You're really pressed because there are people who have genuine excitement for a new Halo game? Like.... wow, I didn't think people could get any lower but my already low expectations are shattered to even greater lows

Behold your king

I think that guy more closely aligns with you.

I don't think the issue is really about the engine being scalable. The game was evidently designed for Xbox One as the lead. While Battlefield 3/4 had PC as the lead, then the game was scaled back significantly to work on 7th gen. Halo Infinite apparently is going to get some significant visual upgrades post launch, which shows the project is being rushed for launch.

Halo Infinite simply wasn't designed to utilize the Series X, so this isn't the project that should be a Series X exclusive. But the best console experience should be on Series X and perhaps the updates will make it look more 9th gen. If they want to make a Halo game that really utilized 9th gen visuals that could have a faster development, maybe they should get a team started on a Halo 3 remaster.

While Cyberpunk is only having an 8th gen release this year (if at all), I anticipate that 8th gen version is also being design to have visual improvements only on 9th gen hardware. While the actual 9th gen release is going to raise the bar further.

Halo games comes with a lot of content expectations, not just a campaign. Given Halo Infinite is being rush, I assume the primary focus is just the campaign and basic MP gameplay.

It's very difficult to understand exactly what's going on here, but its fascinating.

The title is only 4 months away from release. It's possibly the biggest game reveal for MS this generation. It's tied to the promotion and identity of their new hardware and this video would have been extensively reviewed internally and higher up before release.

Yet it's probably the most unpolished flagship IP reveal I can think of in recent memory and the visuals are in direct contrast to the whole 'power' marketing message of the new console.

The trailer also surprisingly has a really poor structure. It's not an exciting set-piece with dramatic shifts, it has no real pacing and the ending is an overly long generic poorly written monologue.

Either the game is suffering from development issues -a scrapped story-line, cancelled beta, new game engine, worldwide pandemic, multiple platforms- all being potential reasons or indicators. Or, it simply hasn't had enough time. Which if that's the case I think even this trailer may have been rushed. 343 could be crunching exceptionally hard to get this out the gate by launch.

It all flies in the face of their marketing where they are trying to push the power angle.
It wouldn't have been as bad if they showcased the game running on a base Xbox One... But instead they showcased it at an Xbox Series X reveal running on decent PC hardware, how else do you expect a community to react when the Xbox One wasn't in any of the marketing or messaging and it was all about the Xbox Series X?

Microsoft/343i screwed up.

Halo 5 even though it had a plethora of technical shortcomings wasn't showcased in such a way... And they made it clear they were chasing the 60fps "dream" with a new movement system which wasn't to bad, sadly that game didn't turn out to be amazing.

We want Microsoft/343i to learn and improve, to give the consumer the best possible product they can, not a rushed product for a last-gen platform "spruced up" for new hardware.

I think Crackdown 3 can probably take that crown... Ironically I feel Infinite has made a couple of the same mistakes. (I.E. Visuals.)

At this point I think they should delay the entire project for a year or two and just fine tune everything and overhaul the visuals... Halo 3 launched a few years after the Xbox 360 launched and the Xbox 360 was an amazing success. - Then again... People lined up overnight to get their hands on a copy of that game.

Behold, your god

No one is more of a treasure than Dick, the birthday boy!

I really don't think they gave much of a choice to launch it with the console. If they delay Halo Infinite, they will lose console sales, 100% and potential Game Pass subs. At the same time if they ship game with poor quality it might damage the name. Saying that, its Halo so it will be popular either way. As long as the game is not a broken mess, it should be fine.

Sea of Theives shipped as a barebones games and reviewed poorly. The game survived and after several updates, the game improved and its grown a lot in popularity. Releasing on Steam did wonders for it as well.

We saw something similar with the Xbox One X. It was boasted as the most powerful console, but MS wasn't always pushing amazing looking games on it. The difference being this is actually next gen, but the game is still Xbox One as the lead and being rushed.

I am not saying the community is wrong for reacting how they did. The Series X is seemingly getting a Halo game with Xbox One graphics with more polish. Maybe they will use the time left to improve it. Its obvious their focus is hitting the launch and honestly I look forward to playing it. Hopefully it'll be a good product on day one, that's my primary concern.

My problem with Halo 5 is the game just doesn't look clean. Like many have said before, Halo 4 on MCC kinda looks better just because of the cleaner presentation. Even though Halo 5 has better effects and assets, all the compromises just make the game look kinda ugly. I would love a Halo 5 remaster on the Series X that simply cleans it up.

If the gameplay is good, then I think hitting the launch is fine. If its mediocre or broken, delay it. Unless MS thinks people will stick with it post updates, like MCC.

Probably explains why the Xbox One X wasn't the runaway success? Heck, they stopped making them fairly early instead of pushing that hardware over the Xbox One S.

They need to improve it... And I implore everyone to provide the appropriate critique so they are forced to listen and improve.
"We will improve it later" mantra is a cop-out in my opinion, it was a cop-out with Halo 5. - Just delay the game, make it what it should be... Something that can showcase the hardware in the best possible light.

Halo 5 does look clean, especially interior areas, it's almost clinically clean.

The issue with Halo 5 is actually it's framerate, whilst it pushes for 60fps, not everything in the game operates at 60fps... And that looks jarring and ugly.

Halo 4 took a baked approach, so it was able to "punch above it's weight" so to speak, where-as Halo 5, like Halo: Infinite has more dynamic effects which are more resource intensive.

I would like Halo: Infinite to ironically be remastered for Xbox Series X. Done right.

Halo should be about the entire package... Master Chief Collection was a massive screw up, it's still not perfect.

The Master Chief Collection lost it's entire community almost overnight, a small group of players will always "stick around" - Just like there are still players, playing Halo 3 on the Xbox 360 even today.

Delay it, I want an amazing blow-my-mind game, not something that comes up short... And visually the game comes up short... The level of simulation also comes up short.