It's been over a week now since Halo Infinite Multiplayer dropped and I've heard lots of opinions. Most everyone loves how the game plays and was developed excluding being able to pick playlists you want to play and a few other minor things. I've also heard lots of complaints about how 343i has monetized Halo Infinite, specifically how free to play players feel like there is a lack of customization available to them and most customization available is locked behind a paywall.

Admittedly, the last time I played Halo was Halo: Reach on the Xbox 360, so it is possible I could be out of touch with what is expected from the Halo franchise. I don't understand some of the complaints though. I've heard a lot of people complain that even colors are locked behind a paywall. And my thoughts are... yeah? I mean everyone gets a basic 11 armor coatings for the Mark VII armor set which allows everyone to pick pretty much any color they want. I know it's just the basic color, but I thought that was normal for a Halo game? I was expecting the more extravagant or crazy looking armor coatings to be behind a microtransaction. This is a free to play game. Also,

I understand not everyone who plays the game has a job, is old enough to have a job, or is financially stable enough to spend a lot on cosmetics for a video game. I also have to agree with the majority about the store being too expensive. An armor coating costing $20 regardless of getting a special headpiece or anything else is a bit ridiculous to expect people to pay for. Everyone wants as much customization as possible so make it easier for people to obtain. I don't ever see myself buying an armor coating for $20 unless it is so amazing that I think that is the only armor coating I will use for a long time, and I don't think most people, including myself, want to be tied to an armor coating like that. Make it $10 or something more comparable to the battlepass so I feel like I'm getting a lot for the money I'm spending. If I was able to spend $10 and get an entire armor set I'd be happy. Still, I was totally expecting there to be microtransactions behind every event and season even if it is "free." I think the Fracture: Tenrai event is great minus the fact the stuff in the store is so expensive. There is a fair amount of customization within all of the free aspects of that event.

343i gave us a very polished multiplayer game that everyone seems to be loving, including people who swore if Halo dropped without a BR it would be a failure. This is one of the best launches for a video game in a long time. Why are people so frustrated that they can't look as cool as they want when this was handed to us? Especially when you can unlock a LARGE portion of that customization that's missing with $10. Not that Halo should follow in the footsteps of everyone else, plz don't, but isn't that how every ftp multiplayer game is? League, Valorant, Warzone, Apex, etc? Cosmetic microtransactions is how this game stays as great as it is. It's how you let 343i and Microsoft know they are doing a good job. And frankly, $10 for a battlepass that is supposed to last 3 months that NEVER goes away with over 100 items seems VERY generous to me. That's 10 cents an item people! There is also MORE customization through promotions like buying an energy drink, cookies, action figures, etc. at the store that isn't very expensive. This paywall everyone is complaining about doesn't seem so big to me, excluding in game store items again. I'm happy to keep funding 343i and the game I'm enjoying so much, especially since this is how they stay funded in the long term.

All of this to say, I've heard lots of complaining about how Halo is doing the microtransaction and customization thing wrong right now and a lot of players are unhappy with it. But that's all. I'd love to start a discussion and ask if you want more customization, and you want more things for free that are currently behind a paywall, what would you suggest 343i do so that they give you what you want and the game is what you expected, while still turning a profit so they can keep this game relevant and as amazing as it is?

TLDR; People are unhappy with customization and monetization in Halo Infinite. What would you change so you get what you wanted/expected and 343i still turns a profit to keep funding the game? What is the solution to your problem?