The microtransaction system in Halo 5: Guardians continues to prove popular. Microsoft announced today that sales from Req packs have now generated $700,000-plus, up from $500,000 earlier this month.

As announced previously, these funds will be added to the Halo World Championship prize pool, bringing its new total prize purse to $1.7 million. The prize pool started at $1 million.

Revenue from Halo 5's microtransactions is likely even higher than $700,000. That's because only a "portion" of Req bundle sales went to the Halo World Championship. The exact percentage split between funds that Microsoft keeps and money that goes to the Halo World Championship is unavailable.

Whatever the case, Halo 5's microtransactions are off to a fast start, and that's good news for people competing in the Halo World Championship. Looking ahead, Microsoft said today that it will offer new Halo Championship Series Athlon Armor and Weapon skins through Legendary Req packs that will be available "for a very limited time" when the Halo World Championship series begins.

The Req pack comes with the following items (which you can see in the image gallery above):

HCS Athlon Helmet

HCS Athlon Armor

HCS Assault Rifle skin

HCS Magnum Skin

HCS Emblem

Microsoft has also confirmed further details about when the Halo World Championship will start and how you can compete. Sixteen teams from around the globe will take part. Eight teams from North America will make it to the finals, to be held in March 2016, while two from Australia and New Zealand will get in. In addition, four teams will be invited from the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, while the final spot will be occupied by a squad from Latin America.

Competitions will be held both online across Xbox Live (starting December 6) and at in-person events. A complete rundown of how to enter, as well as dates and rules and regulations is available at the Halo Championship Series website.

Halo 5 launched on October 27 for Xbox One and generated a record-setting $400 million. Developer 343 Industries has big plans for post-release content, with the game's first free expansion pack--Battle of Shadow and Light--released this week. Among other things, it adds Big Team Battle and four new maps.