
I understand many players are disappointed that the new Halo game won’t have multiplayer, but I can see the reasoning behind it. The developers likely want to introduce a new generation to the core Halo experience, building excitement for the next major installment.
This approach allows them to learn Unreal Engine 5 without the added pressure of maintaining a live multiplayer service. It does make you wonder about the future, though. If this remake of Halo: Combat Evolved is successful, will they revisit Halo 2 and Halo 3?
Halo 2 received the ‘Anniversary’ treatment, but Halo 3 has never been remastered. Removing multiplayer was easier this time around, but that might not be the case for future remakes. Many players have fond memories of Halo: Combat Evolved LAN parties, but the multiplayer experiences in Halo 2 and 3, especially with the launch of Xbox Live, were truly groundbreaking. Perhaps a combined multiplayer package for both games could be a possibility.
That’s just speculation, and it’s likely years away, if it happens at all. Ultimately, I hope we don’t have to wait too long for more Halo multiplayer. While post-launch support has been inconsistent in the past, Halo Infinite was excellent, and recent updates have been fantastic. I’d love to see Halo multiplayer become a global phenomenon again, and the fact that the next game will be available on all platforms makes that feel a little more achievable.
In the meantime, I recommend checking out my hands-on preview of Halo: Campaign Evolved. I was initially skeptical, but this remake seems to be addressing my concerns.
Halo: Campaign Evolved is scheduled for release in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam and Xbox on PC), and PlayStation 5. It will also be available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch.