According to a recent leak, Halo Infinite almost saw the return of the Prometheans in Halo Infinite, along with roaming beasts, some of which may have been in the service of Banished.

343 Industries hasn’t been shy about sharing its ambitions for Halo Infinite and what the studio wants to bring to the stage while also taking the series back to its roots in more ways than one. Banished and Master Chief’s new AI companion, The Weapon, is an excellent example of this mentality, as they’re taking the old staples of the series and giving each a fresh twist, along with new additions like The Endless. However, it seems that some notable elements have been left in the game’s cutting room, as a new developer leak reveals.

The leak comes courtesy of Twitter user Leaks_Infinite, who, as his name suggests, recently leaked several test and development videos for Halo Infinite.

Many videos published by Leaks show early weapon concepts, such as a light rifle and a new version of the Promethean scattershot, which were not ultimately included in the game’s arsenal. However, the two significant cut-outs seem to be wildlife, which were shown off in the first Halo Infinite teaser trailer, and Prometheans, which played a major role in Halo 4 and Halo 5.

According to leaked videos, the Promethean Knights, Watchers, and Soldiers were in the early stages of development as another potential enemy force. Still, it seems the faction never made it past that stage.

On the other hand, some potential beasts of Zeta Halo seem to have gotten much further along in development before 343 cut them out of the game. According to the leak, an early model of the split-horned rhino seen in the original Halo Infinite teaser was made, though it doesn’t appear to have gotten any further than this stage. Another creature, the Crusher, has made it much additionally, with two models completed, one of which appears to have been fitted with Banished armour to act as a sort of living tank.

Of the two, the former may be the more surprising draw for veteran Halo players.

The Prometheans have been a central part of the 343 Reclaimer Saga since the studio took over control of Halo from Bungie, and this was just one way the studio tried to put the Forerunners at the heart of Master Chief’s new story. Only time will tell whether the enemy force will return in a future Halo game or in Halo Infinite DLC.

Source: WindowsCentral, Twitter

Promethean Watcher in Halo Infinite!
2 of them exist in the files but they look identical. #Halo #HaloInfinite pic.twitter.com/Li5buU7tzE

— Halo Leaks | Infinite Leaks & News (@leaks_infinite) August 26, 2022

The Crusher without Armor – Also showing how many rockets it takes to kill it.👀#Halo #HaloInfinite pic.twitter.com/ybxgdjAotH

— Halo Leaks | Infinite Leaks & News (@leaks_infinite) August 26, 2022