343 Industries has announced that Halo 5: Guardians will offer free multiplayer maps after release.

Marshawn Lynch Will Play A Role In Call of Duty: Black Ops 3

The developer today stated that 20 multiplayer maps will be available at launch, already a sizeable number. From there, the studio will release 15 more maps from October 2015 to June 2015 entirely free of charge.

Multiplayer has long has been an important part of the extremely popular shooter franchise, and (as with any shooter) the release of new maps maintains player interest and keeps them coming back. This is particularly important in the modern game market, where DLC for other games comes thick and fast and keeping attention is crucial. For online shooters, the problems arise when developers charge for new maps, as some fans will choose not to buy them and the player base becomes fragmented.

Details Leaked On Destiny's Next Content Expansion, Reportedly Titled The Taken King  

When this happens, playlists cannot include both old and new maps, people get left out of popular modes, and the player base often dwindles. This was a particular issue in the Halo series, with different map packs over the years causing some confusion about which playlists included which maps. Later in the life cycles of some titles in the series, many of the playlists were restricted only to those who had paid.

Releasing the maps for free entirely circumvents this problem, keeping everyone in the loop and allowing anyone to participate without locking content behind optional payments. Players will no doubt appreciate this, and it helps the long term health of the game--well done, 343.

Tags: Halo 5: Guardians 343 Industries XBox One