Esports teams have been picking up Halo rosters as the hype for Halo Infinite builds, and now it’s easy to see why. In a blog posted to Halo Waypoint, Tashi, the Halo Esports Lead at 343, made a crucial announcement: “partnered” teams will receive in-game items “on day one” of Halo Infinite.
The exact number of the partnered teams, what the criteria for selection was, and even who the partnered teams were was not disclosed in the blog post. A “significant portion of the revenue” will go back to the teams with each sale of an in-game item. The exact amount was not disclosed.
The blog also details the access teams will get to make their own content surrounding their roster, and what they can expect in terms of compensation for travel from Microsoft/343.
The push to have in-game branded items so players can support their favorite teams on the server has become one of the most lucrative attractions for esports teams looking to invest in new scenes. Esports teams burn through a lot of cash, and having an opportunity to make some of that money they’re spending back would be an enticing opportunity for any organization.
Halo Infinite seems to be a scene that’s ripe for explosion. Long-time fans of esports love Halo or at least appreciate the contributions it made to the esports scene in North America, and Infinite looks like a promise to return to the golden days of Halo 2 and 3. In-game content drops on the first day the servers will be open is an extremely smart move, as well as the decision to make Infinite‘s multiplayer free-to-play.
