The Legend Returns — Halo: Campaign Evolved Launches July 28, 2026
At the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 on June 7, Halo Studios and Xbox Game Studios confirmed that Halo: Campaign Evolved will launch on July 28, 2026. This ground-up remake of Halo: Combat Evolved's campaign in Unreal Engine 5 marks 25 years since the original game that defined a generation of console gaming — and it's coming to PS5 for the very first time.
The showcase reveal trailer unveiled Operation: METEORITE, a set of three brand-new prequel missions that push the campaign beyond the original's 10-mission structure.
Game Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Halo: Campaign Evolved |
| Developer | Halo Studios |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Genre | First-Person Shooter, Action Adventure |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
| Platforms | Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam / MS Store), PS5, Xbox Cloud Gaming |
| Release Date | July 28, 2026 |
| Early Access | July 23, 2026 (Premium / Collector's Edition) |
| Game Pass | Game Pass Ultimate & PC Game Pass — Day 1 |
| Steam Pre-order | Link |
Developer — Halo Studios
Halo Studios is Microsoft's first-party studio dedicated to the Halo franchise. Following Halo Infinite (2021), the studio rebranded from 343 Industries and pivoted to a ground-up rebuild of the franchise's origin story using Unreal Engine 5. Co-development support from Abstraction Games handled technical and level design work.
This is the first time a mainline Halo campaign has launched simultaneously on PlayStation — a notable strategic shift for Xbox Game Studios, which has committed to bringing select titles to PS5.
Official New Missions Trailer — Xbox Games Showcase 2026
Operation: METEORITE — Three New Prequel Missions
The biggest reveal of the showcase: three brand-new missions that expand the Halo: Combat Evolved story before Master Chief's crash-landing on Installation 04.
Mission Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | One year before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved |
| Characters | Master Chief + Sergeant Avery Johnson |
| Objective | Infiltrate a Covenant agricultural ship in orbit above glassed colony "Promise" |
| Goal | Retrieve data that could lead to the Covenant homeworld, High Charity |
| New Enemies | Sacristan warriors, Brute Berserker |
| New Feature | Space combat missions — first in Halo franchise history |
| Story Writer | Award-winning sci-fi author Troy Denning |
""Before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, the Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson took part in Operation: Meteorite, in which they infiltrate a mysterious Covenant ship on a clandestine assignment." — Halo Studios
The inclusion of space combat — something fans have requested for over a decade — is generating significant excitement across the community.
Gameplay — Rebuilt Combat, Expanded Arsenal
Complete Campaign Rebuild
| Element | Enhancement |
|---|---|
| Visuals | Native 4K, UE5 Lumen global illumination + Nanite geometry |
| Cinematics | New motion-capture animations, rerecorded voice cast |
| Audio | Remastered soundtrack + fully rebuilt sound design |
| Level Design | Library and other repetitive sections significantly reworked |
9 Additional Weapons
The original CE weapons return plus 9 additional armaments from across the Halo series:
| New Weapons |
|---|
| Energy Sword |
| Battle Rifle |
| Needle Rifle |
| Brute Plasma Rifle |
| Fuel Rod Cannon |
| Sentinel Beam |
| SMG |
| Spiker |
| Flamethrower (rumored) |
Vehicle Upgrades
| Upgrade | Details |
|---|---|
| Enemy Vehicle Hijacking | First time in Halo CE — board and steal Covenant vehicles |
| Wraith Tank | Fully drivable Covenant Wraith — another first for the game |
| 4-Player Warthog | Rear bumper seat added for full 4-man fireteam rides |
Skulls — Campaign Remix Mode
The most gameplay-modifying Skulls of any Halo campaign: randomize weapons, enemies, and environments. A confirmed third-person mode Skull allows players to view their customized armor during play.
Co-op Modes
| Mode | Details |
|---|---|
| Solo | Full single-player support |
| Online Co-op | Up to 4 players, cross-platform |
| Split-Screen | 2-player local (console only) |
| Cross-Progression | Shared save progress across Xbox, PC, and PS5 |
Editions & Pricing
| Edition | Price | Key Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | $49.99 | Full game + Operation: METEORITE |
| Premium Edition | $69.99 | Standard + Early Access (July 23) + Alpha Halo Armory Pack + Digital Art Book + Short Story |
| Collector's Edition | $199.99 | Premium + 12" Master Chief statue (Dark Horse) + LED Cortana chip + Steelbook + 3 art prints + physical manual |
Pre-order Bonus (all editions):
- ▶Classic 2001 Mark V Armor skin
- ▶Classic 2001 Assault Rifle skin
- ▶Gilded Onyx Armor + Rifle style
Platform Availability
| Platform | Available |
|---|---|
| Xbox Series X/S | Launch day |
| PC (Steam / Microsoft Store) | Launch day |
| PlayStation 5 | Launch day (first Halo on PS5) |
| Xbox Cloud Gaming | Launch day |
| Game Pass Ultimate | Included Day 1 |
| PC Game Pass | Included Day 1 |
Community Reaction
The showcase reveal generated substantial buzz across gaming forums and social media. Key talking points:
- ▶Space combat confirmed in Operation: METEORITE missions — a decade-long fan request finally answered
- ▶PS5 day-one launch is historic for the series; Xbox fans had mixed reactions, but PS5 owners celebrated access to a franchise-defining title
- ▶The $49.99 standard price was widely praised as reasonable for a AAA premium remake
- ▶Troy Denning's story involvement gives the new missions franchise-level narrative credibility
Buying Guide
Game Pass subscribers — No additional purchase needed. Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass both include the game on launch day.
New to Halo — The Standard Edition at $49.99 is perfect. METEORITE missions are included in every edition.
Returning fans — Premium Edition ($69.99) adds 5 days early access plus the Alpha Halo Armory Pack, valuable for customization.
Collectors — Limited quantity Collector's Edition; pre-order now to secure allocation.
Pre-order now:
🎮 Pre-purchase Halo: Campaign Evolved on Steam
🎮 Pre-order on PlayStation Store
Halo Timeline
| Year | Title | Developer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Halo: Combat Evolved | Bungie | Xbox launch title, FPS revolution |
| 2004 | Halo 2 | Bungie | Xbox Live multiplayer era |
| 2007 | Halo 3 | Bungie | Master Chief trilogy finale |
| 2010 | Halo: Reach | Bungie | Bungie's final Halo |
| 2012 | Halo 4 | 343 Industries | New studio, new arc |
| 2021 | Halo Infinite | 343 Industries | Open world debut |
| 2026 | Halo: Campaign Evolved | Halo Studios | Full CE campaign remake |
July 28, 2026. Return to the ring that started it all.