Halo 5: Guardians was the franchise's debut on the Xbox One, and to some it was divisive. The gameplay systems and narrative were changed significantly from 343 Industries' previous efforts in Halo 4, alienating many classic Halo fans. Then, after a long moment of radio silence, Halo Infinite was finally revealed on the heels of a new console generation. Showing off a completely new world in the new Slipspace Engine, Halo Infinite is primed to be the next-gen reboot of Xbox's flagship shooter.
In between Halo 5's release and Halo Infinite's eventual reveal, it's no secret that Microsoft struggled this past generation with Xbox One. The Xbox Series X/S could be Microsoft's moment of redemption, with Halo Infinite as the key to that redemption in spite of the game's delay. Taking on a new open world approach, 343 Industries is trying to reshape and reboot Halo whilst remaining true to the spirit of the first game. There hasn't been too much shown of Halo Infinite thus far, but here's every trailer for the next iteration of Halo.
A New World of Halo
Back at E3 2018, Halo Infinite was finally unveiled to the world after a long dormancy with the Halo franchise. After a relatively vague trailer full of environment art, eventually the contextual cues revealed what game Xbox was showing off. The expansive and diverse world was the new setting for Halo Infinite, the franchise's next big step forward for the at-the-time-unannounced Xbox Series X. Eventually Master Chief's helmet signified that this was the next mainline entry for Halo, setting the stage for an ambitious reboot.
Introducing the Pilot
Then at 2019's E3 conference, Halo Infinite returned with another teaser trailer with a completely new character. "The Pilot," who's name is currently unknown, will be a surprisingly important central character to Halo Infinite's story. Theories postulate that The Pilot will be Master Chief's human element to fill the void of the missing Cortana, interacting with Chief to assist with missions/objectives. The end of this trailer also teased a new threat for Chief to deal with on this partially destroyed Halo ring.
Unveiling Halo Infinite's Gameplay
Headlining Xbox Series X's first-party reveal showcase, Halo Infinite's gameplay was finally unveiled to eager fans. Even though the gameplay loop itself appears to be very different compared to traditional Halo games, it's clear 343 Industries is attempting to capture the spirit of Combat Evolved's sense of wonder. Players will be exploring an open world Halo ring this time around, with various different objectives and quests in a much more nonlinear take on Halo. This gameplay demo culminates in the reveal of Halo Infinite's villain Escharum, the Brute War Chief of the Banished.
Cinematic Trailer
Lastly was the game's cinematic trailer, showcasing the formation of Master Chief's iconic MJOLNIR Spartan armor. The voiceover is presumably from Dr. Catherine Halsey, the original designer of the Spartan armor. Like any heroic trailer, this cinematic does everything in its power to deliver the hype to fans who will be stepping into Master Chief's armor in 2020 (now 2021).
And so far, that's been it for Halo Infinite trailers thus far. Since the delay, there hasn't been much news on Halo's next entry since development work is still underway. The most likely release date for the game is early 2021, but with no official statement regarding the release window other than "2021," it's tough to say. That being said, Halo Infinite is poising itself to be yet another reinvention of the Halo franchise as whole. Obviously traditional fans of the franchise are still wary of Halo Infinite, especially because of Halo 5, but for now the gameplay shown so far is relatively promising. It'll be a while until fans see more of Halo Infinite, but so far, the hype is starting to build.
Halo Infinite is planned to release in 2021.