Here is everything that is actually confirmed, everything that is worth getting excited about, and the details you should still treat as unconfirmed.
What Halo: Campaign Evolved actually is
Let's clear up the confusion first, because the name is deliberately close to the 2001 original. Campaign Evolved is a ground-up remake of the campaign from Halo: Combat Evolved, the game that launched the Xbox and defined the modern console shooter. It is built from scratch in Unreal Engine 5 by Halo Studios, the team formerly known as 343 Industries, with Xbox Game Studios publishing.
The key word in the title is "Campaign." This is a single-player and co-op experience. Per the official reveal and Wikipedia's summary of the project, there is no competitive multiplayer included at launch. If you are hoping to relive Blood Gulch with slayer matches, that is not what this package is. It is the story of the first Halo, rebuilt.
That focus is a big shift from 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, which was a lighter visual remaster laid over the original engine. Campaign Evolved is a full re-engineering: new lighting, new geometry, redesigned encounters, and modern movement mechanics like sprint and clamber that were introduced in later Halo games.
Release date, early access, and platforms
Microsoft confirmed the full launch details at the Xbox Games Showcase on June 7, 2026, when the New Missions Trailer premiered. Here is the timeline that matters:
- Standard launch: July 28, 2026
- Early access: July 23, 2026 for Premium Edition and Collector's Edition owners, giving them up to five days before everyone else
If you are planning to play on PC, it is worth checking your rig against the requirements before launch day. You can quickly test your specs with our Can I Run It tool once the official system requirements go live.
Editions and pricing
There are three ways to buy in, and the gaps between them are significant. Here is how they break down based on Xbox's and Halo Waypoint's official listings.
| Edition | Price (USD) | Key extras |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $49.99 | Full campaign, base game |
| Premium | $69.99 | Up to 5 days early access, Alpha Halo Armory Pack (5 armor + 6 weapon skins), digital artbook, "Hungry Buzzards" short story, digital manual |
| Collector's | $199.99 | All Premium digital content plus physical collectibles |
A few things to flag. The Premium Edition is the one that unlocks the July 23 early access window and a bundle of digital cosmetics headlined by the Alpha Halo Armory Pack. The Collector's Edition at $199.99 is aimed squarely at hardcore collectors and mixes those digital extras with physical items. Both editions also come with a Foundry Armory Pack pre-order bonus featuring classic Mark V skins. Regional pricing varies by market.
One correction worth making clearly, because early coverage muddled it: two-player local split-screen is not a Premium-only perk. It is a console feature available to every edition on both Xbox Series X|S and PS5. More on that below.
Operation: METEORITE and the new content
Campaign Evolved is not just a prettier version of a 25-year-old game. Halo Studios is adding brand-new story content on top of the classic missions.
The headline addition is Operation: METEORITE, a new three-mission arc set roughly one year before the events of the original Combat Evolved. It stars Master Chief alongside Sergeant Avery Johnson, filling in a slice of canon that predates the Pillar of Autumn's fateful arrival at Halo. For lore fans, that is a meaningful expansion rather than a throwaway bonus.
Those three missions bring the total to 13 campaign levels, combining the original ten with the new prequel arc. The rest of the package rebuilds the original campaign, including fan-favorites like The Silent Cartographer, which was the level Halo Studios chose to show off first in a lengthy gameplay demo. Levels have been reworked with altered layouts and pacing to account for the new movement options, so even players who have the original memorized will find fresh wrinkles.
Co-op, split-screen, and how you'll play
Campaign Evolved supports solo play or up to four-player online co-op, with full crossplay and cross-progression across every platform. That means you and your friends can team up regardless of whether you are on Xbox, PS5, or PC, and your progress follows you between systems.
Split-screen makes a return too, but with a catch: two-player local split-screen is console-only, so PC players are left out. Every console edition supports it across all 13 missions, not just the Premium tier. One wrinkle worth noting for PlayStation owners: according to reporting from GamesRadar, split-screen co-op on the PS5 version requires both players to have their own PSN memberships and linked Xbox accounts, an unusual hoop that stems from the game's crossplay backbone.
The voice cast is (mostly) back
One of the reasons the original Halo hit so hard was its cast, and Halo Studios brought the band back together. Steve Downes returns as Master Chief, Jen Taylor reprises Cortana, and Tim Dadabo is back as the unsettling 343 Guilty Spark. The cinematics and audio have been re-recorded with new performances.
There is one notable change. Sergeant Johnson is now voiced by Keston John, stepping in for original actor David Scully, who retired. It is a respectful handoff for a beloved character who is getting more screen time than ever thanks to Operation: METEORITE.
How we got here
Campaign Evolved has been one of gaming's worst-kept secrets. The Verge reported the project was in development back in 2024. It was then teased at the Halo World Championship in October 2024 alongside Halo Studios' Unreal Engine 5 transition, before being officially revealed at the October 2025 Halo World Championship with a lengthy gameplay walkthrough of The Silent Cartographer. The final release date, editions, and pricing arrived at the June 2026 Xbox Games Showcase.
That long runway has given the game enormous visibility, and the PlayStation reveal turned it from a nostalgia play into a genuine cultural moment for the industry.
Should you be excited?
If you have never played the original, this is the most accessible entry point Halo has ever had: a modern-looking, modern-feeling shooter available on nearly every current platform, including via Game Pass on day one. If you are a veteran, the new mechanics, rebuilt levels, and Operation: METEORITE give you real reasons to return beyond nostalgia.
The one asterisk remains the lack of competitive multiplayer at launch. For a franchise whose PvP was once its beating heart, that is a bold, campaign-first bet. Whether Halo Studios adds multiplayer later has not been confirmed.
FAQ
Is Halo: Campaign Evolved coming to PS5?
Yes. It launches on PlayStation 5 on July 28, 2026, alongside Xbox Series X|S and PC. This is the first mainline Halo campaign ever released on a PlayStation console.
Is Halo: Campaign Evolved on Game Pass?
Yes. It is available day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, so subscribers can play it at no extra cost starting July 28, 2026.
Does Halo: Campaign Evolved have multiplayer?
It has up to four-player online co-op with crossplay and cross-progression, plus two-player local split-screen on both consoles (all editions). However, it does not include competitive PvP multiplayer at launch. It is a campaign-focused release.
How much does Halo: Campaign Evolved cost?
The Standard Edition is $49.99, the Premium Edition (with up to five days early access and bonus cosmetics) is $69.99, and the Collector's Edition is $199.99. Prices vary by region.
