Halo 5: Guardianswas the franchise’s debut on the Xbox One, and to some it was divisive. The gameplay systems and narrative were changed significantly from 343 Industries' previous efforts inHalo 4, alienating many classicHalofans. Then, after a long moment of radio silence,Halo Infinitewas finally revealed on the heels of a new console generation. Showing off a completely new world in the new Slipspace Engine,Halo Infiniteis primed to be the next-gen reboot of Xbox’s flagship shooter.
In betweenHalo 5’s release andHalo Infinite’s eventual reveal, it’s no secret that Microsoft struggled this past generation with Xbox One. The Xbox Series X/S could be Microsoft’s moment of redemption, withHalo Infiniteas the key to that redemption in spite of the game’s delay. Taking on a new open world approach, 343 Industries is trying to reshape and rebootHalowhilst remaining true to the spirit of the first game. There hasn’t been too much shown ofHalo Infinitethus far, but here’s every trailer for the next iteration ofHalo.
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A New World of Halo
Back at E3 2018,Halo Infinitewas finally unveiled to the worldafter a long dormancy with theHalofranchise. After a relatively vague trailer full of environment art, eventually the contextual cues revealed what game Xbox was showing off. The expansive and diverse world was the new setting forHalo Infinite, the franchise’s next big step forward for the at-the-time-unannounced Xbox Series X. Eventually Master Chief’s helmet signified that this was the next mainline entry forHalo, setting the stage for an ambitious reboot.
Introducing the Pilot
Then at 2019’s E3 conference,Halo Infinitereturned with another teaser trailer with a completely new character. “The Pilot,” who’s name is currently unknown, will be a surprisingly important central character toHalo Infinite’s story.Theories postulate that The Pilot will be Master Chief’s human elementto fill the void of the missing Cortana, interacting with Chief to assist with missions/objectives. The end of this trailer also teased a new threat for Chief to deal with on this partially destroyedHaloring.
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Unveiling Halo Infinite’s Gameplay
Headlining Xbox Series X’s first-party reveal showcase,Halo Infinite’s gameplay was finally unveiled to eager fans. Even though the gameplay loop itself appears to be very different compared to traditionalHalogames, it’s clear 343 Industries is attempting to capture the spirit ofCombat Evolved’s sense of wonder. Players will be exploring an open world Halo ring this time around, with various different objectives and quests in a much more nonlinear take onHalo. This gameplay demo culminates inthe reveal ofHalo Infinite’s villain Escharum, the Brute War Chief of the Banished.
Cinematic Trailer
Lastly was the game’s cinematic trailer, showcasing the formation of Master Chief’s iconic MJOLNIR Spartan armor. The voiceover is presumably from Dr. Catherine Halsey, the original designer of the Spartan armor. Like any heroic trailer, this cinematic does everything in its power to deliver the hype to fans who will be stepping into Master Chief’s armor in 2020 (now 2021).
And so far, that’s been it forHalo Infinitetrailers thus far. Since the delay, there hasn’t been much news onHalo’s next entry since development work is still underway. The most likely release date for the game is early 2021, but with no official statement regarding the release window other than “2021,” it’s tough to say. That being said,Halo Infiniteis poising itself to beyet another reinvention of theHalofranchiseas whole. Obviously traditional fans of the franchise are still wary ofHalo Infinite, especially because ofHalo 5, but for now the gameplay shown so far is relatively promising. It’ll be a while until fans see more ofHalo Infinite, but so far, the hype is starting to build.
