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Halo 5: All 15 DLC maps will be free to download

Halo has built a name for itself on the back of class-leading multiplayer, but costly DLC has dampened the experience on previous titles.

Fortunately, 343 Industries has confirmed gamers won’t need to pay for bonus map packs on Halo 5: Guardians.

Revealed in the July issue of Game Informer, Halo 5: Guardians will receive 15 bonus multiplayer maps after launch.

These maps will be downloadable extras, will release before July 2016, and won’t cost gamers a single penny.

That’s in addition to the “over 20 maps” that will ship with the title when it launches on October 27.

“As we started on the multiplayer experience for Halo 5, we talked a lot about the problem of dividing the player base,” said Josh Holmes, 343 Industries executive producer.

He continued: “When you have paid map packs and content, you divide the player base into two groups: the haves and have-nots. The people that have the map pack can play together but the people who don’t cannot. That to us is a real problem.”

Related: Halo 5: Guardians Tips and Tricks

Holmes added: “So we’re delivering all the maps to all players free so everybody will be able to play together. That, we feel, is really important to having a great multiplayer ecosystem.”

It’s also been confirmed that friends will be able to play online co-op campaign without paying for an Xbox Live Gold subscription.

Gamers will have to buy the Xbox subscription if they want to enjoy player vs player matches, however.

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