Microsoft has stated that Halo fans should think of Halo: Infinite as Halo 6, despite the game not actually being called Halo 6.

Speaking during a recent Mixer broadcast, 343 Studios Jeff Easterling said “You should just consider it Halo 6. Don’t think of it as a weird prequel kind of thing. It’s the next story. It’s the next chapter in what’s going on.”

Halo: Infinite was announced at this year’s E3, but apart from a trailer showcasing the 343’s new engine, Slipspace, along with the fact that it's coming to PC, little else about the game was revealed.

Microsoft has been saying for some time that it wants to get away from numbered Halo titles. But by going with the title “Infinite” Microsoft has muddied the waters perhaps more than it wanted too. Bioshock: Infinite was of course a very different game compared to the original. The term "Infinite" could also signify a much broader structure, perhaps even a shared-universe experience like Destiny or Anthem, which I'm sure Microsoft would like to get on board with.

Microsoft has tried to address this confusion before. Studio head Chris Lee has previously confirmed that Infinite is a direct sequel to Halo 5, while it’s also been determined Infinite will focus more on Master Chief than the last game. But 343 has also said it’s “making changes to how we approach things”, and wants to take players in “new and unexpected directions.” Now Easterling is saying that Infinite is for all intents and purposes Halo 6. I’m getting a headache.

Anyway, to clarify, you should think of Halo Infinite as Halo 6, even through it’s not called that, and you’ll definitely be getting more of what you'd expect from Halo, but in a way that’s new and unexpected. Is that clear?