Implement Pre-Game and Continuous Lobbies

Games Halo Infinite
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I think that pre-game lobbies and post-match lobby continuation should be implemented in some form. The current state of matchmaking is genuinely empty, made worse by some excessively long loading times for things like BTB. There is no reason why players should have to spend minutes sitting alone watching a loading prompt as players are invisibly gathered for the lobby. This was an issue solved decades ago. And what I really don’t get is how 343 (who is currently on a serious predatory monetization high) has overlooked the perfect opportunity to create player interest in their expensive store and battle pass cosmetics. Time spent in a pre-game or inter-match lobby is the best time to check out other people’s customizations and potentially become interested enough to grind/pay to get it themselves.

If 343 really wants to capitalize on this game that they’ve spend over half a decade crafting, if they really want it to last, they need to give it reason to last. “It’s Halo” isn’t enough anymore and hasn’t been since the early 2010s. Bringing back the continuous lobbies (which you can drop out of if you want) is the sort of thing that would please fans and reignite the spark of community that I feel most modern games lack. Joining a match with a bunch of silent randoms who you’ll play with for 10 minutes and then likely never be able to see again is such an empty feeling. Sure the gameplay is fairly fun (despite the terrible Challenge system and utter lack of any match performance XP incentive), but I just don’t think it’s good enough in an age with so many brilliant games to choose from. Even if 343 fixes the Battle Pass system, XP progression, customization limitations (colors, etc), matchmaking speeds, etc, I worry about the player retention. I think that without the sense of community from voicechat lobbies, ease of customization, and community-created content a la Forge, this multiplayer could very easily die off within a year or two.

343 is sitting on a goose with insane potential, but they need to move quickly and decisively if they want golden eggs.

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I don’t know why this hasn’t got more replies, the lack of lobby system is ridiculous, Halo Reach had such a better system where you could tell who was in your game, what game-mode you were going to play, who was actually partied up, you could also easily see everyone’s cool armor’s by scrolling through.

343 have did it like Halo Reach never existed… they literally could have copied that lobby system and no one would complain

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I’d love to see those features come back, too. Unfortunately I don’t think it’ll happen. Mostly just because people don’t chat in lobbies the way they used to, it’s gotten very quiet over the years. Most people are in parties or using Discord while they chat. A whole has changed since the original trilogy.

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Some of the best times I’ve had were pre and post-game lobby interactivity/smack-talk back in the Halo 3 days. Then meeting up with someone you enjoyed in a game and playing some custom games. sight Simpler times.

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I get the feel they don’t exist is because 343 want you to look at the store, which a post game lobby and auto search would get in the way of, and I also get the feeling they don’t want players talking crap to eachother in case it hurts others feelings in the post game. But yeah, please bring back post and pre game lobbies, it’s the best chance to meet new and great people.

1 Like