Players who completed Halo Infinite's campaign were left with many questions, but one data miner has found a removed video that teases what could be next for the franchise. The open-world Halo Infinite campaign released to mostly positive reception on December 8th. With the game's multiplayer launching almost a month before the story mode, there was considerable anticipation for the next chapter in Master Chief's story.
In a series known for having expansive but linear levels, many fans felt apprehensive when it was announced that the latest Halo game would be an open-world experience. Like many open-world games, players can explore the game's map and clear out enemy bases in order to convert them into outposts for friendly forces. Players may also hunt down wanted enemies and find collectibles throughout Halo Infinite's map. Many avid fans have already completed the story and devoured everything the game has to offer, including the hidden Halo Infinite sandwich. Hungry for any new Halo content, data miners have been going through the game's code, and their efforts have turned up something potentially juicy.
A short video clip starring Master Chief and The Pilot that was removed from the game has been found in the game's code by Youtuber Gamecheat13. A Reddit post from user Space_Dorito highlights the modder's discovery, which showcases the two characters picking up a mysterious friendly signal over their ship's communication device after the conclusion of Halo Infinite's campaign. It is believed that the clip was originally intended to play as a mid-credit scene. The clip bears many similarities with the game's opening cutscene, which saw The Pilot's fateful introduction to Master Chief, setting the game's events into motion. Surprisingly the clip's quality is very close to that of the finished game. This suggests the clip was pulled from the game late in development, which causes Halo fans to speculate on why it was removed at all.
See the original video on YouTube here.
Cut content that remains in the code of a game can often reflect ideas that will never see the light of day, but sometimes it can offer fans a glimpse into upcoming features that are planned to be released after they're given more time in development. While there have not been any official announcements, 343 Studios has previously stated that they wanted to see Halo Infinite grow rather than numbered Halo sequels. While the removed clip does not provide many specific details, it does provide an effective transitional video to future updates or DLC that could see a friendly face join Master Chief for the much-anticipated Co-op campaign update or even currently unannounced new missions.
After the delay of Halo Infinite's release, developers had more time to upgrade the game's visuals and make the game that they wanted to make. Unfortunately, many features still had to be cut for time. One rumor, reported by IGN, suggests that Halo Infinite's map size is only 1/3 the size that was initially planned. The most well-known cut to the game's final product was the inclusion of a cooperative campaign mode, which 343 Studios promise is coming soon. And the short video clip Gamecheat13 discovered seems to be an ideal way to introduce Master Chief's co-op partner, whoever it might be.
Halo Infinite is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Sources: Gamecheat13/Youtube, Space_Dorito/Reddit, IGN