After numerous critiques from fans regarding Halo 5’s current state, developer 343 Industries has formulated a plan to hopefully improve the game.
Three days ago, 343 announced its newest list of “test” settings for Halo 5, featuring updated maps and game types it claims were based off the community’s feedback.
Here are the most important updates 343 is implementing.
Weapons
Halo 5’s controversial automatic weapon, the Assault Rifle, will not be featured in competitive play this season, after lots of negative feedback from the community about its skill level.
“Players have been providing feedback that the current gameplay around the Assault Rifle has become unfit for competition,” 343 said in its announcement. “After extensive review, we have determined that the data supports this feedback. The Assault Rifle’s effectiveness is similar across a wide range of skill levels, which is not intended.”
The controversy around the Assault Rifle and its inability to satisfy fans is due to their perception on its “skillfulness” within competitive matches. Due to this opinion, many competitive players have stated that the weapon only promotes casual tactics in competitive gameplay such as camping, a tactic used to surprise your opponent by hiding in an unpredictable area, so you can attack once the enemy is vulnerable.
The 343 team also stated that other weapons such as the Splinter Grenade, Energy Sword, and Brute Plasma Rifle will not be featured next season, but it is working on improving them.
Motion Tracker
Motion Tracker, a mechanic that allows players to see their opponent’s position on the map at all times, has caused some uproar since launch. Fans have stated that the mechanic does little to improve the overall gameplay, as they feel it shares the same negative attribute of the Assault Rifle in the sense that it promotes camping tactics, as you become invisible in the radar once your character crouches.
The team is updating the “Proving Grounds” playlist for Halo 5, which currently features the newest Motion Tracker that 343 has been working on. The developer says it will work with the community to determine what changes need to be made to their current mechanics.
With these new updates underway, many fans are eager to find out whether this new update will save the competitive Halo community. Since its release on Oct 27, 2015, fans have been divided in opinion on what settings work best from a competitive standpoint. This divide isn’t what’s best for the community, as true growth will stem from unity, making the success of this update crucial for the future of Halo 5 and beyond.
Images via Microsoft/343 Industries
