Halo: Campaign Evolved Is Making a Big Promise That I’ll Have to See to Believe

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The new remake of the classic game, Halo: Combat Evolved, called Halo: Campaign Evolved, has made a bold claim that I’m skeptical about. Halo Studios recently revealed details about the project, and while the announcement that Halo is coming to PlayStation 5—and will remain there—grabbed most of the attention, one particular feature stood out to me. Unfortunately, I doubt this feature will actually be included in the finished game.

Okay, so Halo Studios finally confirmed what most of us expected: the Halo: Campaign Evolved remake will have co-op. It’s not super surprising, since every main Halo game has let you play with a friend, but they specifically said it’ll include local splitscreen and online co-op. That means I can actually play the whole campaign on the same couch as a buddy, which is awesome! Local co-op is a huge part of what made Halo special from the beginning, so I was really happy to hear that’s coming back. Honestly though, knowing what happened with some of their past releases, I’m taking this announcement with a grain of salt.

This Could Be Halo Infinite All Over Again

Before Halo Infinite was released, the developers promised that it would include splitscreen co-op. This was exciting news for many fans, including me, because Halo 5: Guardians didn’t have any splitscreen options at all, which was a strange decision. Fans strongly requested that the next game fix this, and Halo Studios (then known as 343 Industries) confirmed that Halo Infinite would offer local co-op.

The co-op experience in Halo Infinite was a major letdown for fans. Originally planned for a 2020 release, it was delayed until December 2021, but even then, the campaign wasn’t playable with friends. It took almost another year, until November 2022, for co-op to be added to the game, and when it finally arrived as a free update, it was limited to online play only.

The lack of splitscreen co-op in Halo Infinite was a major disappointment for many fans. It wasn’t just a cut feature; it was a core part of the game’s original design. Splitscreen was intended to recapture the classic Halo experience and rebuild trust with a community that felt let down by Halo 5. Unfortunately, its absence only damaged that trust further.

We’re seeing a similar situation with the remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved. Although adding local co-op seems much more doable for this remake than it was for Halo Infinite, I’m now skeptical and won’t be convinced it’s actually included until I play it myself.

Campaign Evolved Has to Bring Back Burned Fans

Halo Studios is at a critical point where it needs to demonstrate its competence to fans. Since taking over the Halo series from Bungie, the studio has faced a series of challenges, many of which were self-inflicted. From the negative reaction to Halo 5 to the costly and ultimately abandoned decision to create a custom engine for Halo Infinite, Halo Studios has struggled to make sound choices with such a beloved and important gaming franchise.

A remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved seems like a smart way for the developers to start using Unreal Engine 5 and prepare for future Halo games. While another revisit to the first game isn’t ideal, it gives them a chance to practice with the new engine. However, if they can’t successfully remake Combat Evolved, it might be time to consider bringing in a different development team to lead the Halo franchise.

The local co-op mode in the original Halo: Combat Evolved is just the beginning of what Halo Studios needs to do to regain fans’ trust. As a big Halo fan, I really want to believe the series can still be great. Let’s hope this is a positive step forward, and not just another disappointment.

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2025-10-28 00:42