As with the E3 2018 trailer, the E3 2019 trailer was accompanied by a Halo Waypoint news article that gave us some additional information. Here’s a few such quotes.
“This year our story-driven teaser, created with that same engine, unveils the beginning of the narrative marking the next chapter of the Master Chief’s story.”
The trailer we saw isn’t just some random in-engine cinematic, it’s actually the start of the game’s story! Of course, it would make sense for this cutscene to be the first we see, as the pilot goes looking for a device to check the Master Chief’s armor diagnostics, possibly for targeting in the way we have seen in many Halo games.
“So with that immense responsibility in mind, we are building what we internally refer to as a spiritual reboot, a game with a vision set firmly in the future, but a foundation rooted deeply in the things our team and our fans have fallen in love with – the scope, the scale, the heroism and the moments of spectacle and wonder that brought players together on couches, at basement LAN parties, on Xbox Live and in esports arenas for years.”
Halo Infinite is a spiritual reboot for the Halo franchise, taking it in a new direction while staying true to the foundation that has been built over the last 20 years. We can see this focus in the art, music, and sound design shown thus far.
“More importantly, a team of talented composers of original music that could work seamlessly with existing melodies and themes to blend the classic and the new – music that will sometimes map to familiar characters and ideas, but also introduce brand new threats, wonders and discoveries in dramatic and immersive ways.”
The music, as mentioned above, derives from the melodies and themes of the first few games while still exploring new ideas. It brings with it a sense of familiarity with a new look, reminding us of our prior experiences while also delivering new ones.
“The universe will continue the continuity of Halo 5 and in that sense contain the adventures that led up to this moment, but in the pursuit of our “spiritual reboot” and the launch of a new console, we also want to make sure that this is a perfect starting point for new players too. This story will mark the beginning of a new chapter and challenge for the Chief, but it will also respect and continue threads that led to this point. If you’ve never played a Halo game before, this will be a great place to jump into the story. You’re arriving in the middle a universe at war, with a sense of history underlying your entry into the world. But it will also feel fresh, full of potential, and new adventure. We will weave in context and guideposts to understand your place in a new universe. But if you’ve invested in Halo for all these years, you’ll feel immediately at home – and some of our story moments will spark a different resonance for your investment.”
Unlike previous games that had significant character development and background in other Halo media, such as books and comics, Halo Infinite will be a self-contained game set in the middle of a major conflict affecting everyone. For longtime fans, there will be wonderful rewards throughout, but for new fans, everything will still be understandable and welcoming.
Summary
There wasn’t too much more new information about the game in this post, but there was a lot of discussion around their design goals. Here’s a brief summary:
The Discover Hope trailer is the beginning cutscene of Halo Infinite, at least as it was in June 2019.
Halo Infinite is a spiritual reboot for the Halo franchise, bridging old and new in a game accessible to newcomers and familiar to longtime fans.
The music is designed to combine original themes and motifs with new ideas to form a style that is new but distinctly Halo.
The story is a continuation from Halo 5: Guardians, but it does not require players to have played previous games or have read content outside the games. However, being familiar with the previous experiences will enrich the experience.