Even though it was initially expected that Halo Infinite will be an Xbox Series X launch title, things have gone an unexpected way. Both Microsoft and 343 Industries decided to delay the release of the first-person shooter. Halo Infinite will be the sixth main entry of its series, and also the fourteenth Halo game overall.
The culprit for the delay is, as you’ve already guessed: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 343 Industries, the developer of Halo Infinite, blames the pandemic and further explains that employees were forced to work from home. Thus, the development of large games has been more difficult for many.
Halo Infinite arrives in 2021
Chris Lee, who is the studio head for Halo Infinite, provides some explanation:
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,
He also added:
The decision to shift our release is the result of multiple factors that have contributed to development changes, including the ongoing COVID-related impacts affecting us all this year.
Halo Infinite Development Update pic.twitter.com/TFZvXhRN9f
— Halo (@Halo) August 11, 2020
The Steam description says about Halo Infinite:
When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. The legendary Halo series returns with the most expansive Master Chief story yet.
The full system requirements for PC players haven’t been revealed yet, but one thing’s for sure: you won’t be able to play Halo Infinite on a desktop computer or laptop unless you have Windows 10 installed. This is a surprising move, considering that plenty of games can still be played on the good old Windows 7.
Halo Infinite will become available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. Since Xbox Series X arrives in November, Halo Infinite will be playable on this platform several months later.
