Halo Infinite Fans Express Frustration Over Increased Shop Prices

Article Key Points

The decision made by 343 Industries to raise the prices for microtransactions in Halo Infinite's in-game store has left fans displeased. This dissatisfaction stems from the fact that the new flood-themed armor kits and coatings now come with an additional expense.

Despite the price increase, Halo Infinite has won back the approval of gamers by introducing a thriving custom games browser, an expanded range of game types, and by addressing longstanding grievances through the reduction of item prices and the inclusion of cross-core customization.

According to 343, the price increase is justified due to the implementation of cross-core customization, which enables the use of items across all armor cores. Nevertheless, this price hike has led some fans to question the goodwill and trust that 343 Industries had recently reestablished.

Critics have condemned 343 Industries' choice to raise the prices of in-game microtransactions in Halo Infinite's virtual store. The introduction of flood-themed armor kits and coatings in Season 05 comes with an additional price tag.

Following a troubled release and a significant drop in player numbers, Halo Infinite has managed to regain favor among its players. The game now boasts a thriving custom games browser and a wider selection of game modes to choose from, demonstrating that it has finally found its stride. In recent seasons, the developers have made efforts to address longstanding grievances of the Halo community by reducing item prices in the store and introducing cross-core customization for helmets and visor colors.

Season 05: Reckoning launched on October 17, introducing two fresh maps, a revamped version of Halo 4’s Extraction mode, and impressive flood-themed armor kits. However, these attractive cosmetic bundles now come with a higher price tag, as 343 Industries has increased the prices of items in the shop. For example, the "Transgressor" bundle, which includes a flood-infected armor kit and a color scheme usable on all cores, currently costs 2200 credits – approximately $20.00. Upset fans have taken to social media to express their frustration with the price increase. "Halo Infinite’s shop prices for S5 have been really disappointing," tweeted Halo enthusiast XLR8, "a lot of the stuff simply isn’t worth the price."

Brian “ske7ch” Jarrard, 343’s community director, responded to XLR8 on Twitter, explaining that "prices on many offers have changed due to the addition of multi-core functionality in customization content." This highlights a controversial aspect of Halo Infinite’s customization. With each new season, a new armor core with a unique style is introduced. Until recently, individual armor pieces were not compatible across cores, which limited players in creating their ideal Spartan compared to past games in the franchise.

With the addition of cross-core customization in Season 05, it seems that 343 is justifying the increase in price by allowing items purchased to be usable on all armor cores. This decision may be reasonable, considering the extra effort required from developers to make each piece compatible with every core. Many fans appreciate the new cosmetic options, and the game continuously introduces more items, like Master Chief's upcoming Combat Evolved armor. However, currently, only helmets, visors, and armor coatings can be used with all cores. Unfortunately, for many fans, this price increase has eroded a significant amount of the goodwill and trust that 343 had recently regained.

Despite the dissatisfaction among many players regarding the state of Halo Infinite's shop, the game still boasts its highest player count in months. This is partly thanks to Forge, Halo's impressive in-game map editor, and the introduction of the new AI toolkit in Season 05. This toolkit allows gamers to create their own versions of the beloved 'Firefight' mode, which was first seen in Halo 3:ODST and holds a special place in fans' hearts.

Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite is the latest entry in the long-running Halo series. A first for the franchise, this game is open-world, features a grapple system, and more.

Franchise: Halo

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

Release Date: December 8, 2021

Developed by: 343 Industries

Published by: Xbox Game Studios

Genre: First-Person Shooter

ESRB Rating: T for Teen - Blood, Mild Language, Violence

X|S Enhanced: Yes

Metascore: 87

Crossplay Supported Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Editor's P/S

As a Halo fan, I am disappointed by 343 Industries' decision to raise the prices of microtransactions in Halo Infinite's in-game shop. The new flood-themed armor kits and coatings are already expensive, and the price increase makes them even more inaccessible to many players. I understand that 343 needs to make money to support the game, but I think they are going about it the wrong way. By raising the prices of microtransactions, they are alienating their player base and making it more difficult for people to enjoy the game.

I am also concerned about the precedent that this sets. If 343 can get away with raising the prices of microtransactions in Halo Infinite, other developers will likely follow suit. This could lead to a situation where microtransactions become so expensive that they are out of reach for most players. I urge 343 to reconsider their decision and lower the prices of microtransactions in Halo Infinite. They need to find a way to make money without alienating their player base.