Community manager John Junyszek explained that there are “two key areas that are debated around the community: general art style and visual fidelity.”
“Based on our learnings from Halo 4, Halo 5, and Halo Wars 2, along with strong community feedback, we decided to return to the legacy aesthetic that defined the original trilogy. With Halo Infinite, we will return to another world.” classic art style, which was a key message dating back to the first revelation that garnered enthusiastic and positive responses. This translates to a more vibrant palette, “cleaner” models, and less “noise” objects, though it doesn’t mean less detail. While we appreciate that this may not be everyone’s personal preference, we support this decision and are happy to see it resonate with so many fans around the world. “
“The second topic being discussed involves visual fidelity. Negative feedback in this area includes comments about characters and objects that appear flat, simplistic and plastic, lights that feel dull and flat, and emerging objects. We have read your comments, we I’ve seen homemade examples of retouched content, and yes, we’ve listened to Digital Foundry’s evaluations. In many ways we agree here, we have work to do to address some of these areas and raise the level of fidelity and overall gameplay presentation. The build used to run the campaign demo was a work in progress from several weeks ago with a variety of graphic elements and game systems still finished and polished, although some of the comments were expected and speak of areas already in progress. progress, other aspects of the feedback have brought to light new opportunities and considerations the team is taking very seriously and is working to evaluate. We don’t have firm answers or results to share yet, but the team is working as quickly as possible on plans to address some of the feedback on detail, clarity and overall fidelity. The team is committed and focused on ensuring that we have a beautiful world for players to explore when we launch it. “
As for multiplayer beta / flighting, Junyszek reiterated what 343 boss Chris Lee stated last week, saying that his plans for a multiplayer beta have been affected “largely due to the challenges of working from home during the COVID-19 “.
343 is not sure that a Beta will end up happening, but he hopes “to have the opportunity for a broader practice before launch.”
The microtransactions in Halo Infinite were confirmed in 2018, but Junyszek assured fans that Halo Infinite “will not include loot boxes for real money.”
This should be a relief, especially considering the level of player customization that will be part of Halo Infinite. As Junyszek said, “If you liked the level of armor customization options in Halo: Reach, you’ll be satisfied.”
There were many other smaller details in this Infinite Inquires post, including reducing the Kill Barriers zones and “Return to Battlefield” in the campaign to encourage exploration in the open world of Halo Infinite, and confirmation that the Battle Rifle (BR75) will make a return.Also, the new grappling hook is coming to multiplayer, but it will work a little differently and be available as an item that can be collected on the battlefield.
Halo Infinite will launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC at Holiday 2020. For more information on the latest Halo game, be sure to check out more details about its villain and its story, why there won’t be a Halo Infinite 2, and why Halo Infinite will be a perfect jumping point for new players.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
