Master Chief returns.
Almost three years after the release of Halo 5: Guardians, Microsoft unveiled an announcement trailer for a new Halo game called Halo Infinite at Xbox's E3 briefing on Sunday afternoon.
"The Master Chief returns in Halo Infinite—the next chapter of the legendary franchise," Microsoft says. "Developed by 343 Industries and created with our new Slipspace Engine. This thrilling engine demo provides a glimpse into the future of the Halo franchise, leading it into new and unexpected directions."
In a blog post published after the event, 343 Industries explained, "The Slipspace Engine demo shown at the E3 2018 briefing is the culmination of years of work and is infused with the passion of hundreds of people here at 343 Industries. When we started this project, the team’s vision for the game was ambitious—so much so that we knew we had to build new tech to fully realize our goals for Halo Infinite. The E3 demo showcases some of the exciting potential of this technology—everything you see is running in-engine."
They also noted that Master Chief will have a more prominent role in the game than he did in Halo 5. Unfortunately for impatient fans, however, the release date is likely still a long ways away. The footage seen in the trailer is from an engine demo, and the game is still far from completion.
"We still have a long way to go until we ship the game, so things will certainly evolve between now and the release of Halo Infinite, though the engine demo is a clear indication of the direction we are heading with our next game and a great snapshot of where our tech is right now," 343 Industries say.
Some members will be able to get an early look at the game through testing, though. "In the future, you will be able to join early flighting programs that will let members of the community play the game with us, and give direct feedback, much like the current Insider flighting program for Halo: The Master Chief Collection," the company points out. "It will take some time for us to be ready to kick those flighting events off, but when we do they will start small and grow along the way."
