Halo Infinite was supposed to be a big deal, with a 10-year plan to grow its world and gameplay. But things have changed.
New reports say that this long-term plan has been scrapped.
Let’s dive into what happened and why the game’s future might look different than expected.
Background of Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite, made by 343 Industries, was first shown at E3 2018. It was supposed to come out in late 2020 with the Xbox Series X, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed things down, pushing the release to 2021.
After the delay, the game finally launched on December 8, 2021. To bring the game to life, 343 Industries used their own Slipspace Engine, built just for Halo Infinite.
Details of the Scrapped Plan
Rebs Gaming reports that 343 Industries originally had big plans for Halo Infinite. The idea was to make it the start of a massive, decade-long journey.
They planned to launch the free-to-play multiplayer a year before the campaign and introduce huge new modes, including the now-canceled Tatanka battle royale.
The campaign itself was meant to keep players engaged with yearly DLCs, one of which—Atriox’s Reign—would have brought a Warlord system into the mix. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.
Development struggles, past leadership decisions, and the switch from the Slipspace Engine to Unreal Engine 5 forced the team to scrap these ambitious ideas.
Impact on the Halo Franchise
Halo Infinite’s original plan to last 10 years didn’t work out, and that’s changed a lot for the franchise. Instead of focusing on single-player campaigns, the team is all in on multiplayer.
This shift led to the cancellation of big story expansions, like the “Atriox’s Reign” DLC, which would have added a Warlord system to the campaign.
Now, they’re putting more effort into multiplayer modes, including Tatanka, a battle royale-style experience, and improving existing features.
This new direction is shaping how Halo grows, with a stronger push toward keeping the multiplayer community engaged.
Current Developments and Future Prospects
In October 2024, 343 Industries changed its name to Halo Studios, showing a fresh dedication to the Halo series.
They’re making a big move by switching from their old Slipspace Engine to Unreal Engine 5, hoping to speed up development and add new, exciting features. One example of this is “Project Foundry,” an internal project exploring how Halo’s graphics could improve.
Right now, they’ve got multiple new Halo games in the works, but they’re keeping the details under wraps.
Even with these big changes, Halo Infinite isn’t being left behind—players can still expect updates and new content to keep the game alive.
