It was during E3 2015 that 343 Industries formally revealed that Halo 5: Guardians would indeed include microtransactions, and as the first entry in the beloved sci-fi franchise to do so, the reaction was understandably mixed. Arriving in the form of REQ packs – the Requisition System, as it is formally known – the premium items will comprise weapons, gear and certain cosmetic items.
One of the overriding concerns was in relation to how the microtransactions will be implemented and, crucially, whether they would unbalance the multiplayer component – particularly in the new-fangled Warzone mode. In response to these pre-emptive apprehensions, 343 Designer Josh Holmes revealed that these REQ bonuses won’t be available from the get-go; rather, players will have to complete various objectives and accumulate the right amount of energy to put them into use.
“Deployment of REQ items is limited by the REQ Level and Energy systems that govern the Warzone experience,” Holmes wrote. “Each REQ item costs a certain amount of Energy to deploy. Everybody starts at REQ Level 1 at the beginning of each match and you gain levels based on your actions in the game.”
Beyond that, Holmes noted that the REQ packs will come in three different tiers: Bronze, Silver and Gold. As one would expect, it’s the opulent latter pack that will herald the most enviable items, which “has a chance of including Legendary requisitions, while a Bronze REQ Pack does not.”
“Capturing bases, killing AI, taking out AI Bosses and killing enemy players will help you level up within the match. The more powerful the REQ, the more energy you need to deploy it–so, for example, you can spend two energy points to deploy a Warthog or save up until you reach REQ Level 5 and spend all of your energy to deploy a more powerful Banshee. Energy replenishes at a set rate over time, and you gain a bonus energy point every time you level up.”
Halo 5: Guardians is due to launch exclusively for Xbox One on October 27.
