Recent job listings for 343 Industries hinted that Halo Infinite will use games as a service deal. This prompted many fans to speculate about microtransactions and loot boxes. An official 343 statement assures players of the contrary.
Considering Halo 5 had a loot box system in one part of the game, it is natural that fans' jimmies were immediately rustled at the mention of a games as service model. Thankfully, Chris Lee the studio head at 343 Industries addressed this issue by stating that the game will not feature paid loot boxes.
According to Lee, the company is still working on their monetization model and more info will be coming in the future, but paid loot boxes have already been ruled out. This response came via Twitter when a concerned fan asked Lee not to make microtransactions and anti cheat measures invasive.
He did not, however, share any more info regarding the nature of potential loot boxes that could be earned through gameplay and in-game currency, as Halo 5's loot boxes contained items that affected gameplay. Then again, a loot box that's exclusive to in-game currency is the equivalent of chest and boss drops we were used to for so many years. Thanks, Blizzard.
A more pressing concern is whether regular microtransactions will offer items that alter gameplay balance, but it's not a likely way to go for 343. Not even Bungie dared tread on that territory, even after their under-the-table shenanigans with experience reductions and other ways to cripple players' progression in Destiny 2.
Bungie eventually did include pay to win items in Destiny 2, but only for Korean market so it's possible 343 will attempt something similar, but the western gamer market should be free of such items in Halo Infinite.
Microsoft
The game is still years away from release so everything at this point is pure speculation, but it's nice to have a bit of solid info, especially when it states that that plague upon gaming industry that are paid loot boxes will not Halo Infinite.
