Halo Infinite devs double-down on REQ pack plans

By Eric Abent/

One big question heading into the release of Halo Infinite and, indeed, many major game releases, is what post-launch monetization will look like. While first-person shooters like Halo used to make additional money after release by launching map packs, more recently a lot of the major games in the space have moved to a microtransaction-focused approach.Halo is no stranger to that, as Halo 5 was home to often-maligned REQ packs, which are essentially loot boxes. We still don't know all of the specifics about yet, but in response to a SlashGear question about Halo Infinite's monetization structure, studio lead Chris Lee reiterated that REQ packs won't be returning in this next Halo installment.

"We definitely have more details to share about the pricing and the business model of our experience in Halo Infinite in the future," Lee said. "I can say, though, that we are not going to have REQ packs in Halo Infinite – something that I talked about a bit I think a year or two ago on Twitter – but we definitely will not have loot boxes in our experience"

The tweet Lee references is from 2018 and is embedded above. In it, he says that Halo Infinite "will not include real-money loot boxes," but doesn't get more specific beyond that. It's worth noting that Lee's 2018 tweet was made in response to a fan posting a screenshot of GameSpot headline claiming that Halo Infinite will have microtransactions like most games-as-a-service titles, so the game may not be free of in-game purchases entirely.

Of course, Halo Infinite will be launching in a much different gaming landscape than Halo 5 did in 2015. In recent years, loot boxes have been the subject of a lot of controversy, with many gamers arguing that major publishers have taken their implementation a step too far and others voicing concerns about loot boxes and their similarities to gambling. Some countries have even gone as far as banning loot boxes in games targeted at minors, and REQ packs would likely be subject to those bans.

Sticking REQ packs in Halo Infinite could have been a source of a easy money for 343 and Microsoft, but in the end, it probably isn't worth the negative attention – especially when Halo Infinite is a launch title for a new console and is being positioned as a "spiritual reboot" for the Halo franchise. We should also keep in mind that job listings at 343 Industries have suggested microtransactions for Halo Infinite (which is what that GameSpot article from 2018 was referencing), and we don't have any idea what those might entail.

Still, even with microtransactions in the game, it's nice to hear that REQ packs have been laid to rest. We'll keep an ear to the ground for more details on Halo Infinite's multiplayer and monetization scheme, so stay tuned for that.

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