The announcement that Halo Infinite, the next game in Microsoft's flagship franchise, is being delayed until 2021 is both a huge shock and not that surprising. After showing off eight minutes of gameplay footage during last month's Xbox Games Showcase, fans were split on what they saw. While many were excited by the vast open world and gameplay improvements over recent installments, others were underwhelmed by the game as a whole. Fans and industry analysts alike felt the graphics seemed off and did not meet expectations for next-gen.

With that in mind, the Halo delay makes perfect sense; the game doesn't meet expectations, so 343 Industries and SkyBox Labs will take more time to get it right. But Halo Infinite isn't just another game -- it was supposed to be the Xbox Series X's system-selling launch title. And with Microsoft doubling down on the console's release window, announcing just after the Halo delay that the Series X will be out in November, this means that Microsoft will start next-gen without a major title to convince gamers they need to upgrade.

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Microsoft's decision to keep the Series X's launch in place is predictable, as Xbox head Phil Spencer said the company wouldn't delay the console for a game months ago. Still, considering Microsoft's existing challenges going into a new generation, not having Halo Infinite at launch is a major blow. While its console is more powerful than the PlayStation 5 on the technical front, Sony has a vast catalogue of exclusives to entice gamers. The PS5 will launch with Spider-Man: Miles Morales, a follow-up the the 2018 hit with one of the biggest names in all of pop culture attached. Still, Halo Infinite had the potential to compete with that in a way that not much else could.

Microsoft clearly understood this problem and took steps to address it, acquiring studios like Double Fine Production, Ninja Theory and Obsidian Entertainment in recent years to develop first-party exclusives. However, none of these studios will have anything new to show off when Series X launches, meaning the only exclusive launch titles are The Medium, Scorn and Tetris Effect: Connected, two horror games and an expansion to a former PS4 exclusive puzzle game that will eventually make its way to other systems. Microsoft needed to prove that it can offer experiences that gamers won't get anywhere else, but the Series X is now relying on smaller exclusives and triple-A games from third-parties that will be available on a variety of consoles (both current and next-gen) like Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

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Despite all of this, delaying Halo Infinite is still the right choice, however difficult it may be. Releasing a half-baked final product would also have been bad for Xbox while also damaging Halo's brand. In the statement announcing the news, the developers explained that they need more time to "deliver a Halo game experience that meets our vision" and cited COVID-19 as a factor. The delay is, of course, disappointing to fans, but being let down by mediocre game is definitely worse than having to wait longer for something impressive.

While the move is definitely bad for Microsoft and the Xbox Series X in the short term, it doesn't doom the console before it even gets a release date. The Series X may not have a Spider-Man or a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to draw gamers in on day one, but it does have Game Pass. For awhile, it has appeared that Microsoft's real goal with Xbox is to get more gamers into its ecosystem, buying into services like Game Pass and the upcoming xCloud. Its commitment to cross-generational launches and smart delivery have already signaled to gamers that they don't need to upgrade right away. Even if losing Halo Infinite as a launch title hurts the Xbox Series X's initial sales, there's still room for Microsoft to bounce back.

Developed by 343 Industries and SkyBox Labs, Halo Infinite arrives on Xbox Series X and Xbox One in 2021.

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