Halo Infinite has been received exceptionally well since it first launched with even long-time Halo fans finding a lot to like. However, this, unfortunately, did not stop some fans from viciously lashing out at the developers who worked on Halo Infinite for not including a vanilla Slayer playlist which is what prompted Halo Community Director Brian Jarrard to issue a statement on the matter.
The toxicity reached such a peak that the Halo subreddit was temporarily shut down over the weekend. The aim of the lockdown was to afford players some time for their tempers to cool off in order for more constructive dialogue to be had. The criticism was not focused entirely on the lack of a Slayer playlist and also regarded fans' issues with how the Battle Pass system worked and the pricing of cosmetic items.
Jarrard acknowledged many different issues players had with the game in his statement on Reddit. "I don't believe anyone at 343 thought not having Slayer was a 'good idea.' The team's plans for a Slayer playlist are more robust than what might suffice as an interim solution." Jarrard went on to state that implementing a Slayer playlist that 343 Industries will be happy with will take time owing to extensive tuning and testing and will therefore not be something that can be completed with the "push of a button." Jarrard explained that ultimately the reason for there not being a Slayer-only playlist was that historically, having a Slayer-only playlist causes Objective-only playlists to dwindle in player count.
This most likely means that Halo Infinite players will have to wait a while for a proper Slayer playlist. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing as 343 Industries want the mode to be the best that it can be. Jarrard went on to state that the way in which players reacted also upset him "I just ask that people take a breath and understand that there are human beings behind this who put years of their lives into this game."
In the meantime, 343 Industries recently announced other playlists that will be coming to Halo Infinite soon. These playlists include the much-loved SWAT and Free-For-All playlists so there is definitely still something for players to look forward to while they wait for the announcement of dedicated Slayer playlists.
343 Industries also stated that Halo Infinite multiplayer will receive more stability when the game launches fully which is very refreshing as the developer seems genuinely interested in making the game the best possible experience it can be. Jarrard also raised a valid point when he reminded fans that ultimately there are living, breathing people behind the game and that players should consider this before going on a toxic rant.
Halo Infinite will launch on December 8 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The multiplayer beta is available now.
Source: Reddit