Halo Infinite is very much the center of attention for the folks at 343 Industries now, and as a byproduct of that, Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been shifted to the sidelines. It’s still been getting some content updates here and there, of course, but its seasonal model has come to an end, and future updates will come at an intermittent pace, and not for too long.
Alongside that, it seems like 343 Industries is looking to make other significant changes to the game as well. For instance, in a recent community update published on the Halo Waypoint website, the developer revealed that it’s considering adding microtransactions to the game to give players the option to purchase Spartan Points (which are used on customization items) using real money.
“For players who are new to the MCC, or who may not have dedicated much time specifically to unlocking items during the seasonal updates, or are simply completionists looking to catch the last outstanding items they need, we are internally exploring a potential new feature for the future in the form of purchasable Spartan Points,” the developer wrote.
343 Industries has stressed that if the feature is added, it will be added as a time saver for those who want the option, and will be purely additive- which means everything will remain earnable through gameplay as it is right now.
“It is prudent to note here that we are happy with the current system of how players earn Spartan Points, by completing challenges and levelling up through play,” 343 wrote. “This would be an optional, additive alternative for players who might find the vast scope of content to be an intimidating amount of playtime and want to get ahead on (or skip) the grind, or maybe want to grab specific items they want (we all have our favorites!)
“In the interest of transparency with our dedicated and passionate community, we wanted to inform you of this exploration in advance and provide assurance that purchasable Spartan Points would be an additive feature. We will have more information to share about this in the future.”
As you might expect, this isn’t a step that’s gone down well with many in the Halo community- though then again, if 343 stands by what it’s said and introduces this feature only as an option without making tweaks to the game as it exists right now that would push players to spend more money, it might more or less be a harmless option. How it’s implemented will be crucial though, and if history has taught us anything, it’s that you can never be too sure where monetization in games is concerned.
Either way, it sounds like 343 Industries will be ready to share concrete details on the matter sooner rather than later, so stay tuned for those details.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
