Game developer 343 Industries will be making available to gamers the Limited Collector’s Edition of the first-person shooter video game “Halo 5: Guardians” via digital download or physical copy.
The developer initially announced that the Limited Collector’s Edition of the highly-anticipated fifth installment of the “Halo” franchise will be available via digital download only, in an obvious attempt to provide incentives to gamers who shall pre-order the game.
“Halo 5: Guardians” is set to roll out exclusively to the Xbox One on October 27.
The “Halo 5: Guardians” Limited Collector’s Edition shall contain the copy of the game, a large Master Chief and Spartan Locke figurine, a Spartan-themed Steelbook, Spartan Locke’s Classified Orders, and the “Halo: The Fall of Reach” animated series. It also includes the Warzone REQ Bundle: 14 Premium Requisition Packs, Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris databases, and a 14-day trial of the Xbox Live, details Realty Today.
For a price of $250, the collector’s bundle is well worth it since gamers will also be able to take a peek at the Warzone map Raid on Apex 7, which has been recreated in the mega blocks version, containing more than 89,500 blocks.
Physical disc in exchange for digital download
Based on player and fan clamor for a physical disc of the game instead of a mere digital download, 343 Industries relented to those who already pre-ordered the “Halo 5: Guardians” Limited Collector’s Edition.
The developer said that gamers can exchange the digital download for a physical copy without spending a single centavo, notes Christian Today.
In a statement released recently, the developer said that based on the feedback of gamers, some actually prefer to have the physical disc instead of a digital copy and they explored options from there.
Having spent enough time exploring those options, 343 Industries disclosed that they are now able to confirm that those who would like a physical disc of “Halo 5: Guardians” Limited Collector’s Edition will be given copies at no additional cost. The details will be provided soon by the developer on how it intends to facilitate the release of the physical disc to gamers in lieu of the digital download.
Requirement on multiplayer mode
For the first time in the history of the “Halo” franchise, the upcoming installment “Halo 5: Guardians” will not support local multiplayer or playing on the same gaming console and location. There is not going to be any local cooperative gameplay in the campaign once the video game is exclusively released to Xbox One.
Unlike in the previous iterations of the video game where split-screen multiplayer or LAN (local area network) play is supported, the only way that players can play “Halo 5: Guardians” in multiplayer mode is if their respective Xbox One are also connected to Xbox Live via Wi-Fi and they have their respective copies of the video game installed in their respective gaming consoles.
In a recent statement, Microsoft said that the decision to remove all split-screen modes in “Halo 5: Guardians” is meant to ensure that gamers get the best “Halo” experience thus far. The company went on to explain that the development team at 343 Industries felt that a split-screen experience would compromise the superb gameplay design and visual bar that they have painstakingly worked hard for.
While the decision has the name of business written all over it, the logic of requiring every player to purchase the game so that they can enjoy it is anti-consumer and negates the value and excitement of gamers playing together in the same place.
Every video game in the “Halo” series since “Halo: Combat Evolved” in 2001 up to last year’s “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” has supported local, split-screen multiplayer that is why the decision to remove the feature from the upcoming “Halo 5: Guardians” is getting all kinds of negative flak from gamers directed both to Microsoft and 343 Industries.