Halo Infinite isn't fully open world, but you can explore previous areas

What you need to know

• Halo Infinite Associate Creative Director Paul Crocker recently shed some light on Halo Infinite's world design.
• His comments indicate that Halo Infinite isn't a full open world, but rather a world that is slowly unlocked as players progresses through the story.
• Players will be able to explore previous areas freely to search for upgrades and other secrets.

In a recent interview with Destructoid, Associate Creative Director on Halo Infinite Paul Crocker revealed some new information about the game's world structure. Specifically, he noted that Halo Infinite isn't a full open world game, but rather a game where the world is slowly unlocked as players progress through the story. Then, players will have the freedom to go back to previous areas and explore them thoroughly. Based on previous comments made by 343 Industries developers, players will be able to find upgrades for the pieces of equipment they can use in combat along with other secrets.

"The simple answer is that it takes place in a huge world that is open and expansive," Crocker said in response to an inquiry about Halo Infinite's world structure. "We have a storyline that pulls you through it, which is effectively unlocking certain areas. But, as you progress through it, you have the ability to backtrack and explore to your heart's content. There is a lot to find out in the world."

This news comes following speculation from fans that Halo Infinite was an open world game due to what was seen in the official Halo Infinite gameplay reveal. It's great to get some more information on what Halo Infinite's structuring will be like — and even though it's not a full open world, this new direction is nevertheless one of the boldest and most exciting that Halo has ever gone in.

Halo Infinite is expected to launch on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Windows 10 PCs during the Holiday 2020 season. For more on the game, make sure you catch our article on five things you may have missed from the gameplay reveal. If you're itching to play some Halo right now, though, we recommend Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Halo 3: ODST is set to begin testing on PC soon, so the future is bright.

Your thoughts

What did you think of the Halo Infinite gameplay reveal? Let us know. Halo Infinite is expected to launch during Holiday 2020 for Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Windows 10 PCs.