5. You can play it for yourself on March 13. The price hasn't been confirmed, but it goes for $30 on both Xbox and Steam, so it'll likely be the same price when it drops on PlayStation.

The game will come with all existing content, including the New Game Plus mode. If you've never played Dungeons of Hinterberg before, that means more than 25 different dungeons to explore across four different biomes, each set in a different, picturesque part of the Alps. But wait, there's more: the PlayStation 5 version will get a new, secret bonus episode.

Read more