Halo has been a long-running franchise that dates back to 2000. Bungie was founded in 1991, but in 1998, Bungie was working on a new game known – codenamed “Monkey Nuts” or later as “Blam!” In 2001, Halo was released exclusively for Xbox. In 2004, Halo 2 was released exclusively on Xbox. In 2007, Halo 3 was released exclusively for Xbox 360. Halo 3: ODST was released shortly thereafter, still exclusive to Xbox 360. Halo: Reach followed suit shortly thereafter, again. In 2012, Halo 4 was released exclusively for Xbox 360. In 2015, Halo 5: Guardians was released exclusively for Xbox One. I am merely focused on the heavy hitter Halo games, because there is a theme here. During the Halo World Championships (2025) event, Microsoft and “Halo Studios” announced Halo: Campaign Evolved.
The biggest announcement is not even the announcement of Halo: Campaign Evolved, it’s the fact that starting with Halo: Campaign Evolved, Halo will be available on PlayStation consoles going forward. That‘s not a joke. That’s one of the quotes from “Halo Studios,” which are remnants of 343 industries. No other information was revealed other than that Halo: Campaign Evolved is penciled for 2026.
To go along with the announcement, Halo Studios released a 13-minute gameplay trailer to show off the new “Halo” engine. There are remnants the “blam!” engine, but the game is basically coded with Unreal Engine 5, which has some issues running on hardware like Xbox Series S / X. No word on PlayStation 5 Pro optimization, but as with Gears of War Reloaded, PS5 Pro enhancements will inevitably happen.
There aren’t too much information revealed about Halo: Campaign Evolved, however, the biggest announcement is that there are extra missions to ship with Halo: Campaign Evolved. Here are some of the gameplay tweaks Halo Studios said would come to Halo: Campaign Evolved…
- New missions: Fight beside Sergeant Avery Johnson, one of the Master Chief’s most beloved and stalwart allies, as you encounter new characters, enemies, environments, and dangers in three new missions set before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved.
- Stunning cinematics: Battle through all of Halo: Combat Evolved’s iconic moments with enhanced cinematics featuring new motion-capture animations and freshly recorded dialog from returning cast members.
- Enhanced audio: Immerse yourself in heroic exploits with a remastered soundtrack and fully rebuilt sound design that brings Halo’s unmistakable weapons and vehicles to life in stunning fidelity. Just listen to those glorious Hunters shoot!
- Expanded arsenal: Wield nine additional weapons from the Halo universe for the first time in Halo: Combat Evolved! Battle the Covenant with the Energy Sword, Battle Rifle, Needle Rifle, and more instantly recognizable Halo weapons, alongside tried-and-true standbys from the Master Chief’s first journey.
- Vehicle upgrades: For the first time in Halo: Combat Evolved, the Master Chief can hijack nearby enemy vehicles and add range to his repertoire at the helm of a Wraith tank. Better still, the dependable Warthog now boasts an additional seat on the rear bumper—so your whole four-player Fireteam can ride out together!
- Dozens of Skulls: Return to any mission in Halo: Campaign Evolved and remix your experience with the most gameplay-modifying Skulls of any Halo campaign. Activate Skulls for randomized weapons, altered enemy behavior, player attributes, environmental effects, and more!
Halo: Campaign Evolved is scheduled to be released for Xbox Series S / X, Xbox Cloud, Xbox PC, Xbox Game Pass, Steam, and PlayStation 5 in 2026.
