What you need to know
- Microsoft has announced Halo Infinite will receive a paid battle pass progression system, serving up cosmetic rewards for its free-to-play multiplayer component.
- The Halo Infinite battle pass won't expire after purchase, with rewards permanently available to earn, even after a season concludes.
- Halo Infinite is on track to release for console and PC in late 2021.
Microsoft recently unveiled its latest sample of Halo Infinite at E3 2021, hosting the first dive into multiplayer gameplay at its live press conference. The upcoming online experience, shipping alongside the game this holiday, is set to launch as a free-to-play title accessible on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. That leaves Microsoft reliant on in-game monetization to support its new Halo game, with the company now detailing what to expect.
Halo Infinite will adopt a new battle pass, a tier-based progression system recently seen in games like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and other free-to-play multiplayer shooters. The paid battle pass will allow players to progress through levels as they play Halo Infinite, earning armor, skins, visors, and other pieces of cosmetic content.
"There's no random loot in this, there's no loot boxes. It's very important to us that everyone understands exactly how they unlock customization content," live design director at 343 Industries, Ryan Paradis, stated in a video outlining Halo Infinite multiplayer plans. The studio expressed a desire to present clear progression paths to players, abandoning systems like REQ Packs from its previous mainline entry, Halo 5: Guardians.
Halo Infinite will launch regular battle passes through its "seasonal" approach to updates. However, unlike many paid battle pass systems that expire after a certain period, rewards will remain permanently unlockable after purchase. Players can also purchase old battle passes from prior seasons if they missed earlier cosmetic offerings. Like Halo: The Master Chief Collection, also sporting a battle pass system, players can choose which battle pass they wish to progress.
The news should be welcomed by Halo fans, alleviating a common frustration around progression and rewards in past games. The implementation of in-game monetization for free-to-play games can wildly vary, although Microsoft seems committed to delivering a straightforward system to support Halo Infinite after launch.
While Halo Infinite is yet to receive a release date, the company has promised its console and PC debut in late 2021.
