Same thing happened with Halo 5... And Halo 4.... They usually have pretty solid mechanics on paper, but in execution and management, they clearly don't know what the fuck they are doing and prioritize the wrong stuff. 343 needs the Halo license immediately taken away.
At this point, just about anyone but them. They have has at least three chances to make a good Halo game and fucked up on each one. They are incompetent and fucking greedy. Kick them to the curb and give it to some other studio or support studio(s) that actually know what the hell they are doing.
The greediness won’t go away no matter what other in-house studio takes it. It’s Microsoft who wants the greedy aspects in the game. I don’t see anything changing as long as Microsoft owns the IP. Which at this point will be until the end of the world.
I still go back to this article (if you have access to it, read the actual Bloomberg article it's referencing, as it's more nuanced and informative IMO) when any discussion of, "Is the problem 343 or Microsoft?" resurfaces. Halo Infinite's issues due to mismanagement, Microsoft policies It's also interesting that the Bloomberg article frames the situation as a redemption arc for the game's development, but the details contained in it are being (with some merit IMO) framed there and elsewhere instead as going at least some way towards explaining the game's issues. I'm sure with any IP this potentially lucrative, there are a lot of different stakeholders, and thus a lot of potential blame to go around. At the end of the day though, it's Microsoft's IP. And they bear ultimate responsibility for how it's handled, who works on it, and in what ways it's shepherded, for better or worse. Ultimately, I just hope the game eventually ends up in a happier place. If I had my way, that would mean XP that's more skill-based, co-op (coming soon thankfully finally,) more campaign variety (even if it has to come in the form of expansions, which I do hope happens,) and more satisfying progression that integrates more modes. Fortunately, they claim to be working on bringing all of that (or something like those things at least) to the table in the future. So I'll just wait for that. Mostly though, I just think it's illustrative of why not every game can be a perpetual live service and why, just maybe, some shouldn't try to be. I know companies really want games to be this today. But clearly it sometimes does more harm than good (at least when not implemented nearly perfectly,) and when it's an IP as theoretically precious to them as this, they can't afford to mishandle it. People will only keep coming back to the well so many times for a series. It's possible to turn people off entirely eventually or to end up with unrecoverable diminishing returns IMO. They shouldn't take the good will and nostalgia for the franchise for granted. And I'm saying that as somebody who really loves Halo and will put up with a lot to make myself enjoy it.
I was a big Halo fan. Bought every game until 5 and read a bunch of the novels. I'm done. This game and the way they allowed Paramount to handle the show killed the franchise to me. Not saying it's impossible to resurrect my interest, but I've moved on. I know the way these corporations work, and there is no point in me holding out hope. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised one day.
Same TBH. Halo's been dragged through the dirt enough that I just don't care. The games stopped being genuinely good after Bungie left, the story became absolute dogshit, and management has been bad ever since 343i took over. Infinite being such a massive flatline was the final straw. I'm not sure anything can get me back in, because the Halo I knew is well and truly gone. It's not even sad, it's just nothing. That was a good laugh, though.
Yeah I'm pretty much indifferent at this point too, frankly. They've more or less lost me. But I've never not played the co-op campaign with a friend in a Halo game (other than 5,) so I want to at least have that experience once it finally arrives. But barring that and some sort of campaign expansion and drastically overhauled progression, I'm out and have been out for months.
Here's a great breakdown of the overall problems with Halo: Spoiler: It's 343i. They never learn. Never evolve. They chase trends and make pointless changes without ever growing.
Is campaign co-op still supposed to be arriving sometime this month? (Not a flight, the actual launch.)
Supposedly yes but given Infinites track record set your expectations low and anticipate a possible push back on release.
So... evidently it was just announced that: The full launch of co-op isn't coming until November now. Forge will also arrive then. Split screen local co-op has been axed entirely. Season 3 won't arrive until 2023. Things like improved progression, freer customization, career ranks, etc. are now things they aspire to get out "by the end of 2023." ... the end of 2023? The end of 2023? I just...
Fuck 343 Take the Halo license away from them with force. They do not know how to make a Halo game, and all they give a damn about is making money. If this isn't proof enough, I don't know what is. The MOST REQUESTED fan feature to return was split screen and it was CONFIRMED to come back multiple times but was axed to work on features that gives them more money instead of a better product. This game sounds like it was given a skeleton crew because 343 finally realized their failure. Halo is now going the way of Battlefield 2042, it's gonna get Hella features cut, get barely any content at all, if any and fizzle out like a bad fart. And that's what we will remember 343 as, a steaming pile of shit. I wish this was just me sounding like a harsh dick, but clearly we aren't being angry enough because the point is still not getting through to them Sadly. They are blatantly lying to customers, forcing out a not even half finished game on us, remove a shit load of features, add a mountain of bullshit microtransactions, and expect us to roll over and claim it the best thing ever. Its games like this that make legitimately question if I should quit gaming if this how all future games will be.
What an actual fucking joke. What are they even doing at 343i? This is the most pathetic live service game ever.
Whatever lack of care exists on 343's part, also exists on Microsoft's part. Which is the really maddening and baffling part to me honestly.
While true, 343i are still the actual developers. They're the ones actually producing the (lack of) content to sustain the game. It's not like MS are the ones making the minute decisions. It's still ultimately 343i's fault because I genuinely have to wonder what they are doing all this time. Unless MS has halved their workforce and all but striped their budget, how can you produce a "live service game" and still have so little content after almost a year? (especially when most of that content existed in previous entries in the series) We also know that 343i are directionless and poorly managed internally. MS may be at fault for not stepping in and righting the ship, but it was 343i that definitely did the damage in the first place. They should absolutely be replaced as Halo's developers.
That may end up being the remedy but your first sentence is my point. MS owns the IP and owns (and built) 343. And MS's contract policies are part of the directionlessness you allude to (massive team turnover due to not wanting to hire people full time, a revolving door of game design "visions.") It's not as if 343 is some independent company who "got the license." MS owns this mess. If they replace the studio, or its team members, or leadership, they also need to correct their own policies and level of oversight IMO. This is in theory supposed to be their most important first party IP after all.
