Halo: Infinite isn’t coming in the spring or summer. Developer 343 Industries is now aiming to launch the game in Fall 2021, according to a blog post from director Joseph Staten. Staten used this to set a new timeline for the release of the next Halo and detail what the team is working on. But this was also Staten’s chance to set the tone for Halo under his leadership.
“After Halo: Reach shipped, I became a Halo fan, cheering-on 343i from the sidelines,” Staten wrote. “But I’ve spent the last four months immersing myself back into the Halo universe, and it’s my honor as creative director to help our team ship Halo Infinite in Fall 2021.”
This is the first time that anyone from Microsoft has given a new release window for the game.
“Yep, that’s when the game is coming out,” Staten continued. “And from now until then, every one of us at 343i and our great partner teams will be building, testing, and polishing an experience we hope all of you love.”
Staten declares his vision for Halo: Infinite
Staten took over Halo in August as Microsoft quietly shuffled the leadership team around. Chris Lee, the previous game director, left the project in October, but Staten has already taken over many of Lee’s responsibilities.
Now in today’s blog post, Staten is finally talking about what he has 343 Industries doing to get Halo: Infinite ready for its fans.
“I joined 343i right as the team was wrestling with feedback from the July campaign demo,” Staten wrote. “This discussion boiled down to one fundamental truth: we needed more time to do things right. That included pushing hard in the fall, giving the team time to recharge over the holidays, and then coming back in January to finish the game at a healthy pace.”
Staten returned to Halo in August. He previously worked on the shooter series while at Bungie before going with that studio to work on Destiny. Staten left Bungie in 2013 and went to work at Microsoft where he helped oversee games like Crackdown 3.
