Suspicions Confirmed: Halo Infinite Raises Cosmetic Prices with Multi-Core Armor
Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has confirmed suspicions that they quietly increased the prices of the game’s cosmetics. The arrival of the highly anticipated multi-core armor feature, which players have been waiting for two years, is the reason behind this price hike.
In a surprising display of transparency, community director Brian “ske7ch” Jarrard openly admitted to the price increase in response to concerns raised by the community. However, players are still disappointed that customization features, which they believe should have been included since the game’s launch, have now become more expensive.
Jarrard explained that the price changes were implemented to account for the addition of multi-core functionality to customization content. This was also seen in season four when armor-coating bundles saw similar price increases after becoming multi-core enabled. Additionally, adjustments were made to bundles featuring shoulder armor in a proactive manner, as they will also receive multi-core functionality in the future.
While Jarrard’s explanation provides some clarity, it has not alleviated the frustration felt by the player community. Content creator XLR8 expressed disappointment with the pricing logic and called for a better way forward.
Critiques of Halo Infinite’s pricing model for the in-game store are not new. Feedback from players led to a major rework and cost reductions in January of last year, but even that did little to improve the overall reception of premium bundles’ prices.
Some have tried to defend Halo Infinite’s prices by comparing them to competitors like Call of Duty and Fortnite, highlighting that Infinite’s bundles are either similar or cheaper. However, these comparisons have done little to appease the community’s anger.
The current prices have sparked a lot of frustration among players. While 343 Industries relies on shop revenue to continue developing Halo Infinite, lowering the prices would likely generate more revenue, especially for highly anticipated armor kits.
One frustrated Reddit post sums up the sentiment: “Charging more for fixing your own mistakes. Infinite has had many successes recently, but this just sucks.” Another player added, “It’s deflating. I understand that the content required time and money to update, but not having cross-core until now is their responsibility.”
The issue at the heart of the matter is the anticipation surrounding the multi-core feature, which players have been eagerly awaiting for almost two years. Discovering that it comes with a hidden cost, especially on armor pieces that were previously cheaper, is disappointing. This knowledge creates hesitancy among players, even though they may have been willing to purchase certain bundles if they had known about the multi-core functionality.
Season five of Halo Infinite is now available, and its first Operation, Combined Arms, will begin on November 14th.
Source: DOTESPORTS
