While Halo Infinite continues to entice players with its growing map diversity and new customization options, the game’s in-game cosmetics shop is causing some discontent among fans. A recent skin, meant to honor the original Halo game from 2001, Halo: Combat Evolved, is making waves not for its appearance, but because it’s currently priced at twice the cost of the entire Halo: Combat Evolved game (available on Amazon).
The Master Chief Collection experimented with free, live-service elements like seasons and battle passes, but with Halo Infinite, the series underwent a full transformation, transitioning to a free-to-play multiplayer format bolstered by microtransactions and season passes. This shift, among other things, has been met with skepticism from the community, particularly in regards to the pricing of in-game cosmetics. This sentiment is exemplified by the Mark V Halo: Combat Evolved skin, featuring the original design and colors of Master Chief’s armor.
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Buy Halo: Combat Evolved:Amazon | GameStop
A Reddit thread on r/Halo humorously points out, “For half the price of the new bundle,” you can purchase the complete Halo: Combat Evolved on Steam. The bundle is priced at 2,200 in-game credits, equating to about $20. Meanwhile, you can acquire Halo: CE individually on Steam for just $10. This makes the cost of the skin more than double the price of Master Chief’s original game.
In fact, you could theoretically buy two copies of Halo: Combat Evolved on Steam—one for yourself and one for a friend to play cooperatively—in one of the most influential first-person shooters of the 21st century. Trust me, that would be a lot more enjoyable than a skin.
But it’s not just the price that’s irksome. In Halo Infinite, player skins are categorized into “cores,” each representing a specific armor style from the Halo universe. The Mark V [B], for example, is based on the design from 2010’s Halo Reach. Each core includes helmets, chest plates, shoulders, armor colors (referred to as armor “coatings” in-game), and more. An update in season five allows some customization across different cores, but the Mark V suit isn’t a core, but rather an armor “kit” for the Mark VII core, severely limiting customization. You can’t even apply the helmet to other designs. Additionally, the specific green armor coating on the Mark V skin closely resembles a free coating in the game, prompting some players to question its value.
In conclusion, go play Halo: Combat Evolved if you haven’t. Despite its aging gameplay, it remains an essential first-person shooter campaign that has left a lasting impact on the genre.
