A new Australian Classification Board listing has revealed the official rating for Halo Infinite in Australia. And while the M-rating doesn’t reveal much about the game itself, it does indicate Halo Infinite is getting closer to its long-heralded release.
The listing confirms the base game was rated on August 10, with the campaign nabbing the same M rating on August 11. Science fiction themes, online interactivity and violence all feature in the reasons for this rating, as well as the game’s pesky microtransactions.
These were confirmed in late 2020, with developers stating they were for premium cosmetic purchases only, and that there’d be no actual loot boxes or randomness with these purchases.
Beyond the written rating, the listing doesn’t reveal too much. We know the game won’t feature any drug use, nudity or sex, and that the game’s violence is classified as ‘moderate’ — but the game actually being classified in the first place is a great indicator that Halo Infinite is still on track for a 2021 release.
Classification generally takes place when a game is close to or at its final form so local assessors can give it a rating that matches its planned release. As a result, classification is usually one of the last steps developers take to release games around the world.
While Halo Infinite still remains undated outside of a nebulous ‘holiday 2021’ release, we can look to other recently rated games for guidance on what the game’s new classification means.
As pointed out by VGC, Forza Horizon 5 was classified last week on August 3, and that title has a release date set for November 9. If we assume Xbox is prioritising classification based on release date, we can also assume Halo Infinite is set for release shortly after this.
It’s likely we’ll hear much more about the game as we get closer to that ‘holiday 2021’ period but for now, the recent Australian Classification Board listing is a good sign the game is nearly ready. Stay tuned to Kotaku Australia for more news.
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