It looks like it's finally the end of the line for Master Chief's trusty shotgun. A recent interview with several Halo Infinite designers reveals that the close-range weapon is being retired in favor of a new weapon.
Introduced in the original Halo: Combat Evolved, the M90 Close Assault Weapons System, or simply the M90 shotgun, has been a staple weapon for Master Chief and the UNSC. The news comes as part of developer 343 Industries' first monthly Halo Infinite update, which is part of a series that is set to occur until the highly anticipated title's release later this year.
A decision elaborated on in an interview with Halo Waypoint, Halo Infinite lead sandbox designer Quinn DelHoyo explains 343's reasoning for parting with the franchise staple. DelHoyo states that the main reason is players just haven't used the shotgun very often, particularly for multiplayer, in past entries.
The design team decided to address this issue with the idea of giving close-quarters specialists a better option, leading to the development of the Bulldog. The Bulldog's individual shots aren't as powerful as its predecessor, but the fire and reload rate are much faster in exchange. The Bulldog was one of several new Halo Infinite weapons showcased in last summer's gameplay trailer, but this is the first news that it's entirely replacing the M90.
Basically, it appears that 343 is willing to sacrifice some power for speed in an effort to make use of a Halo shotgun a bit more dynamic. DelHoyo goes on to reveal that the launch content for the game is already complete, and that the developer is now hard at work scouring for bugs and polishing Halo Infinite as much as possible.
While the title's initial gameplay trailer was met with harsh criticism, ultimately contributing to the planned Xbox Series X launch title's year-long delay, 343 has seemingly won back the Halo community's favor. Along with the monthly updates, Halo Infinite's multiple betas planned for 2021 should establish an open and transparent communication and feedback channel as the final tweaks and adjustments are made.
Although Halo Infinite's development has certainly been tumultuous, it appears hype for the long-awaited FPS title is once again significantly building. Master Chief is not only getting new weapons for his arsenal, but will also be getting access to some new gadgets like the grappling hook, opening up a whole realm of combat possibilities. While Xbox and Halo are synonymous, there are gamers out there who are more excited about other titles appearing on Microsoft's latest and greatest console. The good news is that Halo Infinite is just one of 30 games coming as Xbox console exclusives in 2021.
Halo Infinite launches on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S fall 2021.
Source: Halo Waypoint