Dear 343i.
Halo Infinite is great. It is a masterpiece in the making with tons of growth potential and genuine heart behind it. I’m going to be honest here - even if not polish-perfect, Halo Infinite gives me the same vibes that I remember so fondly from the launches of Halo CE all the way back in 2001. There is something indelibly familiar about it, yet so new and so curiosity stoking - and your multiplayer here is SPOT ON!
It feels restrained, but not constrained. It feels experimental, but not gimmicky. It feels like playing Halo CE at Mach 10 - with elements of 2,3,4 and 5 delightfully sprinkled in. This is coming from a classic fanboy – one of the good ole’ boys from 2001. One of the “I got recon!” kids who lived on Guardian, used his BR as a pillow and blared screachy nu-metal into his headset at 3am. One among many who are taking this IP seriously again - and hoping for an epic and indelibly badass revival, such that we can return to our ghandi hopping, crouch spamming, strafe dancing ways.
You guys are absolutely delivering on the promises of Halo. The King is set to retake the throne.
So why exactly am I writing you?)
Well 343i, I am coming to you respectfully, as a fan of your work - with an “all sides considered” idea for improving the microtransaction systems within Halo Infinite. The concepts discussed herein are conceptualized to take pressure off of devs, to lower store prices, and to include players in Halo’s multiplayer development process in a meaningful and organic way.
343i/ Microsoft: You should sell licenses for dev tools. Why should you do this?) So that players can make their own stuff. Why should players make their own stuff?) So both player and IP can profit together.
Allow me to explain.
343i:
FIRST: License out some of your dev tools. Let players make cosmetics, maps, emblems, coatings ect. - maybe even script their own missions. Who knows what could happen.
SECOND: Open up a player store - let these players/cottage content creators sell their creations therein. Take a flat percentage of proceeds for use of your tools and IP. Share the profits with these players. Player generated content will cause a steep increase in supply - demand will drop below sea level - prices will therefore trend down while profits remain lucrative due to sheer transaction volume.
THIRD: Build a QC team to ensure standards of quality, universe-relevancy and mechanical stability are maintained - in order to keep Halo feeling like Halo. Create a pricing system based on content volume per individual creation (Obviously a well done cottage campaign can reasonably outprice an armor coating or a helmet.).
FOURTH: Rake in that delicious profit. This is a multidirectional profit sharing system which spreads out labor without outsourcing it, lowers labor costs, lowers store prices, increases profits AND engages players by including them in the development process. Bonus effects include fostering transparency between dev and player, and closing the gap between content creation and gameplay. In essance, there are reasonable incentives to engage with Halo Infinite all over this system. Players may even make careers out of it. Everybody wins.
IN SUMMARY
Players make cottage content using your tools and your IP, sell it in your store, you integrate it into game and take a nice profit chunk, players get compensated by ip for labor via their own chunk, and increased supply lowers demand which lowers prices.
Players and IP both profit from every transaction. Player driven economy can grow without hammering devs for labor. This kind of thing is how games like Skyrim, Fallout, Minecraft ect. can survive, thrive and trend set for a decade (and counting). You can do it too with a little bit of creativity, and some player first tweaks to your in-game store.
Player inclusion = win win. Imagine a Halo multiplayer experience made by players, for players.
Sincerely, a Halo fan with a positive attitude. Thanks for the soapbox.