Games typically only go before rating boards when they are reasonably close to release - any significant change would require the game to be re-rated entirely, and another game that was also rated by the same board at the same time is Forza Horizon 5 - which actually does have a release date: November 9.
With both games rated at the same time, their release dates can’t be too far off from one another either. We already knew that Halo Infinite had a rough release window of November this year, but not the exact date. This just reaffirmed that - and even opened the possibility of a late October release. Phil Spencer has previously shared comments about Microsoft’s reluctance to nail down a release date. The company is choosing to keep Halo Infinite’s launch flexible while waiting for other major AAA titles releasing in the holiday season to announce their own release dates - it is likely that the publisher wants to keep Halo Infinite clear of any other major games. With the biggest risk likely being posed by this year’s annual Call of Duty release, Microsoft wants to keep its options open - however, Forza Horizon 5 itself is a pretty major title. Between these factors, some fans have begun to speculate that Halo Infinite might be moved up to late October in order to dodge the competition. However, at the same time, additional signs point towards a November release. Recently the Mexican Krispy Kreme Twitter profile posted a promotional tweet showing off Halo Infinite doughnuts with a caption saying that players should try the limited-time products to “tide them over until November”. In any case, you still have time to clear some space on your hard drives - Halo Infinite’s install size has leaked.
