It's still very early days but Halo Infinite's free-to-play multiplayer seems to be going down a treat, despite the lack of Slayer-only playlists and a battle pass that sucks. That last is the main point of criticism among the early Infinite playerbase, and it's super easy to see why: progress is excruciatingly slow. That's mainly because, rather than granting XP at the end of matches, you only get it for completing battle pass challenges.
Consternation has been loud, so it's no surprise that 343 Industries has heard. Community manager Briad Jarrard acknowledged the criticism in a tweet early today. "FYI the team is looking at Battle Pass progression and gathering data from yesterday's sessions and we'll share updates as we have them," he wrote.
Thank you to everyone who has jumped into the #HaloInfintie beta so far! FYI the team is looking at Battle Pass progression and gathering data from yesterday's sessions and we'll share updates as we have them. Please continue to share feedback and raise flags as you see them. 1/3November 16, 2021
At this rate, it seems likely that 343 Industries will make some small adjustments to the system: for a fresh live service game to leave a huge bugbear unaddressed isn't a good look, even if you're Halo.
Nat writes at length about the battle pass conundrum, but a few of the bigger points: some of the tickable boxes in the first weekly challenges list include tasks for specific game modes, which is incredibly frustrating in a game that doesn't let you choose your game mode. Add to that the "naff" customization options you're rewarded with, and it sounds like changes will need to be implemented sooner rather than later.
That shouldn't discourage you from playing what is looking like a return to form for competitive Halo. In an early preview, Nat wrote that it's "a game that recognises what makes Halo distinctly "Halo", a throwback to Bungie's greats while acknowledging where shooters have gone in the last 10 years."
