Criticism Arises as Halo Infinite Raises Microtransaction Prices in Season 05

343 Industries has faced backlash from fans for their decision to increase the prices of microtransactions in Halo Infinite's in-game store with the release of Season 05. The latest season introduced flood-themed armor kits and coatings, but these come at an additional cost.

Halo Infinite, which had a rocky launch and a drop in player numbers, has managed to regain the favor of its player base. With a thriving custom games browser and a wider selection of game types, it has found its footing once again. Developers have been actively addressing long-standing complaints from the Halo community, reducing item prices in the store and introducing cross-core customization options for helmets and visor colors in recent seasons.

Season 05, titled "Reckoning," launched on October 17, bringing two new maps, a reimagining of Halo 4's Extraction mode, and eye-catching flood-themed armor kits. However, these new cosmetic bundles come at a premium, as 343 Industries has raised the prices of in-game shop items. For instance, the prominently featured "Transgressor" bundle, including a flood-infected armor kit and a color scheme compatible with all cores, now costs 2200 credits – approximately $20.00. Disgruntled fans have taken to social media to express their frustration at the increased prices. One Halo fan, XLR8, expressed on Twitter, "Halo Infinite’s shop prices for S5 have been very disappointing. Lots of 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 in conjunction with multi-core functionality being added to customization content." This decision highlights a contentious aspect of Halo Infinite's customization. Each new season introduces a new armor core with a unique aesthetic. Until recently, individual armor pieces were not cross-core compatible, limiting players' options for creating their ideal Spartan compared to previous games in the franchise.

With Season 05's introduction of cross-core customization, 343 seems to justify the price hike by making items usable across all armor cores. To some extent, this reasoning seems valid, as it implies additional work for developers to ensure compatibility with each core. Many fans appreciate the aesthetics of the new cosmetics, and the game continues to receive new items, such as Master Chief's upcoming Combat Evolved armor. However, currently, only helmets, visors, and armor coatings are compatible with all cores, and for many fans, this price increase has eroded much of the goodwill and trust that 343 had recently regained.

Despite the dissatisfaction with the state of Halo Infinite's in-game store, the game is experiencing its highest player count in months. This is partially attributed to Forge, the impressive in-game map editor, and the new AI toolkit introduced in Season 05, enabling players to create their versions of the beloved 'Firefight' mode, first seen in Halo 3: ODST.