Halo: Campaign Evolved launches July 28 2026 on Xbox Series X/S, PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5, and it is the first time a mainline Halo campaign has ever appeared on a PlayStation console. It lands on Xbox Game Pass on day one, with up to five days of early access starting July 23 for higher tier editions.
What is Halo: Campaign Evolved?
Campaign Evolved is a ground up remake of the 2001 classic Halo: Combat Evolved, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5 with remastered visuals, updated cinematics, improved controls, and newly recorded audio. It remakes the campaign only, not multiplayer. The headline addition is Operation: METEORITE, a brand new three mission story arc set one year before the events of the original game. It stars Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson on a covert UNSC operation aboard a Covenant research vessel, including a stretch of combat set in space.
The remake also brings back the cooperative play Halo is known for, with two player split screen on consoles and online cooperative play for up to four players, plus shared progression across platforms.
When does it release and what does it cost?
The general release is July 28 2026, with early access from July 23 for Premium and Collector edition buyers. The Standard Edition runs $49.99, the Premium Edition $69.99, and the Collector's Edition $199.99. Because it is on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch, subscribers can play it at no extra cost on day one.
It is available to preorder now across Xbox, Steam, and PlayStation storefronts, and preorders include classic 2001 era weapon and armor skins.
Why is the PlayStation launch a big deal?
For two decades Halo was the face of Xbox exclusivity, so putting Master Chief on a PlayStation console is a genuine shift in Microsoft's strategy. It follows the same multiplatform path that brought Forza Horizon and Gears toward wider audiences, and it signals that Microsoft now values reach over hardware lock in.
For longtime fans, the bigger draw is the chance to replay the mission that started it all with modern fidelity, plus three entirely new missions that expand the lore. Combat Evolved is the game that built the franchise, and this is the most complete way to revisit it.
How Does This Fit Into Halo's Larger Story?
Operation METEORITE slotting in one year before the original game gives longtime fans new lore without disturbing the story beats everyone already knows by heart, a low risk way to expand the universe around a beloved fixed point rather than rewriting it. It also tests whether audiences want more Halo history told through short, focused side stories rather than another full length mainline entry, a format that costs less to produce and lets the studio experiment with settings and characters that would not carry an entire game on their own.