Halo resets

“Seasons” or Resets in Halo

One issue with current play to earn mechanics is the feeling of “missing the boat” - later participants face a higher barrier / bar of entry versus earlier participants. In the design of individual games, developers can take this risk into account by building on well developed game economy mechanics, such as the “reset” that can happen when a new “season” of a game goes live.

In this mode of game play, the standings of players reset, and their achievement graph must be re-earned during the new season. In the case of Halo, this is another form of unlock- where during a reset, the new achievements can trigger benefits. A reset does not erase or invalidate prior achievements in previous seasons. It merely permits new players to compete on a level field with returning players.

Similarly, reset models could prove valuable inside of self-organizing entities, at their discretion. A guild, for instance, may find that periodic resets are important in continuing the growth of their community.