Following the leaks, Microsoft confirmed during the Opening Night Live presentation for Gamescom 2021 that Halo Infinite will launch on December 8. It had previously had a "holiday 2021" release window.
As a reminder Halo Infinite will release as a split package. The campaign will be available for retail price, while multiplayer will be free-to-play and supported with a Battle Pass system.
Alongside the announcement was the release of a cinematic story trailer for the first season of multiplayer. We're introduced to a new character, Commander Laurette Agryna, who is responsible for training new Spartan recruits at the Academy, the multiplayer hub that also serves as a tutorial for newcomers and connects it to the main story.
Unfortunately, the entire Halo Infinite experience won't all be available on December 8. As it was previously reported, the campaign will not offer any cooperative options at release. 343 estimates that co-op won't arrive until the game's second season, which is estimated to arrive in "about three months" after the game's launch. additionally, the multiplayer's popular Forge mode, which allows players to create their own levels and modes, has been delayed as well and probably won't arrive until the game's third season of content roughly six months after launch.
Halo Infinite will release on December 8, 2021 for Xbox and PC.