Redmond Carolipio: The Halo universe has long been home to one of the more iconic space odysseys out there. To see it emerge on a next-gen console seems appropriate, as is the possible re-focus on the Master Chief following Guardians. I look forward to seeing how much farther 343 can go with this.

Cody Medellin: Halo Infinite was originally pegged as a release title for the Xbox Series X/S, but it was delayed. One can't help but love a good comeback story, so there is hope that things will turn out fine in the end. This will give Halo fanatics a long-awaited shot of something new while also serving as another big reason to get Xbox Game Pass, if you haven't done so already.

Tony "OUberLord" Mitera: As big of a Halo fan as I am, I admit that my anticipation of Halo Infinite borders on morbid curiosity. It is a game that has swapped directors a few times and missed its window of being an Xbox Series X/S launch title by almost a year. Add to it that it will be the first open-world Halo title, and Infinite has a lot of pressure on it. It is hard to imagine what the game will ultimately be like, which is an odd but welcome feeling about an upcoming Halo title.

Adam Pavlacka: The game that was meant to launch the Xbox Series X/S didn't quite make it out with the console, but given its relative scarcity over the launch months (bare shelves were common unless you went with a scalper), the delay doesn't seem to have hurt the hardware or the perception of the game. Halo Infinite is Microsoft's chance to show off what the Xbox Series X hardware can do when pushed by a team that knows it inside and out. Yes, it's a highly anticipated game, but it's also a highly anticipated tech demo. Players are expecting it to be the title that they toss in to demo their console to non-gaming friends before hopping into an online deathmatch. The concern — and it's a big one — is how the online is going to be monetized. Given that multiplayer is supposed to be free to play, we're hoping it doesn't turn into a microtransaction-filled pay-to-winfest.

Andreas Salmen: Halo Infinite had a rocky start with a gameplay reveal that didn't go according to plan. It's surprising (in a good way) that Microsoft reacted by giving the team more time to work on the final product. While we don't know how the reworked product will turn out, here's hoping that it's the exclusive title that Microsoft so desperately needs right now. If everything works out, we'll have a great multiplayer title with a solid Halo campaign coming in 2021, and that's enough for me to be excited about.

David Silbert: Halo Infinite's road to release has been rocky. While its July 2020 gameplay reveal offered a tantalizing look at an open-ended campaign, its visual design was met with mixed reception. Add in the departure of several creatives, plus a delay to fall 2021, and it's easy to fear the worst. Still, this is Halo we're talking about. Here's hoping the delay allows 343 Industries to craft a comeback story worthy of Master Chief's greatest tales.