Microsoft's 'Halo Infinite' Coming In Fall 2021

Microsoft Corporation's MSFT next game from the iconic Halo franchise, "Halo Infinite," is coming in fall 2021, developer 343 Industries said in a blog post.

What Happened: Halo Infinite was originally supposed to launch alongside the Xbox Series X and Series S in November. The game demo was showcased during Microsoft's Xbox series X launch and received mixed feedback. The demo received criticism primarily for the graphics and visuals.

Creative Director Joseph Staten said that he joined the Halo Infinite team when "it was wrestling with feedback from the July campaign demo." He admitted that the game needs more time to "do the right things" and move at a fast pace for a fall 2021 release.

Why It Matters: Microsoft wants to gain market share in the gaming space, and the success of Halo Infinite is essential to the company. 

In an interview, Microsoft's gaming chief Phil Spencer said that he doesn't look at unit sales of Xbox when it comes to competing with PlayStation 5, but the number of players and their engagement time.

Microsoft is taking a hit on short-term gross margins by undercutting the price of the latter's Xbox's digital-only version at $299, compared to PS5's $399 price point.

The software giant is betting big on the Game Pass and Xbox Live services, which has a catalog of more than 100 games covering titles released for its previous three consoles, for $10 per month. 

Price Action: MSFT shares closed 0.80% higher at $216.01 on Tuesday.

See Also: Why Sony's PlayStation 5 Is Winning What Could Be The Last Console War

Image Courtesy: Wikimedia