Confirming rumors and, in a big shakeup for the familiar formula, Microsoft recently announced that Halo Infinite’s multiplayer will be entirely free. I think that’s the smartest move Microsoft has made in the last decade for Halo, and one that could pay dividends to help the franchise grow.
Halo Is For Everyone
The Halo franchise is one of Xbox’s most valuable assets. But, apart from the nostalgia-laden Halo: The Master Chief Collection–which itself is a fantastic entry in the series thanks to its ongoing updates–the core franchise has been away from the market for nearly five years, since Halo 5 in 2015. The Halo series has fallen out of the spotlight and is in dire need of a strong showing from Halo Infinite to put the franchise back on the right path.
With free-to-play games like Call of Duty: Warzone, Apex Legends, and Fortnite all dominating the FPS space currently, Halo Infinite multiplayer ran the risk of standing out like a sore thumb as a paid offering in 2020. Microsoft is already facing an uphill battle trying to make Halo relevant and interesting again with the mainstream–it didn’t need any more hurdles to overcome.
Source: Gamespot Why Free Halo Infinite Multiplayer Is Such A Smart Move