343 Industries has released the nostalgic Halo Combat Evolved Mark V armor for Halo Infinite, contained in a bundle priced at $20. The pack includes the armor, two armor coatings, and a visor. Despite high sales, which boosted the game's positioning on Steam's revenue chart, the move has reignited discussions about the price of microtransactions in games.

Players have expressed frustration over the cost of the bundle, comparing it unfavorably with historical pricing models where full games or additional content packs came at a more reasonable price. This dissatisfaction is part of a broader discontent with the trend of expensive in-game purchases in the industry.

Despite the controversy, this pricing is consistent with past Halo Infinite practices, and the game has seen a recent uptick in player engagement with its latest season. However, 343 Industries has made decisions in the past that have been unpopular, like removing split-screen multiplayer and delaying key features such as the Forge mode and online campaign co-op.

343 also recently canceled seasonal narrative cutscenes as part of their prioritization process. This came after a restructuring that included layoffs and the departure of the game's director. The studio has stated their commitment to Halo's future despite these changes.

A new Halo project, codenamed Tatanka and allegedly built on Unreal Engine, is rumored to be in development. This news comes amidst a shift in focus and resources within the company.