Halo Infinite is likely to have microtransactions, but don’t expect it to feature paid-for loot boxes. 343 Industries FPS Studio Head Chris Lee said on Twitter that the team has not yet decided on its final plans for microtransactions. But what he can say for sure right now is that the game “will not include real-money loot boxes.”
“Keep the faith, it’s appreciated!” Lee said to a fan who was dismayed about Halo Infinite having microtransactions. “We’re still working through final plans and will share more when we are ready, but I can definitely say that Halo Infinite will not include real-money loot boxes.”
A job listing at 343 Industries mentioned that Halo Infinite will likely have microtransactions, leading some to express their concerns about how the game implements them. Until 343 comes forward and explains how microtransactions will work in Halo Infinite, fans are likely to envision the worst-case scenario.
Loot boxes rub some people the wrong way, and border on gambling in the eyes of some, because you pay for a chance to get an item you want. While some games today disclose loot box odds, it remains a controversial business practice.
The microtransactions in Halo 5: Guardians came in the form of the Reqs, short for Requisitions, which Nick Offerman explained to fans back in 2015. Microtransactions in Halo 5 proved to be incredibly lucrative, so it’s expected that Microsoft brings back some form of this in Halo: Infinite.
Intriguingly, the job advertisement that revealed the microtransactions suggested they come in the form of cosmetics, which games like Fortnite and Overwatch use.