Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty talked about the launch and post-launch development of Halo Infinite, acknowledging the game's continued issues. It's now been nearly a year since Halo Infinite launched and much of the game's initial playerbase has moved on. Nevertheless, developer 343 Industries continues working on substantial updates for the multiplayer shooter. It's prompted some confusion over how Halo Infinite is viewed internally, which Booty can comment on.
A year later and many of the biggest criticisms for Halo Infinite remain unaddressed. Criticisms including Halo Infinite's monetization, its progression systems, and an overall lack of content diversity including alternative game modes remain focuses for Halo fans hoping for improvements. A roadmap shared in September confirms some planned changes, including Forge's beta, a new battle pass, new maps, and more in Halo Infinite's Winter Update, but more substantial additions won't arrive until spring or later.
Speaking on the subject as part of the Friends Per Second Podcast, Booty acknowledged missteps that brought Halo Infinite to this point. Booty compares it to a runner tripping at the finish line of a race, explaining, "We have to recover there. The burden is on us." He points to the development falling short on a plan to provide "regular continuing engagement" to players, which resulted in Halo Infinite's initially substantial playerbase fading away.
Acknowledging the issue is one thing, but making the changes necessary to fixing it is another matter entirely. Booty says that that process is happening, though. He explains that 343 Industries has "retrenched" and is now working in a way it can deliver content in a more effective manner. Until the content pipeline is full again, however, Halo Infinite players will be waiting.
Booty then goes on to thank Halo Infinite players for "sticking with us through this." He says that the development team knows there is more demand for content and improvement, and that's what 343 is focused on right now. In time, Halo Infinite will be getting a "regular cadence of content" like what players were hoping for at launch.
343 will obviously have to prove itself, as promises won't bring Halo Infinite's full playerbase back. The roadmap for Halo Infinite does look positive, though. The Forge beta update this holiday will begin fleshing out the game with custom content, which should add to a more robust relaunch for Halo Infinite Season 03: Echoes Within's launch on March 7. That update will include new game modes, a 100-tier battle pass, a narrative event, and also a custom game browser. It's at that point where the Halo Infinite experience that 343 has long promised may truly begin to be delivered.
Halo Infinite is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.