During the interview, Booty stated that Microsoft and 343 Industries had a sub-optimal plan for the title’s post-launch content. He said that the situation is very similar to “the classic runner’s mistake of tripping and stumbling as you come across the finish line.” Halo Infinite enjoyed a high player count at launch as it reached over 20 million players and broke different records. At some point, the video game had more than 250,000 concurrent players enjoying the game on Steam alone, with an additional 240,000 plus Twitch viewers tuned in. Unfortunately, it has since seen a decline in the player count with a 2,565 average player count and 5,575 peak players in the last 30 days. It certainly didn’t help that 343 Industries kept delaying the game’s co-op campaign. Booty attributed this fall to the lack of quality content that would make players stick to the game long after its launch. He said, “These days, with a game like Halo Infinite, shipping the game is just the beginning. There’s got to be a plan for content sustaining, there’s got to be a plan for regular continuing engagement, and we just fell short on the plan on that.” However, identifying the issue is not as important as solving it. To this end, Booty confirmed that steps are ongoing to resolve the issue. He explained that 343 Industries are “refocused” and working in a way that will guarantee the release of great content. In his words: True to Booty’s words, Halo Infinite’s next major update will be available soon. The update will feature campaign co-op, Forge mode, mission replay, new modes, new maps, weapon balancing, and multiplayer content, among others. The Forge mode will introduce custom content to the game before the launch of the upcoming Halo Infinite Season 03: Echoes Within on March 7. It will also introduce new game modes, a custom game browser, a 100-tier battle pass, and a narrative event. While this may not be enough to resolve the video game’s issues, it is indeed a great start. In other Halo Infinite news, reports suggest that 343 Industries will be switching from its in-house Slipspace engine to Unreal Engine 5 for its next Halo title.
