Halo Infinite’s got a lot riding on it. The series’ stock has fallen significantly since 343 Industries took charge of it, and Infinite, being a spiritual reboot, is expected to revitalize it in a major way. But Microsoft isn’t looking at the upcoming first person shooter as a make or break instalment for the franchise.
Speaking with IGN (transcribed by VGC), Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that though Microsoft and 343 Industries aren’t looking at Halo Infinite as a do-or-die situation, and that, according to him, the storied history and massive fanbase of the series pretty much ensures that it’s going to stick around even ten years from now.
” don’t know if this is what you want me to say or not, like when I think about the community but I’m just being honest, I don’t think about it that way, like the future of the franchise,” Spencer said. “Halo will be here 10 years from now. Is Infinite the lynchpin on whether it survives that long? Absolutely not.
“The game has such a rabid fanbase and such a history and lore that it’s just an IP that’s going to be with us. We don’t take that for granted, but I definitely believe in my core that that is true.”
Spencer went on to say that though Microsoft and 343 Industries are, of course, working hard on the game and hoping to deliver the best game they possibly can, they’re not putting undue pressure on themselves thinking that the franchise’s survival might be threatened if Infinite isn’t successful.
“I never want to put a team in a position where they feel, this one’s got to land or who knows,” Spencer said. “We are so focused on Halo this holiday and making it a game that our Halo fans will be proud of, that’s the most important thing to us, but I’m not one of these kind of dire prediction people.
“I think game teams, whether it’s our teams or any team out there, they put enough kind of pressure on themselves in delivering for customers and when you’re on a franchise that’s as big as Halo with such focus on every step and every word that’s said. I trust the team, I trust the progress they’re making, and I have confidence in Halo infinite and I think that’s all that needs to be said there.”
“I don’t think it’s a make or break, I just don’t believe that,” he added.
343 Industries have previously said that they view Halo Infinite as a platform that they’re going to continue to build on for the next ten years. With its seasonal approach driving new content, live storytelling in the multiplayer department, persistent battle passes, and the fact that the multiplayer is going to be free-to-play, it certainly looks well-positioned for that.
Halo Infinite is due out this Holiday for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. Microsoft and 343 Industries are confident of hitting that launch window, with rumours suggesting that the game will launch in November.
