343's Weekly Update wrote:

What do the media mean when they say "perks?" –Krevilz

Well, I think they’re talking about performance-enhancing abilities from Call of Duty, if we’re going to be perfectly honest. I should clarify that we never used the terms “perks,” other than when asked about them. That was a term coined in questions about our admittedly mysterious content.

The systems in Halo 4, and I say that in the plural because there is no single element that defines that aspect of our game, are interconnected and related directly to your in-game experience as a Spartan IV, but they’re not exactly like any specific existing template or scheme. We’ll be explaining more about the Campaign and Multiplayer systems as the year progresses, but suffice it to say that the new features we’re hinting at for Halo 4 will not be mirror images of the stuff they’re being compared to now in online conversations.


Can you elaborate a little more on the armor customization and how it affects gameplay? I'm expecting a vague answer, but anything new on the subject (even a little sliver) would be extremely appreciated. –ZippingFilly812

You will have a wide degree of control over your appearance, of course, but as we have hinted, there will also be elements of your ability and performance as a Spartan IV that you will have some control over, that will actually impact your gameplay experience, although it should be noted this will not allow players to arrive in a game session with what are traditionally called “power weapons” or a massively asymmetrical advantage over opponents. Now, there’s a lot of speculation about how this will affect balance – and when we have more details to share, that experience will start to come into focus, but our philosophy is still to provide a balanced and enjoyable game for all types of players, regardless of skill or experience.

Will Armor Abilities and/or Equipment return? –Daedalos42

Without going into too many details, in Halo: CE, you’d fight for control over armor abilities based on timing and map control, and that’s something that evolved over time until it became the Equipment pick-ups in Halo 3 and eventually the Armor Ability loadouts in Reach. Halo 4’s system will be a logical evolution, but based on lessons and inspiration from the (matchmaking) successes and less-than-successes in prior titles.