I will admit that I’m definitely liking Halo 4 more and more as I play. Just took me a while to get past the changes, but looking back, they’re not bad for the most part. HOWEVER…
I still think open Beta Testing is definitely necessary for a truly refined multiplayer. Now 343 Industries may think it’s a bit risky, because at first, it could either draw more players to buy the game or scare them all away before the game actually comes out, depending on how well they’ve done with the multiplayer mode. But looking at it in the longer run, it would ultimately help the sale of their games because <mark>343i could actually tweak the multiplayer directly according to consent of the players as a whole before the game is released</mark>, thus keeping their original audience and still able to expand.
Basically, it would keeping Halo 4 loyalists buying the game, and both sides would be happy. The one problem I see with this is that it could discourage any changes that would make the game necessarily “better” than before, considering how much change seems to scare everybody.
Also if 343i does decide to open Beta testing, they need to make sure to do it early on. The earlier that it is released, the more the fans can help 343 make the right changes.