Revealed at the blockbuster XBOX Games Showcase, the second re-release of Halo: Combat Evolved will arrive this July. The Unreal Engine remake of the legendary shooter looked incredible in the latest trailer, will release on XBOX Series X|S, XBOX Game Pass, PC, and for the first time ever, PlayStation 5 on July 28th, 2026.
The latest trailer also showcased that Campaign Evolved will have new content, in the form of 3 new missions featuring Master Chief and Sgt Johnson. These 3 missions are part of Operation Meteorite, a clandestine operation to a Covenant ship.
Campaign Evolved is, as the title states, campaign only. There will be no multiplayer in this title, but players can experience the game in 4-player co-op for the very first time.
The franchise that is most synonymous with the XBOX brand, Halo began as a launch game for the original XBOX in 2001. Ten years later, during the peak of the XBOX 360 generation, the 2011 remaster, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition, brought a fresh coat of paint to Master Chief’s first outing, though it was by no means a ground-up rebuild. Anniversary Edition did however enable players to toggle between the original graphics and the updated visuals on the fly.
Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) are the first studio to bring a Halo game to PlayStation. It is a bold move, part of XBOX’s ambitions to become a multiplatform publisher. Earlier this year, the Creative Director for Campaign Evolved said the game comes to PlayStation to grow the Halo community.
It’s not a surprising decision – once the seminal console shooter, Halo’s playerbase and influence over the genre, and wider industry, is certainly not what it once was. Microsoft even struggled to make much of the Halo TV series which was cancelled after two mediocre seasons. Many PlayStation players will have been one-time XBOX players and it’s likely Halo Studios will want to pull those back in, alongside a new generation of players for the franchise before a whole new project.
If you’ve never played Halo’s stupendous campaign before, you can play the Anniversary remaster via Halo: The Master Chief Collection which is available on XBOX ONE, Series X|S and PC. It is also available via XBOX Game Pass. It will be a great way to acquaint yourself with the original ahead of the 4-player co-op campaign you can get your hands on this July.
Also for those who want to pre-order the premium of collectors edition will get 5 days of early access, beginning on July 23rd.
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