Halo Infinite players angry classic cosmetic is more expensive than game it’s based on

Noelle Corbett
Halo CE's Mark V armor in Halo Infinite

While Halo Infinite has finally added Halo Combat Evolved’s Mark V armor as a cosmetic, fans are up in arms over its steep pricing.

Nearly three years after Halo Infinite‘s launch, the game has finally received a long-requested cosmetic.

The Mark V armor set from the original Halo: Combat Evolved is a classic Master Chief look that fans have wanted for a while. The classic armor has finally been added to the game, and its design has been well-received by the Halo community.

However, there’s a huge catch. 343 Industries is charging quite a bit for the bundle, and the price has Halo players furious.

Halo Combat Evolved itself is less expensive than Halo Infinite’s Mark V armor

Frustration with microtransactions is nothing new, but Halo Infinite players are particularly angry over the Mark V Kit considering its significance to the franchise and pricing that takes advantage of fan demand.

The Kit – which also includes Viridescent Ring armor coating, Cinder Ring armor coating, and Aurum Evolved visor – costs 2,200 Credits, or $19.99. As many have pointed out, that’s more than some full games, including Halo titles.

For context, Halo: Combat Evolved is just $9.99 on Steam, and the Master Chief Collection sometimes goes down to that price. Even when it isn’t on sale, it’s $39.99 for six full games – a far better value than $20 for a couple cosmetics.

This pricing has enraged fans, some of whom are sharing their frustration online.

As one Reddit user put it, “the idea of supporting a skin that costs 1/3 the price of a game is insane.” Many players have expressed a similar sentiment, saying that, as much as they like the design, they can’t justify spending that much on a mere cosmetic.

“Ya know it used to be 10 dollars for a bundle of maps… how we have gotten to this point is both depressing and unsettling,” said another Reddit user, pointing out how DLC prices have risen dramatically over the years.

Others see it as just another example of what’s wrong with Halo Infinite. “It’s sad how you out more effort into cosmetics tha[n] the actual game,” said a Twitter user, citing Infinite’s long-running issues with things like offline custom games.

The $20 pricing for iconic armor sets is nothing new for Halo Infinite, but for players, the fact that this isn’t really a surprise is part of the problem. Though there were some positive signs for the game following the massive Season 5 update, missteps like this show that 343 Industries has lots of work to do if it wants to earn the trust of Halo players.

About The Author

Noelle is a Senior Games Writer for Dexerto who can usually be found playing an RPG. Her favorites include Persona, Pokemon, and DnD. When she isn't writing or gaming, Noelle is probably making silly noises at her dog. She can be reached at noelle.corbett@dexerto.com.