Halo Infinite is widely expected to be one of the biggest releases of 2021, with its beta having already thoroughly impressed fans. This comes over a year after its initial delay, which pushed the game’s release back from its original Holiday 2020 launch time. The turnaround displayed by Halo Infinite stands as an example of a delay done right, and it now looks as though it could be a big hit.
Despite the warm reception of Halo Infinite, however, the game will not be taking up a major role at the return of The Game Awards. The Game Awards 2020 was not held in front of a live studio audience as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, it looks set to return with a live audience this year. There are plenty of potential contenders for The Game Awards 2021, and although none are currently locked in, Halo Infinite will not be one of them.
Why Halo Infinite Won’t Be in The Game Awards 2021
The Game Awards 2021 are now right around the corner, which has gamers interested in seeing which of their favorite titles will receive widespread recognition. The potential contenders for this year’s Game of the Year award include the likes of Deathloop, Returnal, Monster Hunter Rise, and Resident Evil Village among many more. Despite the impact of Covid-19 on the video game industry, 2020 and 2021 have been good years for gaming, and there’s plenty of competition for the game industry’s top awards. While there will be plenty of competition for Game of the Year 2021, fans can expect to see one very notable omission, but it won’t be a reflection on the game's quality.
After a slightly troubled introduction to the gaming world, Halo Infinite looks as though it could be a real hit among Halo fans. Halo Infinite’s gameplay premiere has become somewhat infamous for the footage it showed. Fan reactions to the footage were promptly followed by a lengthy delay, which was the result of ongoing Covid-related impacts. Since then, however, the game has looked significantly improved from the version initially shown to fans, and the early betas have been warmly received. This may have left some hopeful of seeing Halo Infinite featured at The Game Awards, but unfortunately, it’s set to release after the November 19 deadline for participation.
Can Halo Infinite Be a Game of the Year Contender For 2022?
Halo Infinite’s current release date is December 8, which falls outside of the deadline for The Game Awards 2021 of November 19, but that does mean it will be applicable for The Game Awards 2022. There’s still plenty of time before the 2022 Game Awards, so it’s difficult to say whether Halo Infinite could be a winner without comparing it to other games set to release in the applicable timeline. Despite some early skepticism around the delay of Halo Infinite to December 2021, many are now in agreement that the delay was a net positive, with Halo Infinite now looking like the system-seller it was once expected to be.
Not only is Halo Infinite graphically in a much better state than it was during its original gameplay footage, but fans are excited about the content as well. For the first time, Halo Infinite will have RPG elements in its campaign in a move that has surprised, but intrigued Halo fans. The inclusion of previously controversial mechanics such as sprinting has also been on the receiving end of praise, with fans noting that it doesn’t feel like such a departure from the classic Halo feel in Infinite. The mixture of new and old features in Halo Infinite could be set to keep older fans engaged while winning over fans who would typically skip over a Halo game. This could make Halo Infinite a real candidate for Game of the Year 2022, but its competition is yet to be seen.
Halo Infinite launches December 8, 2021 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.