These Halo Infinite rumours are coming thick and fast at the moment, and the latest arrives courtesy of mod-verified ResetEra user Sponger, who suggests that the Xbox One version of the game could ultimately be dropped.
According to Sponger, who has reportedly leaked accurate details on first-party Xbox games in the past (thanks VGC), Halo Infinite is having considerable issues running on the base Xbox One hardware:
“[The] current version of Halo Infinite on Xbox One S is nowhere near 1080p (even lower than 900p) and is having serious asset loading issues (much worse that you have seen on PC demo).
Idea is to change at the engine level how assets load, make RT as default (improve/”unlock” some assets), improve geometry, post-processing and add more CPU bound interactivity.”
Sponger also goes on to say that even the idea of postponing the game to early 2022 is on the table, explaining that developer 343 is "convinced that they need to make the best Halo game ever."
Despite this, not everyone appears to be convinced by Sponger's claims. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier seemingly commented on the rumour by saying there's "lots of made-up nonsense going around about Halo Infinite these days," and later noted that "usually problems are way more complex than they appear to be, and that looking for easy narratives like 'it's the Xbox One version' or 'too much outsourcing' is way too tempting but rarely correct."
What do you make of this rumour? Do you believe it? Share your thoughts in the comments.
[source resetera.com, via videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 29
Sounds like nonsense when the idea of the game being moved to 2022 is an option... 343 are bad but they're not THAT bad. That said is anybody really counting on the Xbox One version as a must have anyway?
Yes please...more CPU = more AI
Always said 343 should have made Halo Infinite a series X show case release day game only. 343 have been far to stretched having to cope with the Xbox one and also PC at bit.
Imagine the buzz and extra excitement around the series x release if that had happened.
@Dezzy70 The Xbox One is the problem, not PC
On topic, while I hope it's true, I don't believe it till I see it. They'd need fundamental engine changes from the ground up to not just "scale it higher".
And at this point, I don't trust 343, Xbox and Microsoft to do it.
Microsoft, We don't want Xbox One version
please 🙏🙏🙏
@Dezzy70 Maybe it’s totally due to the new engine or some other internal reasons.
“that looking for easy narratives like 'it's the Xbox One version' or 'too much outsourcing' is way too tempting but rarely correct."
Halo is an old IP which are bounded by lot of rules and artistic visions set by fanbase. Maybe this was the reason why Hellblade 2 in-engine trailer was showcased instead as setting expectations for true next-generation fidelity on Xbox Series X. Games like RDR2 runs on Xb1 but are not hold back, still looks at par with lot of next gen games.
Well I just remembered the vote on here to scrap the Xbox one versions was about 70% for scrapping the one version.
That’s is pretty high percentage, with only 30% wanting to keep it.
I would scrap it and have a year working on the series x version only and release October 2021.
2022 release date??? ☹
Dropping the Xbox One version probably won't do a lot of good. Everyone wants an easy answer, the last-gen lighting is all but done. What they need is ray-traced lighting to look good on next-gen and some engine improvements to fix pop-in. That will benefit Xbox One and Series X. Same way performance improvements from Doom Switch port made their way to Doom Eternal on Xbox One and PS4.
Maybe they should drop Halo altogether and start a fresh with a new FPS IP for next gen only. That would be a crazy brave move.
I was always going to get this on XSX regardless. I know people may be upset about the X1 version getting ditched though. But Halo Infinite just needs to be the best game it can be, so whatever works best to make that happen, then great.
@BrilliantBill I agree, it's all abit of a mess..
Hardly inspires any confidence...
Halo Infinite by name, release date infinite by nature?? 2022 🤷♂️🙅♂️...
Who knows.. 🤣🤣
I think Phil needs to micro manage 343 and Halo Infinite what ever form or console it ends up taking.
He should create a project plan with them, with milestones and have weekly progress meetings with 343, and drive the game through the production process making hopefully all the right decisions.
@Royalblues
Totally agree have said this all along.
Xbox one is holding games back and also making studios far to stretched.
Just make a top notch game focused on series x end of.
@Royalblues
It’s cool and could not agree more.
Whatever playground games do needs to be managed into the other studios more.
As I class them as the best studio they have when all things are considered.
I think that the best studios that Microsoft have now are Playground Games, Turn 10, Rare, Obsidian, The Coalition, Ninja Theory and The Initiative.
Although it's true that 343 Industries have been busy improving and expanding The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One and Windows, I agree with some of you that Microsoft have been a bit too lax or at the very least they trust them even though they don't seem to deliver. If I was Phil Spencer I'd tell them, "Okay, you have too much in your hands so forget about Xbox One but absolutely make this game really shine (pun not intended) on Series X. Don't disappoint Halo fans".
Is it really unpopular to cancel the Xbox One version when in the poll 70% of readers want that version to be cancelled? If they cancel it, they can focus on improving the engine and polishing the game for Series X and Windows.
If the Xbox One version of Halo Infinite is cancelled, no more AAA first-party games will be released on Xbox One and although that's backing down, I think it is for the best.
2022??? Man, with some of these games that were announced for Series X and even PS5, that are now getting pushed to 2022 instead of launch...what's the point of even releasing the consoles in 2020??? Might as well release the consoles in 2021 and have more ready for the launches, and get some other things ready to!!!
@BlueOcean When MS have made such a huge deal about not having "generational exclusives" and locking players out based on hardware choice. It would be a huge decison to cancel the Xbox One version.
I question whether it would be unpopular though. I think a lot of players would support a true next-gen Halo. But they may be nervous about whether a game developed with cross-gen in mind from the ground up could move to a true next gen game without further delays to this one.
Halo isn’t the system seller it used to be but still an important franchise for Microsoft. Why not just drop the campaign for Xbox One but release the multiplayer instead? Nobody cares how good the graphics are here so long as it runs as a decent frame rate.
The Xbox core franchise has been Forza Horizon since the launch of the Xbox One OG. Sony spent the last gen killing their racing franchises (Wipeout, Driveclub, Motorstorm) whilst Playground made the greatest driving game ever made.
Forza Horizon 5 is the reason to own an XSX, not Halo.
If they knew the game would be running on xbox one when they started development (at least 2 years ago), then why did they build a game not suited for the platform? .
If they built it for XSX, then why did it graphically look like it was targeting the Xbone? This wasn't the Xbone version they showed off.
Surely if it was designed for Xbone and just ported and improved for XSX then it would be much more impressive than it is?.
None of this makes sense unless you factor in incompetence and dysfunctionality.
I mean, look at Gears 5. It looks great on Xbone, XSX and PC, and that was only in development for 3 years, from 2016 - 2019, but Halo Infinite, with a 5+ year dev cycle looks like ass on a PC with next gen specs? And we have examples of great look open world games this gen too.
No, xbox one has not hurt Halo Infinite. 343i have. Be it building a poor engine (hence the reason for needing to redesign the way the engine works) or poor management and vision, or maybe just finally snapping under the weight of a franchise they were never strong enough to hold.
They should have just made Halo Infinite a Series X exclusive in the first place.. That would give millions of people a reason to go out and buy a Series X.. I hated this whole strategy about we won't force next gen on you... Why does Xbox keep making these horrible launch decisions..
Until it becomes reality I will look at it directly as what it is, a rumour. A rumour I would love to be true, but still a rumour. I want this Halo game to be the best it can possibly be, and I feel it can only be that way when focused on next gen hardware.
@Richnj Gears 5 performance is rough on the OG XB1 (same with games like Forza Horizon 4 and Ori 2), the priority with that game is definitely the more powerful hardware.
When, after the Games Showcase and its exclusives, people over at Push Square kept bashing on Phil Spencer (calling him a hypocrite) due to him not being a fan of exclusives, I've been quick to point out he's been referring to keeping games as exclusive to next-gen systems, rather than to a specific family.
This is going to be plain bad PR if true.
@pip_muzz
Broke gamers say hello.
@Grumblevolcano I can't personally test it, but looking online, at digital foundry/euro gamer and YouTube videos, it seems to run just fine. Unless you could provide me a source for otherwise.
But still, you have Gears 5 that is running on all these xboxes, with graphical capabilities well beyond what Halo Infinite provided, with two years (at least) less development time, and a more or less solid 30fps on base hardware, 60fps on XB1X and MP. And yes, it does have res drops below 900p
Why is it that Coalition and Gears can achieve this on these devices but 343i and Halo are struggling to match performance with much lower visuals?.
The One version has to go. It has to.
When the game will finally be ready to launch, nobody will play anymore on Xbox One anyway.
The game has to be fully optimized for Series S and X.
Let's ditch the One version.
@Richnj I play on OG XB1, framerate tanks in plenty of areas. Worst performance is during the windflare sections of Act 3. Playing through the campaign again but on Series X is going to feel like a new experience.
Halo infinite needs to the quintessential next gen release game, for a next gen console. Use all the teraflops and everything else that's in there, to make it the must have halo game, ever. Make it so people say, damn I need to get an xbsx, to continue/finish this great saga. Then somewhere down the line, maybe after a month. Allow the singleplayer to be played, via xcloud, for the xbo crowd. While the multiplayer stays on the xbsx. Ms should also allow a trade in for the xbsx. Base model one, $100. Series s, $150. X1x, $200, towards the new xbsx.
@KelticDevil
Agreed. I'm still not sure when I'm going to get the Series X (might not be until Gears 6 hits) but I was for certain going to get Halo Infinite if the plan remained to release it later this year on both the X1 and Series X. Now that it's been delayed, imo, it's for the best to cut the X1 version even if I have to then wait a little longer to play it. It's too important a game not just for the Xbox Series X but for the IP itself.
Halo for a time was my favorite franchise then Bungie turned it over and it's been meh ever since. CE Anniversary was well done but 4 was barely tolerable (though I tried convincing myself at the time that I liked it), MCC, which should've been a huge celebration, was a mess for a long while and Halo 5 sucked. While I liked what I saw of Infinite, there was definitely room for improvement and the right call to delay it was made. Now use that extra time wisely. The Series X is a beast and while they probably can't strip down the game completely and start over, some big improvements can possibly be made if they don't have to give any attention to the lowest common denominator.
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