I’ll start off by saying that I love Halo. I love the art design,the music, the story, the characters,the game play, the sandbox and just anything and everything that makes Halo, well, Halo.
So it’s exceptionally upsetting to me when I see it, and it’s fans, being mistreated and used by it’s creators. Let me clarify on this point. I find Micro-transactions, like the ones seen in Halo, to be psychologically manipulative, a constant bombardment on the players wallet, and all around just a really scummy business decision. The way that micro-transactions work, is they slowly creep themselves into a game, in this case Halo, usually started as something seemingly petty and small (cosmetic,audio ect.). But eventually, once players become accustomed to them, they start pushing the boundaries, slowly but surely, nudging their way into more of the game. We’ve seen this with Halo 5, as in the form of the REQ pack system. This kind of blind pack/box/loot system has been popping up in AAA games all over the place, especially in Microsoft’s. Usually, like 343 has on numerous occasions, the developers/publisher of these games assure fans that these system do not change the game play experience at all.That these systems are here for the player with more money than time. The ones who can’t spend time grinding away at a game, to unlock something they want. But here in lies the problem. The system has been made this way by the developers on purpose. They’re the ones that made it so difficult to get what you want. They’ve randomized the unlock system and stuffed it full of filler content on purpose. In this way, micro-transactions have directly affected the game. Gone are the the skill based unlock systems, where you gain exp from your performance in the game, where you choose what you unlock, which now have been replaced with with manipulative RNG based unlock system.
Micro transactions aren’t there for the benefit of the player, or for the good of the game. They are there to make money off of you, wait until you are so sick of not getting what you want, that you say “screw it!”, and blow some of your hard earned cash on a few packs. These RNG micro transaction based systems, like the REQ system, have the same physiological affect as gambling.
They very well could’ve put in a traditional unlock system. One where what you earn is based off of your performance in game. They have the control to do this, but they won’t because they know they can make loads of money this way.
There are no excuses for micro transactions like this in a full priced $60 game. Non at all. The fact of the matter is that they are bleeding that fans dry with this system. They are taking advantage of peoples love for halo, and they’re want for in game items.
They’ve also been showing up in game modes, directly affecting game play as well. Halo wars 2 blitz mode is a prime example. It’s the big “fun” game mode that uses the RNG card pack system,( we see this also in Halo 5’s Warzone, Gears of war 4’s Horde mode 2.0, For Honors Dominion,ect), and it’s entirely based on luck. The only way to get an edge up on players of course, is through buying the RNG packs, essentially making the game PAY TO WIN.
In the end, I find these micro transactions to do more harm than they do good. It’s really a sad thing when company’s take advantage of their fans in this way. I hope that sometime in the future we will see and end to these luck based pay to win systems, though that seems very unlikely…