With E3 cancelled and 343 Industries holding its cards close to its chest, many Halo fans are desperate for details about the upcoming next chapter in the Halo franchise, Halo Infinite.
With rumors abound and official releases few and far between, fans have been left with many questions about the next installment in the series, with one potentially game-changing question standing above all others as fans approach the Xbox Series X showcase: will Halo Infinite be open world?
343's Official Releases and Speculation
There are currently many theories about the campaign of Halo Infinite, including the possibility of a return to Installation 07 and the likely role of Cortana as the antagonist, having taken control of the Forerunner Guardians in the previous game. Despite continuing the story of the last two games, however, there are several hints that suggest that Halo Infinite’s campaign could be more open world than past installments.
Halo Infinite has been designed for next gen on the Slipspace engine, which 343 describes as creating “a living, breathing world ripe for exploration and endless gameplay possibilities” in its 2018 teaser. While this could possibly be in reference to some of Halo’s classic large maps going as far back as Blood Gulch in Combat Evolved and Halo 2, the focus on exploration in marketing releases is new for the relatively linear shooting franchise.
The choice of the subtitle Infinite itself seems to suggest a greater focus on choice and exploration when promoting the game, making it seem more likely that the next Halo game will feature larger maps than previously seen. It also potentially indicates that the single-player campaign will encourage less linear play-styles than previous installments, with missions taking place within larger maps rather than maps being designed for linear progression through a predetermined mission, though without official confirmation for now this remains a hope for Halo Infinite rather than a confirmed feature.
Halo Infinite is said to be a "juggernaut of a game" and promotional materials point towards a shift in design philosophy which could be indicative of an open world. However, actual open world gameplay for Halo Infinite’s campaign has not been confirmed. The phrasing of the release could mean anything from an open world to simply one the player can interact with more organically or which appears more naturally lived in by the various creatures of the Halo universe.
Open World and Open Space
There has also been speculation that players could engage in true space exploration between worlds in Halo Infinite, for the first time able to explore the Halo universe from Master Chief’s ship. While this would also align with the marketing materials' focus on exploration, it has also yet to be confirmed by 343.
Some leaks have suggested that Halo 4’s campaign may contain 4 large open world areas for Master Chief to explore, unlocked by progressing through the game. With many Halo leaks turning out to be fake, however, anything not coming directly for 343 Industries should be taken with a large pinch of salt.
It would be a huge break for the franchise not to take place on multiple planets and space stations, and based on everything we know about Halo Infinite so far, fans can feel reasonably safe in the assumption that, even if Halo Infinite contains far larger and less linear landscapes to explore, unless seamless space travel is included in the game, the game is unlikely to contain a single continuous open world.
Multiplayer and the Future of Halo Infinite
In terms of multiplayer, forge mode is confirmed to be making a comeback, which could lead to some interesting opportunities if players can edit some of huge maps made possibly by the Slipspace engine. 343 has confirmed, however, that Halo Infinite will have no battle royale mode in the base game, with Head of Design Jerry Hook commenting that 343 does not want the game to become an “amalgamation of the market.”
With battle royale being the most obvious game mode for a huge open world, this suggests that while the potential approaches to Halo Infinite's missions may be broader, 343 is not putting all of its eggs in one basket, and increasing the openness of the world is far from its only priority for the new installment of their flagship franchise. Halo Infinite’s showcase will take place on July 23 at 9 AM PT, with many fans hoping for clarification on the directions the game could go at that time.
Halo Infinite is set to release holiday 2020 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.