Was 343’s decision to make Halo Infinite free-to-play correct?
Technically, Halo Infinite isn’t free - only the multiplayer component is. Because of this, fans are flocking to the newest entry in the sci-fi shooter franchise. Unfortunately, what was initially met with a lot of excitement has turned somewhat sour, especially in terms of the microtransaction. Although 343 Industries has already addressed the issue with the Battle Pass, with a promise to do even more tweaking going forward, it appears that fans still aren’t happy with the game’s change in monetization. As a result of Halo Infinite’s switch to a free-to-play model, 343 has to rely on microtransactions. Unfortunately, because 343 isn’t well-versed in microtransactions, it might have overestimated just how much money it should be making from players. After a recent leak revealed how Season 1 of Halo Infinite will include 88 different store bundles available only via real-world currency, u/samurai1226 quickly went to work on how much players would need to spend to get their hands on every item. He found out that players would have to spend at least $1,035. To make matters worse, 343 have turned some items that it first advertised would be available to earn just from playing to microtransactions. The biggest takeaway here is that players will need to spend money to customize their avatars in Halo Infinite, which definitely did not sit well with fans of the series. Many expected 343 to make certain cosmetics available through gameplay, especially as Halo Infinite’s single-player campaign is expected to sell well. If it’s any consolation, 343 is working on Halo Infinite, with Forge mode, among others, still coming in 2022. 343 has already proven that it’s willing to concede and listen to player feedback. If the leaks about the contents of Season 1 of Halo Infinite are true, then 343 will be wise to listen to what the franchise’s fans are saying. This way, the studio still has a chance to update the game’s multiplayer component and make certain cosmetics available for free ahead of the game’s full launch on December 8.
