Halo Infinite delay 'isn't going to change' Xbox Series X launch, says Phil Spencer

The Xbox Series X won’t have Halo Infinite when it launches in November this year, but it will have Xbox Game Pass and Xbox boss Phil Spencer has expressed confidence in the pulling power of this combination. 

Appearing on Gary Whitta’s Animal Talking earlier this week, Spencer acknowledged that while the delay of Halo Infinite “is disappointing to people, it’s disappointing to us”,  the absence of the exclusive title “isn’t going to change too much” for the Xbox Series X launch strategy.

According to Spencer, when it comes to the launch of the Xbox Series X “you were going to hear a lot about the console and a lot about Game Pass and how we think those two things together are a real great value proposition for gamers going into the next generation.” 

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Through discussions with customers, Spencer said they’re finding that the service is “a real decision maker for people that are both on our platform and people evaluating Xbox Series X as a console for them.” 

Focus on Game Pass

It’s become clear in recent months that Microsoft is determined to increase the appeal and value of a Game Pass subscription to consumers, with moves like including Project xCloud streaming in Game Pass Ultimate for no additional cost. 

It seems that, particularly in the absence of Halo Infinite, Microsoft will double down on Game Pass and backwards compatibility, with Spencer emphasising during the interview that “our investment in Game Pass and that portfolio continues to be strong. We’ve got some more good announcements, really great, strong announcements to come about things that will be coming to Game Pass.”

What those announcements might involve and when they’ll happen remains unclear. However, there have been some rumors that Xbox is planning an August showcase which, while still unconfirmed, could be an ideal time and place for Xbox to make some reveals that would take the focus off the Halo Infinite delay and continue to make its case for why gamers should choose the Xbox platform over the PS5. 

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