The play for attention in the live game space, let alone the competitive shooter space, has only gotten more competitive with each console release and gaming trend. With Halo Infinite, developer 343 Industries is attempting to make its multiplayer more attractive to stick with for the long haul while delivering what could be considered a consumer-first business model through its flexible battle pass system and emphasis on player feedback.
IGN sat down with Halo Infinite's Head of Design Jerry Hook and Lead Progression Designer Chris Blohm to discuss how Halo Infinite's approach to free-to-play is different from others on the market and how they hope to keep players of all kinds returning to the storied FPS.
Halo Infinite's Battle Pass Plan
Hook and Blohm know we play other games — as Blohm said, it'd be "ludicrous to think otherwise." With this and the understanding that some battle passes can encourage unhealthy player habits, they decided Halo Infinite's battle passes should never expire. This was announced back in June, but Blohm said they're doing this as they "don't want people to burn out at the end of the season" and to "feel healthy and come back because they're excited to" rather than because they have to rush and try to finish content they paid for.
"We wanted to be able to say, 'Hey, look, when you put 10 bucks in, you keep that 10 bucks,'" Hook said. Halo Infinite won't have loot boxes either, so once you drop your money on something you know exactly what you can get.
Hook and Blohm also discussed these key details about how battle passes will work:
