The E3 Xbox Showcase spent more time on its driving game than the Master Chief.<\/b>
\nMicrosoft\u2019s Xbox-Bethesda Showcase event was its strongest E3 presence in years, with a string of exciting titles that underscored the value of Game Pass like never before and positioned the console for what appears to be two solid years of gameplay. But there was one curious part of the 90-minute presentation that left some viewers confused. Halo Infinite, arguably the most anticipated game for the Xbox Series X and Series S, got its update in the middle of the event \u2013 a curious placement, but one could argue it was positioned so the reveal of Redfall wasn\u2019t upstaged. Overall, Microsoft spend about seven minutes talking about and showing the game. Forza Horizon 5, on the other hand, received 9 minutes of attention, including \u201clive\u201d gameplay (though, of course, the event was taped beforehand). It was also positioned much later in the show, closer to the grand finale. The extended length of the Forza Horizon demonstration, its placement toward the end of the showcase, and the fact that it was given a hard release date (November 9) versus Halo Infinite \u2019s vague one (\u201choliday 2021\u201d) is stoking fears that the flagship Halo game might see future delays to its release. Halo Infinite, of course, already has a rocky history. Originally promised as a launch title the for Series X, the game was delayed last August after a disappointing premiere and a subsequent display of real-time gameplay that harked back to the first game in the series, but didn\u2019t showcase a lot of new features. Today\u2019s showcase offered a look at a game that was certainly visually improved and a story that seems more fleshed out, but E3 conferences have a magic that makes even the most incomplete games seem imminent (something the developers of The Outer Worlds 2 spoofed perfectly in a reveal trailer Sunday.) But the lack of a specific release date was notable \u2013 especially with an obvious one like November 15, the 20-year anniversary of Xbox\u2019s launch and less than two weeks before Black Friday, falling in that \u201choliday\u201d range. By emphasizing other games more than its flagship and leaving itself wiggle room, Microsoft allowed the seeds of doubt to be planted about the game\u2019s status, a shame given how masterfully it handled the rest of the conference. Let\u2019s be clear: Microsoft has not signaled any sort of delay \u2013 and it wouldn\u2019t have announced holiday 2021 if it didn\u2019t plan on meeting that date. We could very well see a hard date and a more extensive demo, loaded with in-game footage (or even a closed beta), later this summer as the second part of a coordinated one-two punch. The expectations for Halo: Infinite are extraordinarily high. And even a slip of a few months (sa y\u2026 into spring 2022) wouldn\u2019t be terrible (though a Halo game launching in a non-holiday time period would be shocking). A second substantial delay, though, could cause a crisis of confidence among players and investors. Forza Horizon 5 is an important franchise in its own right \u2013 one that appeals to both fans of racing games and a more casual audience. And the game looked spectacular in its premiere Sunday. Is it, however, a game that should have been such a huge focus during an E3 event? That\u2019s debatable. There was plenty to show off about the game. And no one was expecting a Forza-like take on Trackmania, I suspect. But racing titles haven\u2019t been the type of games that sell systems for a few generations. Halo is, and that makes Microsoft\u2019s ever-so-slight hedge about Infinite ever-so-slightly concerning.<\/p>\n