“Monthly releases like that were unsustainable” former Halo developer opens up about regular updates and team burnout

Former Halo developer opens up about regular updates and team burnout (Image via 343 Industries)
Former Halo developer opens up about regular updates and team burnout (Image via 343 Industries)

Halo Infinite has had a myriad of problems ever since its official launch last year. 343 Industries’ latest shooter is not enjoying the same amount of popularity as it did on release, as fans aren't exactly happy with the lack of content and type of updates the developers are introducing now and then.

Popular Halo streamer and content creator, The Act Man recently opened up on Twitter comparing how updates occur in Infinite, as opposed to how they were during a previous franchise entry. He states,

“The type of updates that 343i is dropping for Infinite is the type of stuff that League of Legends would do every week or two. You know what gets people excited? Patch notes, weapon changes, new maps, new modes, rotating playlists, functional custom games, etc. But I don't understand how 343i were so consistent with Halo 5's updates and it's been 3 months since launch and still no road map in sight.”

Former Halo 5 developer opens up about team burnout

At first glance, it does appear that the previous entry in the franchise had a much better time with patches and updates. While not as widely loved as Infinite was at launch, its predecessor was still getting their updates right and brought in significant content drops much more consistently.

However, that being said, The Act Man was not exactly looking at the bigger picture and was not looking at the issue from the perspective of the developer.

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Former franchise developer Patrick Wren, who now works for Respawn Entertainment, has replied to the content creator and pointed out the other side of the coin. While significant monthly updates and new content does seem like the more attractive thing for a live service game, it eventually ends up pushing the development team to their limits.

Patrick states,

“The thing I will say about Halo 5 post-launch is by the end of those 6 months we were extremely burnt out. Monthly releases like that were extremely unsustainable.”

While it’s true that Infinite is currently seeing a rapid decline in its player base, it’s quite difficult to ascertain if the previous update model would have worked for the shooter.

Moreover, the title’s mid-season patch is due to drop in a few days, and 343 Industries has promised an extensive number of updates for both the campaign mode and multiplayer. Infinite’s season 2 is also on the horizon, and rumors have suggested that it will bring around ten new maps and additional game modes to the title.

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