One thing is that the Halo Infinite shooter has microtransactions. Now Halo: The Master Chief Collection, a pricey first-person shooter, could see something similar. May be. Developer 343 is still “exploring” a “potential” framework “for the future.”
The introduction of microtransactions may seem like a strange step for Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which is nearly eight years old and has already had one of the most turbulent public receptions of modern games.
First released in 2014, Halo: The Master Chief Collection combines the first four main Halo games, and their popular multiplayer components, but came out the door with some serious connectivity issues. It took quite a while and a lot of updates, but in 2019, Master Chief Collection became one of the best multiplayer shooters. The player base was further strengthened in 2020 following the popularity of the then-upcoming Halo Infinite.
“We are internally exploring a potential new feature for the future in the form of Spartan points that can be purchased,” Alex Wakeford of 343 wrote in a blog post. “It is prudent to note here that we are happy with the current system of how players earn Spartan points, completing challenges and leveling up with the game. This would be an optional and additive alternative for players who might find the content wide. it’s an intimidating amount of playing time and they want to get ahead (or skip) the routine. ”
Needless to say, the Halo community is not happy.
“It’s a mistake,” he told Kotaku Taras, a Halo-focused content creator known as LateNightGaming on YouTube. “343 has unfortunately had a hard year after the mismanagement of Halo Infinite’s alleged ‘live service’. The last thing they need is [to] It retroactively adds microtransactions to games that are more than a decade old at the moment. “
Even the generally positive voices of the Halo community have spoken. Sacred Icon, a popular Halo podcast, said more microtransactions is “the last thing Halo needs.” UberNick, a Halo content creator with Spacestation Gaming, said he was initially not bothered by the idea of the microtransaction, but that he revised his position after reading the concerns of others.
“The Master Chief collection is considered a bit of a‘ safe spot ’for Halo right now, the only area in the series that is doing relatively well, so seeing them consider something as deaf as the inclusion of microtransactions it’s a surprisingly bad public relations movement, ”Taras said.
After the release of the second season of Halo Infinite, fans criticized how 343 Industries fell silent on some controversial changes, such as the elimination of non-telegraphic crossing methods called “skill jumps”, without first reporting the players. After some vocal comments from community members, 343 reversed those changes.
In the elapsed time, this is, in my view, the first instance in which 343 has made a change on the part of the Halo community to measure reception before implementing it. But it’s unclear if it was an intentional decision by 343 in response to the debacle of the second season of Halo Infinite or, if so, why they chose to test the water with the terminal issue of microtransactions . Everyone hates microtransactions!
Representatives from 343 Industries did not respond to a request for comment.