Halo Infinite’s in-game store prices are set to change this week in response to player feedback.
The prices of individual items will be lowered, and changes made to how they are packaged within bundles.
Jerry Hook, head of design at developer 343 Industries, made the announcement on Twitter, confirming revisions will start today (January 18) and continue to be made across the coming weeks.
“Starting Tuesday, the Shop experience will vary week-to-week,” he said. “We are focused on reducing pricing across the board, providing stronger values in our bundles, starting to put individual items outside of bundles, and more."
“We will be trying new things throughout the rest of the season so that we can continue to learn and improve for the future. Please keep the feedback coming during this process and I hope to see you all next week for the Cyber Showdown event!”
Asked by one fan for more information on the new prices, Hook simply said they’d be “lower”.
Elsewhere, Hook was asked if players would eventually be able to earn store credits through playing matches of Halo Infinite, rather than only being able to buy them with cash. He responded: “I think we need to do both”.
Hook and 343 Industries have not confirmed whether players who previously purchased store items at a higher cost will be reimbursed the difference.
Opinion: lower price points are well overdue
For all the praise that’s been heaped upon Halo Infinite, the state of its in-game store hasn’t received the same warm reception. Soon after launch, many players found themselves unable to load the latest offers, and more besides were put off by its high prices.
Everyone wants to look good while blasting some poor opponent in the face with a pulse carbine, but spending $20 / £16 on a single armor effect is an unnecessary stretch on the wallet. The same can be said for the game’s cat ears helmet, which did the rounds a few weeks ago. Dressing up your Spartan to look as silly as possible is a laudable goal, but spending $8.99 / £7.99 for the pleasure is a surefire way to price out most players out.
Hook’s announcement that store prices will be lowered is welcome news. Aside from saving players’ piggy banks, it should also encourage more engagement with the game’s wackier elements.
But it’s worth appreciating the game’s store for what it is, and what it isn’t. It wasn’t so many years ago that virtually every free-to-play multiplayer game came with an attached storefront to sell you game-winning weapons or buffs that spoiled all the fun. Halo Infinite’s cosmetics might have been a tad pricey up to this point, but let’s be thankful it’s just gun skins, armor plating, and accessories that have been out of reach.
Even those players who never go near the store and only enjoy the game as a free-to-play experience can access practically everything it offers. With no game modes locked behind paywalls, or a nasty leveling system that rewards spending money over spending time playing, Halo Infinite is one of the most accessible and equitable free multiplayer shooters around.
As for whether players will ever be able to earn store credits by playing multiplayer matches or ranking up through the game’s battle pass - I wouldn’t hold your breath. 343 Industries has to make money from this free-to-play game somehow, and squeezing cash from an in-game storefront is currently the favorite of the industry.
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