Halo Infinite's first event - Fracture: Tenrai - is giving Spartans around the world the chance to earn free rewards like the samurai-inspired Yoroi Armor Core. Unfortunately, many have already run into issues with its gated progression and padded event pass.

The Fracture: Tenrai Event Pass is free to all players and contains 30 tiers of rewards. Unlike Halo Infinite's premium Battle Pass that requires XP to level up, players can only progress through the event pass by completing specific event challenges. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, some of the other factors surrounding it are causing frustration for certain players.

For one, the event pass can not be completed in this first week that ends on Monday, November 30, according to Halo marketing lead Noah Benesch. Instead, Fracture: Tenrai will return five more times throughout this first season to give players "plenty of opportunities to complete all 30 reward tiers." That is great for those who either don't have the time to dedicate a ton of time in one week to an event pass or may not even be available to play in a given week.

One of the biggest problems players have run into, however, is that the event pass appears to be padded with Challenge Swaps and XP Grants. So much so that only 10 of the 30 reward tiers are actual themed rewards.

"So there's 30 tiers, 10 of them being XP bonuses and 6 of them being challenge swaps," PN4R wrote on Reddit. "Out of the 14 tiers remaining which includes 'actual' content, 4 of them is a single emblem that you need to unlock 4 times to be able to use it everywhere.

"Out of the 10 remaining, you unlock 3 color palettes that are lock this specific armor [sp]. Out of the 7 remaining, you get 1 stupid callsign backdrop that most people will forget. So out of the 30 tiers for this event, you only get 6 armor parts, 2 of which are the same shoulder pad that you need to unlock 2 times for both shoulders. Meanwhile, 343 sells a 25$ armor set in the shop which actually looks pretty cool."

That armor set they spoke of is the Chonmage Armor Set, which is part of a bundle that can be bought with 2,000 in-game credits. As of this writing, that costs $17.99 USD. The shop also currently includes the Sentinel's Blades bundle that includes a Legendary Utility that can only be equipped on the samurai armor. Furthermore, you can't pay for tiers in the event pass, and you don't unlock the Yoroi Armor Core until level 5.

Compounding these issues is the fact that the event challenges are mixed in with standard challenges, so there may be times where you have to complete various standard ones to even get another event one.

Speaking of the event, it also comes with its own special mode - Fiesta - which is new to Halo Infinite but not to the franchise. In this mode, Spartans spawn with two random weapons and equipment, adding a bit of variety to the standard modes.

It's important to keep things in perspective, as Halo Infinite is a free-to-play game and this event pass costs you no extra to participate in. Sure, there are items locked in the shop that would be wonderful to be able to earn by simply playing through the event, but this is hardly the first game to do this. Although it is new to Halo, and it is a big change from the previous entries that were complete, paid packages.

To help ease players' woes, 343 Industries' community director Brian Jarrard has already responded to the outcry from these frustrated fans, saying they are "being heard loud and clear."

"Been traveling so slow to respond - but please know the constructive feedback is being heard loud and clear," Jarrard wrote. "Changes will take time and our priority this week is giving the team a much deserved break for the holiday after a long final stretch. Thank you for understanding."

It's also worth mentioning that Halo Infinite's multiplayer was not even set to be released until December 8 alongside its campaign. The team at 343 surprised fans during the celebration of Xbox and Halo's 20th anniversary by announcing that it would be available early.

This is the start of the future of Halo, and there will be bumps on the road. Luckily, 343 is committed to making this a game worthy of Master Chief, and it wants your constructive feedback to help make it so.

It has already proven it is ready to adapt, as it recently made changes to Halo Infinite's Battle Pass and promised that more changes will be on the way.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

"Harassment, abuse, or mistreatment of any kind in the workplace is unacceptable and must never be tolerated," the Entertainment Software Association told GamesIndustry.biz today, joining Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox in the chorus of voices condemning the allegations consuming Activision Blizzard, but stopping short of directly calling out the publisher itself.

The ESA's response comes just a day after reports that Nintendo CEO Doug Bowser circulated an internal memo calling the harassment allegations "distressing and disturbing." In that same message, Bower said that Nintendo has been working with the ESA since last week to "strengthen its stance on harassment and abuse in the workplace."

The ESA did not specifically name Activision Blizzard in its statement, choosing instead to say that when "allegations arise, people impacted need to have their voices heard." The ESA went on to to say that any allegation "needs to be acknowledged, thoroughly investigated, and addressed with meaningful consequences."

"The vitality of our industry requires that everyone in the workplace - and in our — feels valued and respected. As an industry association, the ESA convenes its member companies to create dialogue and shape actions to ensure that these beliefs are realized," the ESA statement said.

The ESA is a lobbying group in which both Nintendo and Activision Blizzard are members. In a separate message to IGN, a Nintendo representative confirmed Bowser's statements, but did not offer further comment.

The Activision Blizzard controversy recently flared up again following a damning report by the Wall Street Journal alleging that CEO Bobby Kotick was fully aware of the company's culture of harassment, and personally intervened to block the removal of a high-level employee. Kotick remains at Activision Blizzard, but has said that he will step down if its problems weren't fixed "with speed." In the meantime, more than 1000 Activision Blizzard employees have signed a petition calling for Kotick's removal.

You can read our full timeline of the allegations here.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

"Harassment, abuse, or mistreatment of any kind in the workplace is unacceptable and must never be tolerated," the Entertainment Software Association told GamesIndustry.biz today, joining Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox in the chorus of voices condemning the allegations consuming Activision Blizzard, but stopping short of directly calling out the publisher itself.

The ESA's response comes just a day after reports that Nintendo CEO Doug Bowser circulated an internal memo calling the harassment allegations "distressing and disturbing." In that same message, Bower said that Nintendo has been working with the ESA since last week to "strengthen its stance on harassment and abuse in the workplace."

The ESA did not specifically name Activision Blizzard in its statement, choosing instead to say that when "allegations arise, people impacted need to have their voices heard." The ESA went on to to say that any allegation "needs to be acknowledged, thoroughly investigated, and addressed with meaningful consequences."

"The vitality of our industry requires that everyone in the workplace - and in our — feels valued and respected. As an industry association, the ESA convenes its member companies to create dialogue and shape actions to ensure that these beliefs are realized," the ESA statement said.

The ESA is a lobbying group in which both Nintendo and Activision Blizzard are members. In a separate message to IGN, a Nintendo representative confirmed Bowser's statements, but did not offer further comment.

The Activision Blizzard controversy recently flared up again following a damning report by the Wall Street Journal alleging that CEO Bobby Kotick was fully aware of the company's culture of harassment, and personally intervened to block the removal of a high-level employee. Kotick remains at Activision Blizzard, but has said that he will step down if its problems weren't fixed "with speed." In the meantime, more than 1000 Activision Blizzard employees have signed a petition calling for Kotick's removal.

You can read our full timeline of the allegations here.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

After a particularly difficult and divisive launch, EA and DICE are releasing a second update for Battlefield 2042 on November 25, followed by a "substantial" third update in early December, and a fourth update sometime before the holidays. The second and third updates aim to address various technical issues and gameplay balancing.

Here's what to expect in Update #2:

• Improved soldier revives, fixing an issue with not being able to revive a teammate when they die close to a wall or object.
• A "respawn protection system" that will address a bug that leaves players in a downed state for too long.
• Re-enabling Battlefield Portal's UAV-1 interaction after adjusting its overpowered state.
• Vehicle balancing for the LCAA Hovercraft and MD540 Nightbird.
• Dispersion reduced across all weapon types excluding shotguns, resulting in more consistent bullet spread.
• Additional "critical" changes to be detailed later.

Update #3 seems significantly larger in scope, and appears to address a common complaint that the transition from the end of a match to being booted back to the matchmaking menu was inconvenient. It also addresses common issues for player progression, rendering, and numerous balancing issues. The list is far too long to lay out here, but highlights include:

• Improvements to the user interface, including weapon attachment management, collection screens, player card screen, end of round summary screen, and adding "new" markers so you can more easily find items.
• "Improved the experience between EOR and the Main Menu"
• Improved the reliability of matchmaking and reduced failed matchmaking
• Introduction of weekly missions that reward cosmetic unlocks
• Fixed multiple issues with water graphics and rendering, plus stuttering and visual flickering issues.
• "Over 150" small changes across all maps
• A more descriptive interaction system that replaces a generic "interact" prompt with something more specific, like "call elevator."
• Reduced spread for weapons when ADS and moving, applied globally.
• Improved accuracy for stationary weapon ADS. Bullet spread is also reduced when you use single fire or burst fire instead of automatic.
• Added a new UI element that highlights teammates who can revive you when they're within 50 meters. Players who ping to signal they intend to revive you are also listed in a new UI element.
• Improved bot behavior for reviving, helicopter piloting, and combat/game mode behaviors.
• Audio mix improvements, including changes to enemies firing at a player.

Update #3 also includes balancing and technical changes for several specialists, gadgets, and melee combat. You can read the full patch notes here.

EA and DICE say they're also tracking issues related to servers and hardware. Chief among these are rare instances of servers not registering hit markers and rare instances of spawning without your intended loadout. On the hardware side, EA and DICE released a mandatory update for Xbox Series X/S players that addressed systems performing a power cycle during gameplay.

If it seems like an incredibly long list of fixes, that's because it is. The updates will hopefully address some of the most common technical and balancing complaints that have plagued Battlefield 2042 since launch, resulting in it becoming one of Steam's worst-reviewed games despite also being one of its most-played.

You can check out IGN's review of Battlefield 2042 for resident FPS wunderkind Stella Chung's opinion on what the new entry brings to the table and what's sorely missing.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/mobile blood bag for IGN.

After a particularly difficult and divisive launch, EA and DICE are releasing a second update for Battlefield 2042 on November 25, followed by a "substantial" third update in early December, and a fourth update sometime before the holidays. The second and third updates aim to address various technical issues and gameplay balancing.

Here's what to expect in Update #2:

• Improved soldier revives, fixing an issue with not being able to revive a teammate when they die close to a wall or object.
• A "respawn protection system" that will address a bug that leaves players in a downed state for too long.
• Re-enabling Battlefield Portal's UAV-1 interaction after adjusting its overpowered state.
• Vehicle balancing for the LCAA Hovercraft and MD540 Nightbird.
• Dispersion reduced across all weapon types excluding shotguns, resulting in more consistent bullet spread.
• Additional "critical" changes to be detailed later.

Update #3 seems significantly larger in scope, and appears to address a common complaint that the transition from the end of a match to being booted back to the matchmaking menu was inconvenient. It also addresses common issues for player progression, rendering, and numerous balancing issues. The list is far too long to lay out here, but highlights include:

• Improvements to the user interface, including weapon attachment management, collection screens, player card screen, end of round summary screen, and adding "new" markers so you can more easily find items.
• "Improved the experience between EOR and the Main Menu"
• Improved the reliability of matchmaking and reduced failed matchmaking
• Introduction of weekly missions that reward cosmetic unlocks
• Fixed multiple issues with water graphics and rendering, plus stuttering and visual flickering issues.
• "Over 150" small changes across all maps
• A more descriptive interaction system that replaces a generic "interact" prompt with something more specific, like "call elevator."
• Reduced spread for weapons when ADS and moving, applied globally.
• Improved accuracy for stationary weapon ADS. Bullet spread is also reduced when you use single fire or burst fire instead of automatic.
• Added a new UI element that highlights teammates who can revive you when they're within 50 meters. Players who ping to signal they intend to revive you are also listed in a new UI element.
• Improved bot behavior for reviving, helicopter piloting, and combat/game mode behaviors.
• Audio mix improvements, including changes to enemies firing at a player.

Update #3 also includes balancing and technical changes for several specialists, gadgets, and melee combat. You can read the full patch notes here.

EA and DICE say they're also tracking issues related to servers and hardware. Chief among these are rare instances of servers not registering hit markers and rare instances of spawning without your intended loadout. On the hardware side, EA and DICE released a mandatory update for Xbox Series X/S players that addressed systems performing a power cycle during gameplay.

If it seems like an incredibly long list of fixes, that's because it is. The updates will hopefully address some of the most common technical and balancing complaints that have plagued Battlefield 2042 since launch, resulting in it becoming one of Steam's worst-reviewed games despite also being one of its most-played.

You can check out IGN's review of Battlefield 2042 for resident FPS wunderkind Stella Chung's opinion on what the new entry brings to the table and what's sorely missing.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/mobile blood bag for IGN.

Amazon Studios is nearing a deal to develop a Mass Effect TV series based on BioWare’s popular sci-fi RPG.

In a report about Amazon’s success with the recent Wheel of Time adaptation, Deadline says Amazon is readying more adaptations for popular franchises, including Mass Effect. The report notes that the deal is nearing, meaning Amazon and EA haven’t fully agreed to the project just yet.

There are no details on the story or whether or not this will be an original story set in the Mass Effect universe or a story related to the video game series.

Mass Effect is a massively popular RPG series created by BioWare. The sprawling sci-fi epic consists of many different alien races and civilizations reckoning with technology left behind by the ancient precursor civilization. The series consists of the core Mass Effect trilogy and a sequel series Mass Effect: Andromeda.

If Amazon makes a Mass Effect TV series, it will be the second video game adaptation in the works at the studio. Amazon previously announced it’s making a Fallout TV show from the creators of Westworld Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Bethesda boss Todd Howard revealed in a recent AMA that work on the Fallout TV series is ongoing.

Elsewhere, HBO is adapting The Last of Us for TV while on the film side Sony is readying to release an Uncharted movie starring Tom Holland as Nathan Drake.

While there hasn’t been a new Mass Effect game in years, EA recently released the Mass Effect Legendary Edition which remasters and collects all three Mass Effect games in a single package. And BioWare has been slowly teasing the next Mass Effect game currently in development.

Check out IGN’s review of The Wheel of Time for Amazon’s latest fantasy foray, or check out our coverage on Amazon’s massive Lord of the Rings series.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Amazon Studios is nearing a deal to develop a Mass Effect TV series based on BioWare’s popular sci-fi RPG.

In a report about Amazon’s success with the recent Wheel of Time adaptation, Deadline says Amazon is readying more adaptations for popular franchises, including Mass Effect. The report notes that the deal is nearing, meaning Amazon and EA haven’t fully agreed to the project just yet.

There are no details on the story or whether or not this will be an original story set in the Mass Effect universe or a story related to the video game series.

Mass Effect is a massively popular RPG series created by BioWare. The sprawling sci-fi epic consists of many different alien races and civilizations reckoning with technology left behind by the ancient precursor civilization. The series consists of the core Mass Effect trilogy and a sequel series Mass Effect: Andromeda.

If Amazon makes a Mass Effect TV series, it will be the second video game adaptation in the works at the studio. Amazon previously announced it’s making a Fallout TV show from the creators of Westworld Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Bethesda boss Todd Howard revealed in a recent AMA that work on the Fallout TV series is ongoing.

Elsewhere, HBO is adapting The Last of Us for TV while on the film side Sony is readying to release an Uncharted movie starring Tom Holland as Nathan Drake.

While there hasn’t been a new Mass Effect game in years, EA recently released the Mass Effect Legendary Edition which remasters and collects all three Mass Effect games in a single package. And BioWare has been slowly teasing the next Mass Effect game currently in development.

Check out IGN’s review of The Wheel of Time for Amazon’s latest fantasy foray, or check out our coverage on Amazon’s massive Lord of the Rings series.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

One of Tom Holland's most defining traits as the current Spider-Man is his connection to the late Tony Stark, who became something akin to a second father figure or mentor to the younger Peter Parker. Actor Andrew Garfield, who played Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the earlier Amazing Spider-Man films in 2012 and 2014, thinks his version of the character wouldn't get along so well with the iconic billionaire/superhero.

In a new video by GQ (via SlashFilm), Garfield answered questions from fans on the internet about his past roles, including his tenure as Spider-Man. When asked how the MCU Iron Man would treat Garfield's Spider-Man, the actor was pretty firm that the pair wouldn't get along.

"I definitely think Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man would be pretty suspect of MCU Iron Man," Garfield said. "I think he would be a little turned off by the excess, the billionaire, trillionaire status of Iron Man. I think it would rub my version of Spider-Man the wrong way. But maybe there could be some influence there. Maybe my Peter Parker could wake Tony Stark up to his own egoic drives a little bit."

Garfield's take on Spider-Man was definitely a little darker than Tom Holland's, and maybe about as dark as Tobey Maguire's, grappling with a conspiracy involving his dead parents, the death of Gwen Stacy's police captain father, and later the death of Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy. In any case, Garfield is on the record that Maguire is his favorite Spider-Man.

Rumors and fan theories have been swirling for weeks about Garfield potentially appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which has confirmed the return of Alfred Molina's Doc Ock, the Green Goblin, and even The Amazing Spider-Man's Electro, played by Jamie Foxx, and Lizard. The latest trailer raised plenty of questions about how previous Spider-Man entries could play a role in the multiverse plot elements introduced in Spider-Man: Far From Home and Disney Plus' Loki series.

Marvel is staying silent on whether Garfield will appear in No Way Home, and the actor himself has reiterated several times that the rumors are "hilarious" and saying that a cameo from him “is not something I’m aware of.” Whether this is the truth or just careful obfuscation by a spoiler-sensitive Marvel/Disney remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Garfield is plenty busy recently starring in Lin Manuel Miranda's new musical film Tick, Tick...Boom! as Jonathon Larson, creator of Broadway's Rent.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/web-shooter for IGN.

Microsoft has revealed its list of upcoming Games With Gold titles for December. The lineup includes The Escapists 2, Tropico 5: Penultimate Edition, Orcs Must Die! and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet.

The Escapists 2 is developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and published by Team17 and builds upon its predecessor as you once again enter the life of an inmate motivated to escape from behind bars. Unlike the original Escapists, the sequel allows you to team up with a number of friends in multiplayer as you attempt to plot and break out of some of the toughest prisons in the world.

In contrast, Tropico 5 offers a very different gameplay experience in a construction and management simulator beginning in the early colonial period and spanning four different eras to move beyond the 21st century. The Penultimate Edition available through Games With Gold also comes with the Tropico 5's Hostile Takeover and The Big Cheese add-ons included.

Orcs Must Die! and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet were originally launched on the Xbox 360 and are available this month through Backward Compatibility. Orcs Must Die! puts the player in the shoes of a powerful mage in a bid to defend twenty-four fortresses from a mob of beastly enemies through tower defense gameplay.

In Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, players are tasked with exploring a bizarre world from the comfort of their flying saucer where gameplay revolves around battling outlandish creatures and solving puzzles. IGN reviewed Insanely Twister Shadow Planet upon release awarding it an 8/10 and stating that the game "leaves you wanting more."

The Escapists 2 will be available throughout the entire month of December while Tropico 5 will be free between December 16 and January 15. Meanwhile, Orcs Must Die! and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet will share the Christmas period. The former is set to be available between December 1 and December 15, with Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet available from December 16 to the end of the month.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are, largely, very faithful remakes of the original Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. But one somewhat-hidden bit of additional content might very well be teasing some lore for Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

If you recall the Canalave Library from the original games, it's full of books that relate to the myths and legends of the Sinnoh region. There are a number of tales referencing legendary Pokémon like Arceus, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Giratina, Palkia, Dialga, and others. There are even a few strange stories that seem to confirm people, at least at one point, ate Pokémon, and another that implies Pokémon were once indistinguishable from humans.

For the most part, all of these texts are recreated in their original translations again in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, aside from one line in the "Sinnoh Myth" tale that appears to have been adjusted for clarity. However, there's an entirely new tale hidden on the second floor of the library that wasn't there in the original games.

Entitled "The Sea's Legend," the flavor text states that the book "was only recently discovered and its ancient letters were decoded." It reads as follows:

Once upon a time in the East Sea, there was a Pokémon known as the prince. A brave human asked Pokémon living in the sea to let them see the prince. Mantyke, Buizel, and a Quilfish with huge spikes acknowledged the human's bravery and joined them. Together, they set off in a boat over the sunset-streaked sea, sailing through the ocean gate stretched over the waves. News of this reached the ears of the prince, who went to meet the brave little party at the Seaside Hollow.

The story ends abruptly there, but it's entirely possible that this strange story — which does not appear to link to anything specific in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl — is teasing something about Pokémon Legends: Arceus. For one, there's no known location in the Pokémon games thus far called the Seaside Hollow, nor does it seem to correspond to anything currently in Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl.

As for the "prince," it's possible this could refer to Manaphy, who in the film Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea is known as the "prince of the sea." The plot of the film involves the heroes returning a Manaphy egg to a Sea Temple, where an item called the Sea Crown is kept. Typically, anime plots don't cross over much into the main games (Pokémon Yellow aside) but this could at least hint at who this mysterious "prince" might be. While Manaphy does appear in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, it's only as a Mystery Gift and without any plot tied to it or secret locations.

It's also worth noting that the review embargo for Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl explicitly forbade mentioning any of the contents of the books in the Canalave Library. Given that this is the only significant change to the books from the originals, it seems that this new book was at least an important enough addition or spoiler that Game Freak wanted to keep under wraps ahead of release.

We won't know exactly what this refers to until Pokémon Legends: Arceus drops next year on January 28, though we've already heard a number of tidbits about its new "noble" Pokémon, its Monster Hunter-like world, and some creepy looking "found footage" style teases. In the meantime, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are still worthy remakes for their faithful recreation of Sinnoh and a time when Pokémon was a bit more challenging.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.