Halo Infinite is now expected to release in Fall 2021, developer 343 Industries confirmed in a blog post. As part of the developer's year-end update, 343 confirmed the new release date and also provided some new insight on the game's graphics, art, and customization features.

　　Halo Infinite was originally expected to release as a launch title for the Xbox Series X|S in November, but due to complications related to COVID-19, and other factors, Microsoft delayed the game to an unspecified point in 2021. The new Fall 2021 date might be later than some expected, as it's a full year beyond what was originally announced.

　　The new rocket launcher in Halo Infinite343 also published images of the first Halo Infinite multiplayer map. As announced previously, the multiplayer element of Halo Infinite will be free-to-play, which is a big change for the series.

　　First look at a Halo Infinite multiplayer mapGallery

　　Joseph Staten, a longtime Microsoft veteran who recently returned to Halo to work on Halo Infinite, said he's impressed by what he's seen from the development team.

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　　"Folks here don't just understand Halo, they love the core gameplay and characters and community--everything that makes Halo, Halo--just as much as I do. And, like me, they also feel a deep responsibility to serve," he said. "

　　"We aren't making this game for us. We're making it for you. My first week on the job, I played the entire Infinite campaign. Twice. I was, in a word, stunned—in the best possible way—by what the team had done. Infinite is, by far, the most expansive and vertical Halo world, ever. Why did the team do this? Because they understand that wonder and freedom are key to the Halo experience."

　　When Halo Infinite releases, it will be available on Xbox Series X|S, as well as Xbox One and PC. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can play it at no extra cost.

　　The new Halo Infinite blog post also included new details on multiplayer, while the developer also acknowledged concerns about the game's graphics. Additionally, 343 shed some light on how Halo Infinite will use microtransactions, but not loot boxes.