Halo 5: Guardians developer 343 Industries has unveiled the pricing details for the upcoming game's Requisition System, which will allow players to unlock skins and other single-use items during the game.
In a blog post detailing Halo 5's microtransaction system, 343 Industries says players will be able to earn REQ packs in a number of ways. First, they can level up by going up one Spartan rank or completing commendations—goals set within multiplayer—to receive a new REQ pack as a reward. 343 Industries will also offer promotional packs at retail or during various promos held from time to time.
Players can also buy additional new REQ packs with their REQ Points (RP) earned by playing in Warzone or Arena or purchased with real-life money. There will be three types of REQ packs that can be bought either with RP or actual dollars. The Bronze pack lets players buy common single-use items and is available for 1,250 RP, although it does not have an actual dollar value. The Silver pack costs 5,000 RP or $1.99; it lets players buy common to rare items. The Gold pack, which players can acquire for 10,000 RP or $2.99, lets them buy uncommon and legendary items.
From the start, players will be given 54 REQ Cards and 7,500 RP, which can be used to acquire either six Bronze REQ Packs or two Bronze and one Silver Packs. Additionally, 343 Industries will reward players with 2,000 RP for every Warzone game played, which means acquiring a Silver Pack or a Gold Pack will not exactly be very difficult.
Microsoft is also offering a Warzone REQ Bundle for $24.99, which will include two Premium Packs sent every week for seven weeks, for a total of 14 Premium Packs. This will give players a better chance of getting higher REQs and rarer items. However, the Warzone REQ Bundle is only available for the Limited Edition, Limited Collector's Edition and Halo 5: Guardians Limited Edition Console Bundle.
343 Industries is one of many game developers venturing into controversial territory with microtransactions. Bungie's Destiny and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Syndicate will also begin to offer items that can only be unlocked with in-game currency, and it remains to be seen how gamers will react toward making extra payments to unlock certain content. However, 343 Industries Design Director Kevin Franklin says Halo 5's REQ system will not require players to shell out additional money and all content will be available "whether you spend money or not."
"At the end of the day, it's a multiplayer game. It's not a spend-more-to-win game," Franklin says. "We wanted to make sure that if you spend a whole ton of money, and you thought you could get five scorpions just because you spent more money, it's not going to work. You're still going to have to earn the right to call these scorpions into the battlefield."
Halo 5: Guardians is expected to arrive exclusively to the Xbox One on Oct. 27.
