343i planned to conquer E3 2020: 'It was our big year to own the show'

Microsoft and 343i had big plans to conquer E3 2020 with Halo: Infinite

We still haven't seen Halo: Infinite gameplay footage, and there's a ton we don't know. 343i was planning to blow the lid off the game in the best way possible: On stage at E3 in a big explosive showcase. It would've been the triumphant return of the Halo franchise. At least that's according to 343i's community manager Brian "Ske7ch" Jarrard.

"I know it's a trivial, meaningless thing given the state of this country and much more important issues... but in a parallel universe I'd be at e3 this week. I'm bummed. This was to be our big year to own the show. Missing all my industry friends and the annual shenanigans," Jarrard said on Twitter.

In lieu of E3, Halo: Infinite will still be a headliner for the big Xbox event slated in July. But things will be different. It'll be a live-streamed event, and the COVID-19 disruptions typically make these shows much harder to pull off. Can we still expect epic gameplay footage, a release date, and multiplayer? Most likely.

Although we've never seen gameplay, we actually know a lot about Halo: Infinite.

The game is launching on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X, it'll have split-screen co-op and multiplayer, it won't have REQ pack microtransactions but will likely be monetized via a battle pass or cosmetics.

We also know it won't have a battle royale mode, but it is being developed with esports in mind.

I've also predicted Halo: Infinite will have a live service-style campaign that continually evolves over time. 343i may pull something quite different with Infinite and launch a GaaS-style storyline that updates and changes instead of the normal static experiences. That way they can keep the game going for years outside of traditional multiplayer.

Halo: Infinite releases alongside the Xbox Series X in Holiday 2020, and will be the main star of the Xbox event in July.