The Halo games have always been a critical and commercial success, helping Microsoft drive sales for its consoles time and time again. The incredible fan community behind the franchise has been an integral part of why Halo launches and reveals have been celebrated like festivals, but it seems that the same treatment might not have transitioned to Halo Infinite.

The hotly-anticipated Halo Infinite's gameplay was revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase in July last year. Originally planned as a launch title for the Xbox Series consoles, Halo Infinite had to be delayed for a multitude of reasons, with some thinking the less-than-favorable fan reaction also contributed.  However, Microsoft might have unassumingly struck gold with the gameplay fiasco.

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Halo Infinite's Original Reveal and Following Reactions

Halo Infinite Craig The Brute Memes

Halo Infinite was touted to be a system-seller, much like previous entries in the franchise have served their roles for Xbox in the past. However, Microsoft seemingly rushed out to show off Halo Infinite's gameplay during the Xbox Games Showcase which had quite the negative reception. In addition to the underwhelming visuals, the gameplay reveals even spawned a viral meme in the form of Craig the Brute.

While a lot of the reasoning behind the delay has been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic-related issues, the delay was understandable (even if the reveal of how long it was came afterward). Xbox Series consoles launch sales might have suffered a bit due to the delays, but Microsoft quickly picked up the pace thanks in part to repeated acquisitions and the future promise of Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft is starting this generation off on a right foot, even without Halo Infinite, and its fall 2021 release is only going to help the brand when a lot of Microsoft's wheelings and dealings start paying off in the next couple years.

The Initial Reveal Is A Great Starting Off Point

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Halo Infinite is now scheduled for a Fall 2021 release, and with multiple betas planned ahead of release, it seems that fans might get a revised glimpse of the game during Microsoft's E3 2021 conference. 343 Industries has already released several screenshots for the game, which has seemingly added to the already-bursting fan hype for the game.

343 Industries and Microsoft now have to only focus on polishing the game, and with many fans backing the original vision, the next showcase has a high probability of turning out to be a success. With a funny and likable mascot such as Craig at the helm, Xbox has just opened up a lot of possibilities regarding future marketing for the game. Regardless, it'd be great to see Halo Infinite shining in all its glory on the Slipspace engine.

Halo Infinite is set to release in 2021 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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