The Halo Infinite gameplay footage proved to be lackluster to large number of waiting fans. In response to the graphical complants, 343 Industries got to work optimizing their game for next-gen players by delaying the game to Fall 2021. Neill Harrison, director of art management at 343, stated “Much of the feedback we heard from the community aligned with our own views and work we were already committed to doing around things like indirect lighting, material response, foliage and tree rendering, clouds, level-of-detail transitions, and character fidelity.” He would go on to say that “the feedback was humbling, and it also pushed us to look at additional opportunities for improvement.”
343 Industries studio head Bonnie Ross added that the delay is completely worth it in a holiday blog post published on the Halo Waypoint website, “I realize the wait has been difficult, and I assure you that the team wants the game in your hands as soon as possible, but they also want to deliver something special…the Halo game you deserve…the team is making tremendous progress and is SO eager to show you more.”
I personally can’t wait to dive back into Halo again. Like Liana, I thought the gameplay trailer was exciting and the gorgeous vistas of Infinite were particularly enticing; I can’t wait to explore the game world and unearth more Halo lore! The year-long delay will hopefully give 343 enough time to fine tune the visuals and have the game ready for its Fall 2021 release.