Halo: Campaign Evolved Sidelines the Series’ Most Interesting Spin-Off

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The next Halo game, currently planned for 2026, appears to be drawing inspiration from the series’ earlier titles. While revisiting classics like Combat Evolved has its appeal, relying too heavily on remakes could stifle innovation and potentially prevent the development of new stories and spin-off games that fans might want to see. Though fans will likely enjoy these updated versions of familiar favorites, a constant focus on the past could limit the franchise’s future creative direction.

The Halo Wars games have been frequently revisited with remakes, more so than other titles in the Halo series. These real-time strategy games offer a different experience than the typical Halo first-person shooter. Both Halo Wars and Halo Wars 2 are fan favorites, delivering a StarCraftstyle gameplay experience within the well-developed science fiction universe of Halo. If developers focus solely on remaking the first-person shooter games, the Halo Wars* series risks being neglected.

Halo Wars 3 Would Be Far More Interesting Than Halo: Campaign Evolved

As a long-time Halo fan, I was really surprised by the announcement of Campaign Evolved. Combat Evolved already got the Anniversary treatment back in 2011, which was great, but this feels different. It’s a full remake of the original, and honestly, it’s a bit controversial. So many of us consider the original Combat Evolved to be pretty much perfect, so just remaking it feels… odd. I think a lot of us were hoping for something new, like a continuation of Halo Infinite or even another Halo Wars game, rather than revisiting the very beginning.

A potential Halo Wars 3 could continue the story from Halo Infinite, building on the Banished enemies first introduced in Halo Wars 2 – a direction that might appeal to fans more than revisiting older storylines. This is especially true considering that significant gameplay changes, like those referencing Combat Evolved, could disappoint long-time Halo players.

The first Halo Wars game came out in 2009, and Halo Wars 2 followed in 2017. If Halo Wars 3 were released in 2026, it would maintain the eight-year gap between installments. However, it’s unlikely we’ll see another Halo Wars game, even though the first two were well-received, as the series seems to be focusing on Halo: Combat Evolved instead.

Multiplayer Real-Time Strategy Gives Halo’s Developers More Creative Freedom

Unlike the core Halo first-person shooter games, Halo Wars offered a streamlined yet powerful real-time strategy experience. The game featured diverse factions, each with a wide range of unique units and abilities, and the addition of powerful ‘hero’ characters made large battles even more dynamic. Halo Wars also encouraged creative strategies thanks to its evolving battlefields, which forced players to adapt their base-building and army deployment with each match.

Letting developers create entirely new maps and factions, or expand on the world of Halo Wars 3, offers a lot more creative freedom than simply updating Combat Evolved again. Remaking Combat Evolved also comes with intense pressure, as fans will have very high expectations. And since Campaign Evolved won’t even include multiplayer, its potential is limited when it finally launches.

One of the best features of Halo Wars 2 was its strong multiplayer mode. Players could battle each other on a variety of maps in different team sizes – one-on-one, two-on-two, or three-on-three – letting them choose how large they wanted their real-time strategy fights to be. The game also included Skirmish modes for fighting against computer-controlled opponents, and customizable rules for unique win conditions. A new Halo Wars game could build on this by offering even more design possibilities, rather than being limited by what was already done.

Stories From Halo Infinite & Halo Wars 2 Are Better Than Retreading Old Ground

The introduction of the Banished in Halo Wars 2 remains a compelling idea within the Halo universe, even influencing the story of Halo Infinite. The concept of a breakaway group of Brutes, formerly part of the Covenant, continues to be important to the series’ narrative, particularly since the Banished’s leader, Atriox, decisively defeated the UNSC at the beginning of Halo Infinite.

Stories focusing on the Banished are much more compelling than simply revisiting the events of the original Combat Evolved, even though that game remains a classic. Plus, there are unresolved storylines from Halo Wars 2, and with no downloadable content planned for Halo Infinite, that part of Master Chief’s story feels incomplete.

While revisiting older Halo games can appeal to fans’ nostalgia, it doesn’t necessarily move the series forward. For instance, the Awakening the Nightmare expansion for Halo Wars 2 brought back the Flood, a familiar enemy. Instead of retelling old stories about the Flood, a new installment in a game like Halo Wars or a sequel to Halo Infinite could offer a fresh experience for players.

Even though not everyone is demanding a new Halo Wars game, exploring its ideas would be a positive move for the series. While a remastered Halo: Combat Evolved will likely be excellent, its success could discourage the kind of innovative spin-offs – like Halo Wars – that broadened the Halo universe and offered something different.

Should a sequel to Halo Wars or Halo Infinite be made before a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved? Share your thoughts and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-05 22:15