Microsoft has announced plans to put Halo Infinite into maintenance mode later this month so that developer Halo Studios can focus on working on a host of novel Halo games.
In blog entryHalo Studios said that Operation: Infinite, which launches on November 18, is the last major update currently planned for the first-person shooter on Xbox and PC, but stressed that it will support players with challenges, ranked rewards and community events throughout next year and beyond. Operation: The free 100 Tier Operations Pass and the 100 Tier Infinite Premium Pass have no scheduled expiration date.
One of the novel Halo games that Halo Studios is working on is Halo: Campaign Evolved, which will be released in 2026 on PC, Xbox and PlayStation 5. Halo Studios has not revealed what the other upcoming Halo games will be.
“As we look back on four years of evolution and updates to Halo Infinite, we would like to thank our community for their steadfast support,” Halo Studios said. “Without your opinions and enthusiasm, Halo Infinite multiplayer would not be the unique place it is today: a solid arena for killing and fun, where every Spartan will find something for themselves.
“As we continue to develop multiple Halo titles, we will need the focus of our entire team to deliver new experiences with the same passion and care that our community has provided us. While we remain committed to supporting Halo Infinite into the future, Operation: Infinite is the last major content update currently planned.”
Halo Studios, once called 343 Industries, is leaving Halo Infinite behind four years after its delayed launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and PC in December 2021. Microsoft had planned for it to be a launch title for Xbox Series X and S, releasing a year earlier, but pushed it back after negative feedback and expected a gameplay reveal in July 2020.
Halo Infinite has undergone significant changes in the years since its release, including developer rebranding, 343 Industries to Halo Studiosand numerous rounds of layoffs. That came later Halo Infinite player numbers dropped dramatically after launch as fans expressed frustration with the lack of content, poor progression systems, and aggressive monetization. The game-changing Battle Royale mode was scrapped.
Players are already pointing out that Halo Infinite hasn’t even made it halfway through Microsoft’s well-documented 10-year plan for the game (it wasn’t called Halo: Infinite for nothing). In July 2020, IGN spoke with current Halo Infinite studio head Chris Lee, who described Halo Infinite as “the beginning of our platform for the future.”
“We want Infinite to evolve over time, rather than reaching for numbered titles and having all the segmentation that we had before,” he continued. “It’s really about creating Halo Infinite to kick off the next 10 years of Halo, and then building that with our fans and community.”
While constant updates have greatly improved the experience, Halo Infinite never quite managed to live up to its full potential. Our current focus is on Halo: Campaign Evolved, although that game has also experienced a bumpy ride since its announcement, with a key member of the original Halo development team at Bungie expressing concern about some of the changes that have been made.
Wesley is the news director at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. Wesley can be reached at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wy100@proton.me.
