Halo Infinite

There are no purchasable items that provide direct stat boosts, weapon damage increases, shield enhancements, or unique abilities. A player using the default free armor has the exact same starting weapons, health, movement speed, and capabilities as a player who has spent hundreds of dollars in the store. Victory is determined 100% by skill, map knowledge, and teamwork.

The ranked playlist is a completely level playing field. All players have access to the same starting weapons (BR75, Sidekick) and equipment. The ranking system (Onyx, Diamond, etc.) is solely a reflection of player skill and win/loss performance. A free-to-play player can easily reach the highest competitive ranks without spending a single dollar.

All weapons, vehicles, equipment, and gameplay-altering content are available to every player in every match from the moment they install the game. The store and battle passes only contain cosmetic items like armor coatings, visors, armor effects, and stances.

The free track of the Battle Pass and the Event Passes can feel slow, primarily rewarding Challenge Swaps and XP Boosts instead of coveted armor pieces. The core, iconic armor sets (like Mark VII and Mark V) are mostly free, but the rate of earning cosmetic rewards without paying can feel grindy. However, it is not designed to be "punishing" to the point of being unplayable.

You can purchase levels in the Battle Pass. However, since the Battle Pass only contains cosmetics and XP Boosts/Challenge Swaps, this is "Pay-to-Skip-Grind," not "Pay-to-Win." The time you save is for earning cosmetic items, not gameplay advantages.

The in-game shop features a rotating selection of cosmetic items that are available for a limited time, creating Fear Of Missing Out. The Battle Pass system, however, is a major pro-consumer feature: once you buy a pass, it never expires, and you can work on it at any time in the future. This drastically reduces FOMO pressure compared to games with expiring battle passes.

Halo Infinite has no loot boxes or gacha mechanics. Everything in the store and battle pass is sold as a direct purchase. You always know exactly what you are buying.

The game is very transparent about what costs money (cosmetics in the shop, the premium battle pass) and what is free (all gameplay). There is no deception. The one point of criticism is that some items are only available in expensive "bundles" rather than being sold individually.

To stay "competitive," the cost is $0. However, if a player wants to acquire a large volume of cosmetic items, the cost can be high. Store bundles often range from $10 to $20, and a new Battle Pass (1,000 Credits) is typically ~$10 every 3-4 months. While not required to compete, the pricing for cosmetics is considered steep by many in the community.