Executive Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella confirmed in Microsoft's latest earnings call that Halo Infinite had the biggest launch in franchise history. Halo Infinite struggled with server issues at launch, along with Battle Pass woes that left some players reeling, yet it still managed to top the Steam charts throughout December 2021.
Technical troubles and Battle Pass concerns aside, Halo Infinite launched to rave reviews across the board. Critics and players alike believe the newest entry is the best Halo outing since 343 Industries became stewards of the franchise. And the hunger for more couldn't be more palpable. While the story campaign and multiplayer suite continue to keep users occupied, the wait for campaign co-op and Forge Mode persists. The campaign co-op feature, in particular, should launch during Season 2, though delays to Halo Infinite's post-launch content plans suggest some additions may not arrive until a little later than initially anticipated. Still, that hasn't stopped players from flocking to the otherwise stellar experience.
During Microsoft's Q2 2022 earnings call, Executive Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella revealed impressive player figures for Halo Infinite. According to VG247, the Microsoft exec told investors that more than 20 million users have jumped into the latest 343-developed title, securing Halo Infinite's place as the biggest launch in series history. Nadella did not offer much more in the way of specifics; thus, it remains a mystery as to how many users purchased the game versus how many joined the Halo fun via Xbox Game Pass. The CEO additionally divulged that Forza Horizon 5 has logged an impressive 18 million players, meaning the high-octane racer from Playground Games is performing well, too.
Xbox Game Pass on PC and console no doubt bolstered Halo Infinite's staggering player count, but such success is still no small feat. And in terms of Microsoft's and Team Xbox's bottom line, 20 million players can go a long way when taking microtransactions and the Battle Pass price tag into consideration.
Originally announced during E3 2018, Halo Infinite didn't fully take center stage until the July 2020 Xbox Game Showcase, where a disappointing showing left many skeptical about the latest mainline entry. Fortunately, the development crew at 343 Industries managed to turn things around by improving Halo Infinite's graphics, environments, and overall performance. The widespread acclaim and increasing player count indicates the growing pains Halo suffered ahead of its launch late last year were worth it in the end.
Halo Infinite is available to play now across PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S platforms.
Source: Microsoft via VG247