Halo Infinite's multiplayer on Steam has seen a significant drop in player base, losing around 98% since its launch. Concerns arise about the game's future, but it remains free-to-play with updates.
Nearly two years after I first played it (was in the beta) and it doesn't feel improved in meaningful ways
We finally have some of the game types we used to have in every other game, and the new forge is very impressive, but the guns and movement still feels shitty, and the hyperfocus on what a dozen or so competitive players want, at the expense of the rest of the playerbase still feels incredibly tone deaf
I play it when I'm waiting for my friends to get online to play something else
Hyperfocus on streamers is why I don't play competitive games anymore. Devs need to learn how to ignore streamers, because they are almost universally idiots who know nothing about game design.
Halo 5 did so much right later in it's life. Over 220 weapons made games like fiesta absolutely amazing to play, and the PvE (warzone, warzone firefight) experience gave those of us who don't want to sweat a fun place to play
Then they threw it all away for infinite. And when they were called out on their crap, instead of fixing it, they added some crap to a side room at their convention and said "everyone is welcome at halofest." Note that none of the crap they added to said convention had any impact on the game, it was things like a cosplay contest or a Q&A session that suspiciously didn't ask any hard questions.
My biggest gripe with halo 5 was the lootcard system, where you could technically pay money for the best weapons and vehicles and bring them into a match were your opponents didnt have access to those same items. Its a game imbalance that should have never been implemented.
It wasn't great, but it did do somethings right, that Infinite doesn't. Everything in Halo 5 could be earned in-game, without spending real money (barring a few announcer voices). There was even a bit of logic and a game to it; you worked through bronze, then silver, then gold. I didn't spend a cent past the original purchase price, and after a year I had every unlock.
Infinite? Want that nice piece of armor? Cough up $20. Missed it? Better hope it comes back sometime, otherwise you're SoL