Microtransactions have been a part of Halo 5: Guardians since Day One. So far, it's gone pretty well: not only to the microtransactions allow 343 Industries to release all of the game's multiplayer content for free, but players aren't forced to pay for anything if they don't want to. Sure, it takes months to unlock the game's hundreds and hundreds of different items without them, but players who don't feel like spending any extra money don't really have to.
That being said, Microsoft can't really call them 'microtransactions' anymore: several of the game's REQ packs ask for more than $10, with some charging more than a full game. On top of that, the folks behind Halo 5 don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon - a new, limited-edition, $25 microtransaction is set to hit the game later this month.
The Arena REQ Pack, due out on Feb. 16, will work identically to the game's other premium packs: players will receive a pair of new items once a week for seven weeks. 343 Industries has confirmed that the Arena REQ pack will focus more on cosmetic items than anything else - and players are guaranteed to unlock Master Chief's original armor as part of the deal.
Again, players won't be locked out of any content if they don't purchase the Arena REQ packs, and everything can be unlocked simply by playing the game. Granted, buying the REQ pack will take far less time - so, if you've been dying for some new armor, maybe that's the way to go.
Regardless of your personal thoughts on Halo 5's microtransactions, there's no denying that they aren't really 'micro' anymore. $25 is more than some entire games - for Halo 5, that money goes towards unlocking random pieces of gear. To be fair, transactions like these are what keep the multiplayer maps free...but calling them 'microtransactions' seems a bit misleading at this point.
The Arena REQ Pack is set to hit Halo 5: Guardians on Feb. 16.
