Halo: Campaign Evolved — Release Date, Platforms, Editions, New Missions and Everything Confirmed

Twenty-five years after Master Chief first set foot on a Halo ring, Halo Studios is rebuilding that moment from scratch. Not remastering it. Not upscaling it. Rebuilding it — entirely — in Unreal Engine 5, with new missions, new weapons, new enemies, rerecorded voice acting, and for the first time in franchise history, a PlayStation 5 release.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches July 28, 2026. Here's everything confirmed.

Release Date and Early Access

The standard global launch is July 28, 2026 at 8 AM PDT across Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and the Xbox App, and PlayStation 5.

Premium Edition and Collector's Edition owners get five days of early access starting July 23, 2026 at 8 AM PDT — meaning the game is effectively playable in less than a month.

This date was confirmed during the Xbox Games Showcase on June 7, 2026, alongside the Operation: METEORITE trailer that showed the game's brand-new prequel missions for the first time.

Platforms — The Biggest Story in Halo History

For the first time in 25 years, a Halo game is coming to PlayStation.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC via Steam and the Xbox App, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Xbox Play Anywhere support is included, meaning one purchase on Xbox covers both console and PC.

Cross-play and cross-progression are fully supported across all platforms — Xbox, PC and PS5 players can squad up together in co-op, and your save data, mission progress, Skull unlocks and cosmetics carry across every platform you play on.

This is genuinely significant. The Halo franchise built Microsoft's gaming identity. Master Chief was the face of Xbox for two decades. Bringing the series to PlayStation isn't just a business decision — it's a statement that Microsoft's multiplatform shift is real, and that Halo is the flagship for proving it.

What Kind of Game Is This?

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a full remake — not a remaster, not a port, not a patch over the original engine.

Halo Studios rebuilt the campaign from scratch inside Unreal Engine 5, delivering upgraded visuals, a reimagined mission set with redesigned and new levels, and incorporating mechanics, weapons and narrative additions that reflect subsequent Halo games.

The 2011 Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was a graphical remaster — the original game with better textures that you could toggle between the old and new look. Campaign Evolved is something completely different. Every encounter, every piece of geometry, every cutscene has been rebuilt. The story cinematics were remade through motion capture. Steve Downes and Jen Taylor re-recorded their lines from the original game, reprising their roles as John-117 and Cortana respectively.

The result is a game that uses the original Halo: Combat Evolved as its foundation but functions as a modern title built on modern technology.

The New Missions — Operation: METEORITE

This is the detail that has the Halo community most excited.

Campaign Evolved includes the original 10 missions from Halo: Combat Evolved plus three new prequel missions — Operation: METEORITE — starring Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson set one year before the events of the original title. All 13 missions are available in every edition at no extra cost beyond the base purchase.

Operation: METEORITE follows Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson on a high-stakes operation aboard a Covenant research vessel. This is brand-new Halo story content — something the community hasn't had in years — and it's included in the standard purchase, not locked behind a DLC or season pass.

The new missions were brainstormed as early as June 2024 and are designed to contextualise the events of Combat Evolved for both new players and veterans who know the original story inside out.

What's New in the Gameplay

Campaign Evolved isn't just the original Halo with better graphics. Here's what's been added and changed:

Nine additional weapons drawn from across the Halo franchise are available — including the Energy Sword, Battle Rifle, and Needle Rifle, weapons that didn't exist in the 2001 original but became series staples in later entries.

New movement options have been incorporated reflecting mechanics introduced in later Halo games. The controls feel more modern without abandoning what made the original combat work.

Vehicle expansion — players can now hijack enemy vehicles and pilot drivable Wraith tanks for the first time in Halo: Combat Evolved. In the original game the Wraith was an enemy-only vehicle. This changes how several encounters can be approached.

Skull modifiers — optional difficulty and gameplay modifiers that elevate combat and encourage replayability. Skulls have been a Halo staple since the series' later entries and their inclusion in Campaign Evolved gives veteran players a reason to revisit the campaign multiple times.

Improved wayfinding and navigation — the team used the remake to rectify numerous design and accessibility constraints they were unable to address in 2011, including improvements to the diversity and pacing in enemy encounters, notably citing the monotony of fighting against the Flood in the game's seventh mission, "The Library." The Library is one of the most divisive missions in Halo history — a long, repetitive slog that immediately follows some of the series' best moments. Campaign Evolved reworks it.

Four-player online co-op with cross-play — for the first time in Halo history, players across PC, Xbox and PS5 can squad up seamlessly in online co-op for up to four players, with two-player split-screen available on console.

The Editions — What Each One Costs

Three editions. Here's exactly what you get in each:

Standard Edition — $49.99 (US) / ~€49.99 (EU)

The full game including all 13 missions. Pre-order bonus: the Foundry Pack, which includes Master Chief's classic low-poly look from the original 2001 game.

Premium Edition — $69.99 (US) / ~€69.99 (EU)

Everything in Standard plus five days of early access from July 23, additional cosmetics, and extra content detailed on the game's official store pages. Digital and physical.

Collector's Edition — $199.99 (US)

Everything in Premium plus physical collectibles. Early access from July 23. Physical only.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is also available day one through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass — meaning subscribers get the full game included in their existing subscription on July 28 without any additional purchase.

Is It on Game Pass?

Yes — day one.

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play Halo: Campaign Evolved from launch. If you already have an active Game Pass Ultimate subscription, this costs you nothing extra on July 28.

The game will move to lower-tier Game Pass plans within a year of release — but Ultimate subscribers get it immediately.

This is one of the clearest arguments for having a Game Pass Ultimate EU code ready right now. Between Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28, Gears of War: E-Day on October 6, and Fable later this year — Game Pass Ultimate is delivering three of the most anticipated Xbox titles of 2026 at no additional cost.

PS5 Players — What You Need to Know

If you're buying on PlayStation 5, a few specific details apply:

There is no Game Pass on PS5 — you'll need to purchase the game outright. The Standard Edition at $49.99/€49.99 is the entry point.

Cross-progression is fully supported, so if you play on PS5 and also own a PC or Xbox, your save data transfers seamlessly between platforms.

Two-player split-screen co-op is available on PS5 alongside the four-player online co-op that works cross-platform with Xbox and PC players.

Pre-orders are live now on the PlayStation Store. The pre-order Foundry Pack — Master Chief's classic 2001 appearance — is available on all platforms including PS5.

Why This Matters for the Halo Franchise

Halo: Campaign Evolved is the first major release from Halo Studios — the rebranded successor to 343 Industries. The rebrand happened in 2024 and was intended to signal a creative reset after Halo Infinite's difficult post-launch period.

The development team restructured and rebranded to Halo Studios in 2024, simultaneously pivoting away from the proprietary Slipspace Engine towards Unreal Engine 5, beginning work on Campaign Evolved as the inaugural game utilizing this technology as a means of introducing the series to new players in anticipation of a multiplatform release.

Choosing to lead with a remake of Combat Evolved — the game that started everything — is deliberate. It's Halo Studios saying: before we build what comes next, we're going to do justice to where it all began.

The franchise's future depends significantly on how Campaign Evolved is received. A strong launch across Xbox, PC and PS5 would establish the multiplatform model and set up whatever Halo Studios builds next.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Halo: Campaign Evolved release?

July 28, 2026 globally. Premium and Collector's Edition owners get five days of early access from July 23.

What platforms is Halo: Campaign Evolved on?

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and the Xbox App, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. It's the first Halo game ever released on PlayStation.

Is Halo: Campaign Evolved on Game Pass?

Yes — day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at no additional cost.

How much does Halo: Campaign Evolved cost?

Standard Edition is $49.99 / approximately €49.99. Premium Edition is $69.99. Collector's Edition is $199.99. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers play at no extra cost.

Is it a remake or remaster?

It's a full remake — built from scratch in Unreal Engine 5. Every mission, cutscene, and audio element has been rebuilt. It is not a graphical patch over the 2001 original like Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was in 2011.

Does it include multiplayer?

No competitive multiplayer. Campaign Evolved is purely campaign-focused — solo, two-player split-screen co-op on console, or four-player online co-op with cross-play across Xbox, PC and PS5.

What is Operation: METEORITE?

Three brand-new prequel missions included in every edition at no extra cost. They follow Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson on a mission aboard a Covenant research vessel one year before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved.

Can PS5 and Xbox players play co-op together?

Yes — full cross-play is supported across PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Do I need to have played previous Halo games?

No. Campaign Evolved is a remake of the first game in the series and is designed as a complete entry point for new players.

What is the Foundry Pack pre-order bonus?

Master Chief's classic low-polygon appearance from the original 2001 Halo: Combat Evolved — available on all platforms for anyone who pre-orders.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is available on Game Pass Ultimate from day one — and on PlayStation 5 as a standalone purchase. We stock Xbox Game Pass Ultimate EU codes and PlayStation Store gift cards with instant digital delivery, so your wallet is ready whether you're playing on Xbox or PS5 when July 28 arrives.

Sources: Wikipedia, AIDigitalKeys,Halopedia, FandomWire, Tech-Insider, PC Gamer, GosuGamers, VideoCardz, Game Informer. All details confirmed as of June 28, 2026.