As far as the hype level for 2020 video games goes, there are not many that reached the same level as Halo Infinite, leading up to this holiday season. So when Halo Infinite was delayed, shockwaves were sent throughout the gaming world. And now, more evidence has presented itself that the delay had more ramifications than simply bumming out the fans who were highly anticipating it.
Some of the first retail boxes for the Xbox Series X have surfaced, and the details are intriguing. According to images shared on Resetera, the Xbox Series X packaging is appearing in warehouses, but they include images of Halo Infinite. The packaging must have been created before the delay, showing again how Microsoft was planning to have Halo Infinite be the showpiece game for its new console.
The impressive-looking retail box is seen flaunting its 1 TB SSD for the Xbox Series X, its rectangular form factor, and that patented black and green coloring. Each side of the package either provides images of the device or explains fine details about what is inside. One side, in particular, is impossible to miss, both because it looks like it was designed to draw the attention from shoppers, and because it is highlighting a game that is no longer a launch title.
In the image that takes up an entire side, the Master Chief is seen looking into the distance in dramatic fashion. The image is punctuated with the words "POWER YOUR DREAMS," again reminding fans that this game was supposed to be one that would show off what the Xbox Series X could do. But after the somewhat disastrous reveal of Halo Infinite, and the graphics being a focal point of memes and jokes online, Microsoft chose to postpone the game.
It is likely that Xbox had countless marketing plans lined up for Halo Infinite and it being a launch title for the Xbox Series X, with Microsoft teaming up with Monster for a Halo-themed partnership being a prime example (the cans can still be found in the wild, even with the delay). If history is a reminder of anything Halo related, massive advertising campaigns were likely on the way, like the "believe" advertising for Halo 3.
There have been plenty of bad marketing campaigns in video games, and in some ways, this Halo Infinite delay could enter the conversation with them. Not because the advertising itself is bad, but because Microsoft had tied so much of the conversation, and of course money, into the game being an Xbox launch title. Once the rug was pulled out, the Xbox Series X looked like a very enticing console, but for some, simply lacks a killer app.
Halo Infinite releases on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2021.
Source: Resetera