Once upon a time, theHalofranchise was Microsoft’s golden ticket to success. No matter the console and its shortcomings, Microsoft could count onHaloto sell it. For over a decade Bungie led theHalofranchise from success to success, but with the developer leaving Microsoft and handing over the keys to the franchise to 343 Industries,Halo’s fallen into a bit of disarray. While343 Industries’Haloentrieshaven’t been terrible, they’ve been far from the excellent entries of Bungie’s era, and the biggest offender in many regards is the latest entry,Halo Infinite.
Released in November 2021,Halo Infinitecame out of the gate strong with its free-to-play multiplayer component which offered the perfect nostalgic hit of old-school arena shooter gameplay. But over the last year and a half, public perception ofHalo Infinitehas changed dramatically due to the game’s lackluster live-service model. AHalo Infinitesequelseems like a safe bet for the future of the franchise, but it would undermine the core premise at the very heart ofHalo Infinite.
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A Sequel Would Undermine Halo Infinite’s ‘Infinite’ Status
BeforeHalo Infinite’s release, 343 Industries was very clear about its intended plans for the game and for the wider future of theHalofranchise. Back in July 2020, followingXbox’s Games Showcase, 343 Industries' studio head Chris Lee stated thatHalo Infinitewas being designed as not merely just another entry in the long-running Sci-Fi shooter franchise, but a whole new platform, one which would be used to host futureHaloreleases. In a now-infamous statement, Lee claimed thatHalo Infinitewould be the “start of the next 10 years forHalo.”
Put simply,Halo Infinitewas intended to live up to its name, and be, at least for the next 10 years, “infinite.” In the lead-up to release, 343 Industries elaborated on this broad statement a little more.Halo Infinitewas going to adopt a live-service model, similar to other popular online multiplayer games likeFortniteandApex Legends. This model essentially means thatHalo Infinitewould receive updates on a consistent and regular basis, adding new content to the game such as maps, weapons, and customization elements. In continuing to update the game, 343 Industries hopedHalo Infinite’s player-base would stick around for the long haul.
Well, almost two whole years later, andHalo Infinitedoesn’t look like it’ll live up to its 10-year promise. Over the course of about 17 months,Halo Infinitehas received just three Seasons. In comparison,Apex Legendshas received a total of five Seasons in that time, andFortnitehas had six. To make matters much, much worse, these three Seasons ofHalo Infinitehave barely added any new content to the game at all either. There have been a total of eight new maps added toHalo Infinitesince launch, and just six new game modes. It also took 343 Industries well over a year to addcampaign co-op and Forge, two game modes that have been staples of theHalofranchise for almost two decades.
Right now,Halo Infinitehas a pretty dire reception. Though its core gameplay is still a lot of fun, 343 Industries' lackluster approach to the live-service model has been hugely disappointing for fans, and it’s leftHalo Infinitewith a fairly pitiful player-base. With regards tothe future of theHalofranchise, it seems extremely likely that 343 Industries will want to simply move on fromHalo Infiniteas soon as possible, and the best way to do that is through a sequel. But in releasing a sequel toHalo Infinite, 343 Industries can’t help but put one final nail in the coffin, admitting thatHalo Infinitewas anything but what its name suggests.
Halo Infiniteis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
