Halo Infinite is being built up to be a return to form for the sci-fi FPS franchise, though the game's development cycle hasn't exactly inspired much confidence. 343 Industries originally intended the game to release as a launch title for the Xbox Series X/S in November of last year but has since given the tentative release date of late 2021. Halo Infinite has effectively seen an entire year of delays, so it makes sense that some fans may be uncertain about the game's quality.
Delays on their own aren't usually a reason to worry. Plenty of amazing games have faced similarly lengthed delays in the past but still released to glowing reviews. Persona 5, for example, was delayed for around two years yet is often said to have revived interest in the Persona series as a whole. Delays and a lack of a real release date become more of a concern when further signs of development troubles start to be reported.
As far as Halo Infinite is concerned, it's first important to talk about what the game's development has looked like up until now. To start, it has been revealed that the game will use a completely new engine called the Slipspace Engine. Engines take a long time to develop and perfect, especially when a game is being worked on alongside them. While the Slipstream Engine hasn't been used in a game before, there was a tech demo at 2018's E3 that certainly showed off some progress.
There's been plenty of emphasis by the game's developers that they want Halo Infinite to show off the capabilities of the Xbox Series X|S, though it's also important to mention that the game's also being developed for the Xbox One and PC. The game's multiplayer will also be released as a separate free-to-play game, though it appears as though it'll be the traditional Halo multiplayer experience.
COVID-19 also has been cited by the developers as a major reason behind the game's delays. The global pandemic has impacted plenty of games as of recent. For example, some reports claim that Cyberpunk 2077 developers couldn't actually take test kits home due to confidentiality reasons to playtest the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of the game, hence why they released in such a buggy state. 343 Industries may likely have also been in a similar situation.
If Halo Infinite's development problems came solely down to COVID-related delays, then there may not be a reason to worry for fans of the game. However, a rumor has been circulating that a large portion of Halo Infinite's development has been outsourced to other studios. This rumor could be backed up by the fact that Halo Infinite was originally being developed as a multi-part game.
343 Studios have denied the rumor that the game is being outsourced, which should be good news for fans of the series. Beyond the outsourcing rumor, there hasn't been too much troubling news surrounding Infinite's development. In fact, 343 Industries are doing what they can to keep fans updated, ensuring that the title doesn't enter true development hell. They've been providing monthly updates on their blog since January of this year.
Games being delayed are always concerning and can easily cast doubt on whether or not the game will be worth the wait. Halo Infinite seems to be a different case than recent disappointments such as Cyberpunk 2077 since many of its issues have stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic making game development difficult. Of course, being cautious is always smart when games see delays. Fans shouldn't be worried about Infinite's quality, though it's certainly understandable if they are.