Halo Infinite's Future Feels Uncertain And That Breaks My Heart

thegamer.com:

Halo Infinite felt like the very last shot for Master Chief to succeed in the modern landscape. Since the release of Halo 5: Guardians in 2015, the gaming world has changed so much with the arrival of live service juggernauts, a new generation of consoles, and changing approach to how we consume media as players. It felt like the big green space marine didn’t belong.

After several delays and a constantly changing vision it was almost like Infinite was doomed to fail, or couldn’t possibly live up to years of expectations. Players who grew up enjoying the likes of Fortnite and Apex Legends might have never played a Halo game, let alone be aware of the mountainous lore required to follow the narrative and characters. 343 Industries had to execute a soft reboot for the entire universe while also cementing itself in games as a live service for the very first time. That’s no easy task, and it being Halo only added to the pressure.

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Despite everything working against it, Halo Infinite appeared to succeed right out of the gate. Its free-to-play multiplayer launched two weeks ahead of the campaign and attracted an audience of millions across console and PC, while the single player portion was subject to positive reviews from veterans and newcomers alike. 343 Industries had done it, having crafted an experience that maintained the classic series feel while innovating upon it with bold new ideas. It’s a fantastic game, but in an environment where its rivals are constantly updated and iterated upon, that baseline quality isn’t enough anymore.

Fortnite is adding new licensed skins and bespoke modes almost every week, while also being spurred onward by community creations