Halo Infinite - What We Know So Far

In the world of gaming, Master Chief is easily one of the most lauded names on record. He's right up there with Doom Guy and B.J. Blazkowicz. Halo Infinite will continue his story, serving as something of a "soft reboot" for the franchise after the mixed reception of Halo 5. 

Halo Infinite promises a return to the roots that put the franchise on the map. Because of this — and a shiny new game engine — fans are clamoring for any and all Halo news. No worries, chief. From the release date to gameplay, here's what you need to know about Halo Infinite.

Halo Infinite is coming sooner rather than later. After years in development, it's time to see what 343 Industries has been keeping so closely under wraps. Halo Infinite launches Holiday 2020, which means sometime between late October and December. 

Notably, this coincides with the launch of the the Xbox Series X. While Microsoft has promised Infinite will be just as infinitely entertaining on the Xbox One and PC, Halo Infinite will also be one of the first titles on this next generation console. No, you don't have to buy an Xbox Series X to play the next Halo game ... but you might want to, considering how powerful it seems to be.

The very first trailer for Halo Infinite premiered at 2018's E3 conference. The lush visuals and orchestral swells evoked the nostalgic, early days of Halo. This trailer also served to show off the power of the shiny new Slipspace engine that will serve as the engine for Infinite and all the Halo titles to follow. (343 seems to be hinting Infinite is just the start of a new era of Halo games.)

The next trailer provides more detail on the big man himself. In a downright emotional cinematic scene, a poor soul adrift comes upon Master Chief floating in the vacuum of space. Reviving him, he gives the Chief an unfortunate status report ... as mentioned before, the cliffhanger ending of Halo 5 isn't exactly a fan favorite moment in the series. Now Master Chief, indeed Halo Infinite, seeks to right the wrongs of Cortana.

343 Industries hasn't shared precise details about what happens next in Master Chief's story, but it did highlight the state of the universe the Chief wakes up in during the "Discover Hope" trailer. 

"The universe will continue the continuity of Halo 5 and in that sense contain the adventures that led up to this moment, but in the pursuit of our 'spiritual reboot' and the launch of a new console, we also want to make sure that this is a perfect starting point for new players too," wrote studio head Chris Lee. "You're arriving in the middle a universe at war, with a sense of history underlying your entry into the world. But it will also feel fresh, full of potential, and new adventure."

You're unlikely to see Halo Infinite gameplay until folks actually get their hands on the game. Right now, it's unclear what the Infinite mechanics will look like, with  interviews with devs at 343 serving as the primary source of information. The studio has confirmed its new approach will include multiplayer split-screen, a feature sorely missed in Halo 5. 

Other than the return of the good old couch co-op set up, Chris Lee has confirmed the sad pilot from the second trailer will be a part of the game, and a significant one at that. All else remains shrouded in mystery, which is, perhaps, a clever marketing strategy. Halo Infinite will sell based on the franchise name alone; fans want to know what all the hype is about, including what's in store for the iconic Master Chief.