Talk to Sampson

Halo infinite has finally gone up for pre-order on steam, after a big wait and a big delay we can finally put our name down to guarantee ourselves a copy. That’s when the price tag for this Microsoft heavyweight started showing how heavy it had become. $59.99 USD is what you will have to pay to nab yourself a copy, at first glance it seems OK, that’s the price of you normal AAA full release, isn’t it? It is, but there is one problem, you don’t need to buy this entire entry into the Halo series, only half the game requires purchase to play…

Halo Infinite’s multiplayer will be free to all at launch, it’s only the campaign that will need to be purchased. This is the first Halo game to have such a change in release tactics and although it has been correctly praised as an excellent move, allowing more people into the multiplayer making queue times quicker and livening up the multiplayer in general, it changes one thing for everyone else who has a desire to see what the next instalment of Master Chief’s story brings to the saga. Those that chose to purchase the campaign are essentially fronting the cost for those that just wish to partake in the multiplayer. Halo was always released as a full price game during each major release in the series, and every game after the first included multiplayer in that initial purchase.

To muddy matters even more, it should be taken into account that Halo Infinite will be releasing without one, arguable two, other key features. Co-op campaign play and forge mode will not be available at launch. This is a very disheartening move, especially when it comes to the lack of a co-op feature at launch. Infinite is 343 Studios attempt at bringing Halo back to its roots, and by lacking a key feature present in every early iteration of the title (a feature many of us remember as a staple of our childhoods, playing with a sibling or friend) is bad form. Still the game remains with it’s $60 price tag.

Many game today, including major titles have taken their pricing down to reasonable levels considering the profits they will make from future, and release DLC. A $40-$50 price tag is becoming quite common place today for games that make additional money from things like DLC and season passes, again it should also be taken into account that half of this game is free to those who do not wish to play the campaign. The saving grace here is that Halo Infinite has not yet released, therefore we cannot fully assume the content the comes with the campaign, it very well may be that this is the longest, most expansive campaign in the series, and may it come with several additional armor coatings and accessories. Time will only tell, but as it stands now the price tag of Halo Infinite campaign is a bit worrying.