Halo: Campaign Evolved heads to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and yes, PlayStation 5 in 2026 — after playing an early demo of this remake, I’m excited

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In 2026, the Halo franchise will celebrate its 25th anniversary, and Xbox is marking the occasion with a complete remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved. Called Halo: Campaign Evolved, the new game will focus solely on the story campaign, expanding it with new weapons, smarter enemies, and other improvements.

This release is also significant because it will be the first Halo game ever available on PlayStation 5. Following the earlier release of Forza and Gears of War on PlayStation, this means all three of Xbox’s biggest franchises will now be playable on both Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

I recently visited Halo Studios and had the opportunity to play an early demo of Halo: Campaign Evolved, as well as speak with the developers behind the project.

Remaking a classic …but, why?

I asked Halo Studios why they were remaking the game, wondering if it was simply to reach new players – and if so, why not just release The Master Chief Collection on new platforms? Damon Conn, the executive producer, explained that the 25th anniversary of the series was a key factor, and that a remake allows them to build a strong foundation for future Halo games.

We’re looking at ways to update things where it improves the game, but we’re not making changes just to be modern. We always consider how any update will affect Halo and ensure it’s a good fit.

Damon Conn, Halo Studios Executive Producer

Conn explains that revisiting the original game feels like a natural starting point for the franchise’s 25th anniversary and sets a clear direction for its future, which is incredibly exciting. It’s a chance to reconnect with longtime fans and introduce new players to the story from the beginning. The team believes this deserves recognition and further development.

Conn also emphasized that they’ve been careful to stay true to the core essence of Halo. While they’re open to updating the game, they’re only doing so when it genuinely improves the experience, always prioritizing what’s best for the franchise.

So, what’s new?

Halo: Combat Evolved is being rebuilt with Unreal Engine 5 for improved graphics and features. However, some code from the original BLAM engine is still being used to keep the physics and enemy actions consistent with the classic game.

The remake lets up to four players team up online for the campaign, and still supports two-player splitscreen. Players on different platforms can play together thanks to cross-play and cross-progression. In addition to the original story, there are three new missions that serve as a prequel, focusing on Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson.

And yes, sprinting is in, though I’m told that players can disable it if they prefer a slower pace.

To fit four players, we’ve adjusted enemy placements and added a comically small fourth seat to the Warthog. We’re also introducing new weapons like Energy Swords, Fuel Rod Cannons, and Sentinel Beams, and bringing over the Battle Rifle and Needle Rifle. Players can now aim down sights with any weapon and even take control of enemy vehicles – remember those Wraiths from the Assault on the Control Room mission? Now you can use them against the Covenant!

And yes, sprinting is in, though I’m told that players can disable it if they prefer a slower pace.

Halo: Campaign Evolved features some truly innovative Skulls, which are collectible items that modify gameplay. While the developers aren’t revealing everything just yet, they’ve confirmed the return of the popular ‘Grunt Birthday Party’ Skull – it causes a celebratory confetti explosion whenever you land a headshot on a Grunt!

The game also includes entirely new cinematic scenes, with the original actors re-recording their lines and adding a few extra bits of dialogue. Notably, 343 Guilty Spark will have more dialogue throughout the Library areas to help guide players and prevent them from getting lost.

Creative director Max Szlagor explained that the team revisited the initial storyboards for the new cinematic sequences. This was to make sure everything they added felt true to the original vision and atmosphere.

As we continue development, we’re really leaning into the terrifying aspects of the Flood. Players can also expect to encounter the Pure Forms – those iconic enemies originally seen in Halo 3 – during the battles on Installation 04.

A big question for us is always how far we should go with these changes. It involves a lot of discussion to make sure any addition feels authentic to the original games. According to our game director, Greg Hermann, we’re often adding features players expected to be there in the first place, but weren’t possible at the time.

To maintain the original feel of the story, our creative director, Max Szlagor, explained that we’ve been revisiting the original storyboards for the new cinematics. This ensures everything we add aligns with the initial vision and atmosphere.

Playing in the sandbox

I was a little worried about how a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved would *feel* to play, especially since Halo Infinite felt so good. Luckily, those concerns were quickly put to rest. This new version controls even better than previous iterations.

The gameplay – aiming, shooting, reloading, and melee combat – feels like a great blend of Halo Infinite and the original Combat Evolved. It just feels right.

I played the beginning of the ‘Silent Cartographer’ mission on Heroic difficulty and made good progress until I ran into the classic Hunters. Forget easily dodging and taking them down with a single pistol shot – these Hunters are a real challenge!

I quickly learned that the Warthog isn’t invincible anymore after trying (and failing) to ram them with it, resulting in a fiery explosion. It’s probably a good thing – the Warthog won’t be getting stuck in hallways it wasn’t meant to be in now.

Throughout my time with the game, I kept finding myself stopping just to appreciate how beautiful it looked. When *Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary* came out in 2011, it was a bit of a letdown – some levels really strayed from the original artistic vision and atmosphere. However, *Campaign Evolved* feels like a much more natural evolution. It maintains that classic *Halo* feel while significantly improving the graphics. Seeing the glowing Grunt blood splatter in the darker areas, it genuinely felt like a respectful and faithful update to the original. I do still have some questions – the team didn’t share pricing details – but I’ve completely shifted from questioning the need for this remake to eagerly anticipating playing more. I’m especially excited to experience the campaign cooperatively with my friends on both Xbox *and* PlayStation. *Halo: Campaign Evolved* is currently scheduled to release sometime in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam and Xbox on PC), and PlayStation 5. And, as with all first-party Xbox games, it will be available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass right at launch.

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2025-10-24 23:42