Halo Infinite Has Been Delayed to 2021

Microsoft announced that Halo Infinite is being delayed from it Holiday 2020 to 2021. No specific time frame for the game’s release next year was given. The game was previously meant to be launching alongside the Xbox Series X later this year, but that will no longer be the case. Chris Lee, Studio Head at 343 Industries, released a full statement addressing the delay that reads:

Today I want to share an important Halo Infinite development update with the community. 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 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. I want to acknowledge the hard work from our team at 343 Industries, who have remained committed to making a great game and finding solutions to development challenges. However, it is not sustainable for the well-being of our team or the overall success of the game to ship it this holiday.

We know this will be disappointing to many of you and we all share in that sentiment. The passion and support the community has shown over the years has been incredible and inspiring. We wanted nothing more than to play our game with the community this holiday. The extra time will let us finish the critical work necessary to deliver the most ambitious Halo game ever at the quality we know our fans expect.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

We last saw Halo Infinite during the most recent Xbox Games Showcase where 343 Studios debuted the first ever gameplay demo of Infinite’s campaign. While the delay is sure to disappoint many fans, the game is sure to benefit from the extra development time.