First and foremost, I want to say this game is definitely one of my favorite halos. I’ve been playing halo since halo CE using the software to play online via system link. I was there during the halo 2 glory days playing customs online and even had a few matches with pros (got my -Yoink- stomped but it was fun). I really hope this game catches on and 343 can fix the issues that need addressed; which brings me to my next point.
The main concern I have is the ladder system. I really would like to see a smoother placement method which does not allow players to be placed above gold/plat. Also I see no reason why people shouldn’t drop to previous ranks. Over time players will converge to an accurate representation of their skill level. There’s no reason to baby players into staying in divisions they don’t belong in. The next thing I want is to be able to see where I stand within a division. For example, if I am in gold 2, I’d like to see how close I am to ranking up or how close I am to getting bumped down. Now that a system is in place to see where I stand within a division, I’d like to see is leader boards. I want to be able to see who else is in my division and how close/far they are from ranking up. This includes ways to check the top of the ladder and see who is champion etc. As a side note, I also feel like it is also too easy to rank up/down. It only takes 3 to 4 games, from my experience, to rank up a division. My final suggestion is to add a system that is similar to league for ranked play. There should be a maximum of 2 players in normal solo play and they should be matched against other duos if possible or higher level teams if a duo is not available. Then there should be a team ranked play. This will also allow the possibility new teams to enter the pro scene by simply being in the top teams on the ladder.
Most of this is a consolidation of previous ideas with one or two of my own sprinkled in. For halo 5 to be taken seriously and competitively as halo used to be, there needs to be a system that is at least as good as other popular games such as LoL. People love stats am I right? I think modern games have taught us that. I definitely think halo 5 allows for a high level of mechanical play without hindering the need for teamwork. Halo 5 has the potential to bring a huge player/view base and I think if things are done properly, halo could nudge it’s way back into a consistent top played game.