Microsoft confirms 'Halo Infinite' release date at Gamescom

The highly anticipated video game was originally scheduled to be out alongside the new Xbox Series S and X consoles last year

'Halo Infinite' will be launched on December 8 after being delayed by more than a year. Photo: Xbox

After being delayed by more than a year, Halo Infinite will finally be released on December 8.

The news of the video game’s release date was leaked after it was shown on the Microsoft Store before being officially confirmed by Microsoft during the opening of Gamescom on Wednesday, where the tech company also showed off a new trailer for the long-running game franchise.

Halo Infinite had originally been planned to launch alongside the Xbox Series X and S consoles in November 2020, but was delayed owing to the pandemic.

"We have made the difficult decision to shift our release to 2021 to ensure the team has adequate time to deliver a Halo game experience that meets our vision," developer 343 Industries studio head Chris Lee said at the time.

During Gamescom, Microsoft also announced a new limited-edition Halo Infinite-themed Xbox Series X console ($549.99) and a companion Xbox Elite controller with Halo Infinite stylings ($199.99) alongside the new game.

A few days before announcing the release date, 343 Industries also revealed that the game won’t be launched with the co-op and Forge campaign mode.

Co-operative play with friends is expected to arrive in season two of Halo Infinite, about three months later, while Forge mode won’t be introduced until season three, about six months after launch.

Halo, a military sci-fi first-person shooter game, is one of the bestselling video game franchises of all time, and its latest iteration is set to be the sixth instalment. The first game was released in 2001 and the franchise has since sold more than 81 million copies worldwide.

In February, it was announced that Showtime would be producing a series starring Pablo Schreiber, based on the game, exclusively for Paramount+. It is likely to premiere early next year.

While there's still a few more months to go before the game comes out, here are five video games to try instead.