Yes, I agree that the Battle Pass is a core issue that needs to be better addressed and fixed by 343, but many of you are missing out on an even greater problem with the game right now:
Content.
I’ve seen reference in passing that there are going to be no additional game mode types added Dec. 8 (can’t confirm with a link, so this will need to be verified). But for right now, what you see is what you get for an indefinite amount of time. That means:
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No infection
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No SWAT
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No Heavies
… You get the idea.
As of writing this right now there’s not even a dedicated slayer playlist for either arena-style gameplay or big team.
It’s not like 343 doesn’t have the framework to do this either. They managed to get 7 games all with different backend frameworks to somehow work together for matchmaking, y’know: The Master Chief Collection. So for ONE game not to have a variety of basic playlists with gamemodes that can easily be made in the span of abut 10 minutes into the multiplayer matchmaking system is unbelievable and disappointing.
I’ve always loved Halo and have played every major entry in the series, but not going to be spending any of my time or money in this multiplayer if it takes 6 months to get basic playlists for multiplayer we’ve had in every major Halo entry. TheActMan put out a great video on this as well I’d recommend watching: [youtube] [.com]/watch?v=ARNBtGn70ww
In that video he even addresses the fact that you can’t even have a reliable custom games lobby with your friends. So, even if you made SWAT, you’d have a hell of a time getting into an actual game.
So what are the next steps I’d like to see from 343?
At the BARE MINIMUM, 2 dedicated casual playlists. One for both small teams/FFA and the other for Big Team Slayer. I don’t want to spend my time in Halo forced to play gamemodes I don’t enjoy. If they can add ONE gamemode for a limited time Tenrai event, you better believe they should be able to add dedicated playlists for more than one mode.
If more gamemodes and playlists can be added than that there absolutely should be. In an era of gaming where there’s more choice of how to game than ever before how can Halo: Infinite expect to keep new players with it’s less than a handful of multiplayer options?
The “well it’s free-to-play” argument isn’t valid either. This game took 6 YEARS to make, one of the longest gaps in Halo gaming ever, and it’s launching with LESS multiplayer content than Halo 5’s launch. I know that this game’s development has been rocky at best, but multiplayer matchmaking isn’t something that needed to be overhauled in terms of content to pull from.
And don’t tell me it’s not possible. We’ve got tech and electronics that can handle heavier demands, and adding dedicated basic modes that have been mainstays in the series since the 1st game is not a big ask, but it’s one I shouldn’t have to ask for.
The core gameplay is some of the best it’s ever been, but content will be what keeps people coming back for more.