Featured Image Credit: Microsoft
Topics: Halo, Halo Infinite, 343 Industries, Xbox, Steam, PC, Microsoft
Topics: Halo, Halo Infinite, 343 Industries, Xbox, Steam, PC, Microsoft
Halo Infinite has lost approximately 98% of its playerbase on Steam, despite several post-launch content updates.
Following its failed launch in November 2021, Halo Infinite’s multiplayer has continued to struggle, despite several updates over the last few months. One of the biggest problems players had with the game came from a lack of content, namely multiplayer modes, career progression, and customisation options locked behind paywalls.
The series has been mismanaged so badly that many believe Xbox unknowingly set it up for failure, and that it’s no longer the flagship Xbox franchise it was so many years ago.
Despite trying to claw its way back to relevance, the latest instalment in the Halo series has catastrophically failed to retain its playerbase, with what appears to be the final nail in the coffin being a 98% drop in active users on Steam.
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The multiplayer shooter's Steam statistics were shared in a Reddit thread that highlighted the decline in players since the game’s launch, revealing its steadily dropping in numbers despite content updates aimed at addressing issues initially found in the game.
Halo fans shared their takes on the loss, though many weren’t surprised, citing the game’s focus on monetisation and painfully long wait-times between updates as the title's primary problems.
“Multiplayer was fun at first, but the extreme monetization made progress feel meaningless. The campaign lacked the tight level design of previous entries in the series. Overall, the game just didn’t have anything to keep me playing, despite being a long time fan of the series.”
“I blame this on 343's extreme monetization on customization and lack of multiplayer maps.”
“It’s what happens when you don’t support the multiplayer side of things. Still would argue halo infinites singleplayer is light years beyond most of halos more recent offerings. Best it’s been since 3 imo.”
While most of the post-launch content has been very cool, like the latest Infection mode, military rank progression and unique customisation options, it seems it’s too little too late. The majority of new stuff was present at launch for previous Halo games, leading to many dissatisfied players who feel they’ve been sold an incomplete product, and who could blame them.
It’s doubtful Halo will ever be the console-seller it once was, but that hasn’t stopped dedicated fans from reliving the glory days of the franchise, whether it be modern day LAN parties or celebrating some of the best games in the series.