Halo Infinite is getting set to make its in-person Halo Championship Series (HCS) debut in Raleigh, North Carolina this weekend. Due to limited console supply, some competitors will be playing Halo Infinite on Xbox Series X development kits.
The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked the gaming industry from both a hardware manufacturing and community standpoint. Global microchip shortages have prevented Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo from meeting supply demands, with millions of people still trying to attain Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles despite being a year away from launch. Simultaneously, the pandemic has isolated many and turned them online where at least people can still interact and communicate with one another. While a blessing in social settings, online play is not conducive for competitive play, as latency can affect game performance, shot registration, and a variety of other aspects.
It appears that 343 Industries is bringing in Xbox Series X development kits for this weekend's Halo Infinite HCS tournament. The news comes from Halo eSports and Viewership Lead at 343 Industries, Tashi343i, one of the definitive voices for the Halo eSports community. They announce on Twitter that players will be using Xbox Series X development consoles, writing, "They're functionally identical and will be operating in 'Retail' mode so it's the exact same experience, they just look a little different." After rhetorically asking why this is happening, Tashi simply states, "Global supply chain shortage is real."
Tashi's description of the Xbox Series X development kits is quite accurate, though it may still be an obscure concept for some. During a new video game console's development (and even after it has been released), studios will use developmental consoles that give them access to the behind-the-scenes parts of the console, as well tools that really only developers can take advantage of. It is not very often that development kits make it into public hands, and when they do, they can sell for a lot of money, as two PS5 dev kits did this past summer. The "Retail" mode that Tashi describes allows developers to test what the consumer experience will be like.
It is quite telling of the current video game landscape when Microsoft, one of the largest technology manufacturers in the world, cannot even produce enough Xbox Series X consoles to supply its own events. As mentioned, online play does not work in tournament settings across any game, with the only other way being local network (LAN) play. In this environment, every player is competing on the same connection, their consoles literally being wired together, in turn providing a seamless experience. The Halo eSports community figured this out back in the series' earliest days, so there was no way anything less would be accepted today.
Halo Infinite is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.