Earlier last week, we found out the disappointing news that Halo Infinite would no longer be releasing alongisde the Xbox Series X as a launch title, as the developers decided to push the project back indefinitely until they are able to deliver "game experience that meets our vision."
With Halo Infinite's delay, the highly anticipated Xbox Series X becomes Microsoft's first home console to release without a new Halo game, which has made things particularly disappointing for those that were expecting the release of both the new game and the next-gen console.
New information seems to suggest that the delay isn't just related to the developers wanting to deliver the best product possible, but due to Microsoft and 343 Industries not being able to set their priorities right; focusing on the Halo TV series and even outsourcing.
For those of you unaware, there is a Halo TV series currently in the works. The project, in fact, was first announced in 2013, and has even got renowned Hollywood director Steven Spielberg attached as series producer, but the series itself has been in development hell for quite a while.
According to reputable Microsoft insider Brad Sams, as per a report posted on Thurrott, the Halo TV series' production for ShowTime has been a distraction for 343 Industries in regards to management — which has caused the developer to shit its focus in order to meet their targeted deadline for the series.
This information was revealed to Sams by one of his insiders, so it is still best to consider this as nothing more than a rumour.
One of the other problems that caused Halo Infinite's delay was the fact that it was difficult for 343 to work on the project without really knowing how to develop for the Xbox Series X' new hardware, and that the 2019 trailer showed footage that was not really in a playable state at the time.
According to Sams' sources, a significant portion of Halo Infinite has been outsourced to third-party contractors, which has made coordination rather difficult, especially when considering that the game is expected to release on both the Xbox One and the Xbox Seires X; with cross-platform being a real issue here.
These coordination issues have also seen a disconnection between the Engineering and Marketing departments, with Sams revealing that Engineering has kept asking for delays, but Marketing keeps plowing forward, and we now know that Halo Inifnite has already been indefinitely pushed back.
On top of all of this, COVID-19 is also very likely to have made things difficult for the developers; now that they have likely been forced to work on the game's development remotely. As unfortunate as this may be, Microsoft and 343 Industries delaying Halo Infinite is definitely for the better.