Competitive Funding
While there’s often a stigma associated with microtransactions, 343 Studios managed to offer players a great incentive for the fan base to buy Halo 5’s Req Packs by adding a chunk of the money straight into the prize pool for the Halo World Championships. The purchase of these Req Packs granted players the chance to pick up rare vehicles, weapons, and other multiplayer items for the Warzone online game mode.
By using the Req Pack sales, 343 managed to add an additional $1.5 million to the prize pool bringing it up to $2.5 million. By channeling the money back into the community, fans will not only be more inclined to pay for the packs, but it also shows that both developers and fans can see some sort of return from the profits. The bigger esports prize pools get, the faster it’ll grow and rise in popularity.