Halo Infinite was originally going to be a launch title for the Xbox Series X, but after mixed reaction to its gameplay reveal, Microsoft made the tough decision to push the game's release date back. The Halo Infinite delay was a big blow to the Xbox Series X's early lineup, but this extra time in the oven could be a big difference maker when it comes to how fans receive the game when it's finally out. Since the delay, 343 Industries has been more open about what fans can expect from the game, revealing some fresh details in a recent Q&A session.
One of the questions 343 was asked during the Q&A was in regards to dual-wielding. Dual-wielding was introduced in Halo 2 as one of that game's major new gameplay mechanics, and it popped up again in Halo 3. While dual-wielding was a popular feature in Halo 2 and Halo 3, it seems as though the feature may not be returning for Halo Infinite.
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According to 343, Halo Infinite currently does not have dual-wielding. The developers explained that when making a game the size of Halo Infinite, choices have to be made about what will and won't be included in the game. Instead of implementing a dual-wielding feature like previous Halo games, 343 decided to instead focus on perfecting the weapons, gunplay, grenades, and melee, along with equipment.
In its current state, Halo Infinite does not have dual-wielding, but that doesn't mean the feature won't be added to the FPS eventually. While it sounds highly unlikely that Halo Infinite will have dual-wielding at launch, perhaps the feature will be added at some point as a post-launch patch or update. After all, Halo Infinite is expected to be a live-service style game that's supported for years, so one has to imagine new features like dual-wielding will be part of that support.
Some Halo fans may be disappointed to learn that Halo Infinite may not have dual-wielding, but it wouldn't be the first Halo game to skip the feature. Besides the original Halo: Combat Evolved not having dual-wielding, Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, and Halo: Reach skipped the feature as well. Halo: Reach was plenty popular when it came out and is still considered a favorite in the Halo community, so it's clear that Infinite could still be well-received by fans, even without dual-wielding.
As we get closer to Halo Infinite's fall 2021 release date, more information on the game and its features should come to light. In the meantime, there should be plenty more updates from 343 between now and then, so fans should have a good idea of what to expect from the final product.
Halo Infinite launches fall 2021 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.