A new Halo game is coming! It’s a complete remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, the popular sci-fi shooter from 2001. Called Halo: Campaign Evolved, it’s scheduled to launch in 2026 and will be available on more than just Xbox. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about the remake so far.
Table of Contents [hide]
- When will Halo: Campaign Evolved be released?
- Preorder Halo: Campaign Evolved
- Halo: Campaign Evolved trailer
- Halo: Campaign Evolved platforms
- Game Pass
- New guns and prequel missions
- Sprint
- “Reborn” visuals
- Unreal Engine 5
- Not everyone likes the changes
- AI?
- No multiplayer
- Not the first remake and maybe not the last
- Not the only new Halo game
When will Halo: Campaign Evolved be released?
Halo: Campaign Evolved is scheduled to come out in 2026, though the exact date isn’t known yet. 2025 is a significant year for the Halo series, as it will be the franchise’s 25th anniversary.
Preorder Halo: Campaign Evolved
You can’t pre-order Halo: Campaign Evolved yet, and Microsoft hasn’t revealed how much it will cost. Stay tuned to TopMob for the latest updates.
Halo: Campaign Evolved trailer
The initial trailer for Halo: Campaign Evolved was revealed at the Halo World Championships in October 2025, giving fans their first look at the game’s improved graphics and gameplay. You can watch the announcement trailer below, and another video shows a comparison between the new version and the original, demonstrating the significant advancements made.
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Halo: Campaign Evolved platforms
Halo: Combat Evolved is coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC, and for the first time ever, it’s also launching on PlayStation 5 in 2026 – at the same time as the other versions. While there’s been talk about a possible release on the new Nintendo Switch 2, Microsoft hasn’t confirmed anything yet.
Game Pass
Halo: Campaign Evolved, like all games made directly by Microsoft, will be available to play with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
New guns and prequel missions
The Halo: Combat Evolved remake will add nine new weapons, including the energy sword – previously only used by enemies – allowing players to wield it for the first time. The remake also features new prequel missions starring Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson, telling a brand-new story that happens before the original game’s events.
A major new feature lets players steal and drive enemy vehicles, including the Wraith. This wasn’t possible in the first Halo game, but it was added in Halo 2.
The game will also include a “campaign remix” feature, letting players replay missions with adjustable challenges – called Skulls – that change things up, like the weapons available or the types of enemies you’ll face.
As a Halo fan, I’m really excited about the co-op options in the new Combat Evolved remake! You can play split-screen with a friend right on the console – which is awesome – or team up with up to four players online. And the best part? You can play with friends on both Xbox and PC, and all your progress carries over no matter which platform you’re on!
Sprint
The upcoming remake of Halo: Combat Evolved is adding a sprint feature, which has sparked some debate among fans. Original Halo games didn’t have sprinting, and many players appreciate that aspect of the older titles. However, others are excited about the addition, seeing it as a way to modernize the gameplay. Fortunately, players who prefer the classic experience will be able to turn sprinting off.
“Reborn” visuals
Halo Studios is updating the classic game with a variety of improvements. They say they’ve enhanced every single element from the original version for this remake.
The game features the classic missions, now redesigned with better levels, updated cutscenes, and easier navigation. These improvements maintain the original’s excitement, suspense, and sense of adventure while keeping the gameplay flowing smoothly.
Halo Studios has completely updated the game’s environments with new graphics, cutscenes, and animations. The music has also been remastered to create a more immersive experience. The original voice actors, including Steve Downes as Master Chief and Jen Taylor as Cortana, have returned and recorded new dialogue for this remake.
Unreal Engine 5
Following the development of Halo: Infinite using their own Slipspace engine, Halo Studios decided to use Unreal Engine 5 for upcoming Halo games, including a reimagining of Halo: Combat Evolved. This change was generally welcomed because the older engine contained outdated code that made development more difficult. Using Unreal Engine 5 is also expected to help the studio attract new talent, as it’s a popular engine widely used throughout the gaming industry.
Not everyone likes the changes
Marcus Lehto, a key figure in the original Halo, fondly remembers the first game, Halo: Combat Evolved. However, another original developer, Jaime Griesemer, has expressed strong criticism of recent changes made to it.
Griesemer was unhappy with a part of the trailer showing the Warthog easily driving through obstacles meant to stop players from overpowering the Hunters. He explained that being able to simply destroy these obstacles made the encounters less challenging. He was particularly frustrated that trees were placed in the landing zone for the WooHoo Jump, calling it a poor design choice.
AI?
Microsoft is making significant investments in artificial intelligence, leading some to question whether they used AI or generative AI during the development of Halo: Campaign Evolved. While Microsoft hasn’t officially confirmed or denied it, they stated that their employees weren’t required to use generative AI for the game.
Microsoft has stated that using generative AI is not required for any of their game development, including Halo: Combat Evolved.
Damon Conn, the executive producer, and Greg Hermann, the game director, discussed the making of Halo: Campaign Evolved. When asked about the use of artificial intelligence, Conn clarified that while AI can help make the development process more efficient, the games are ultimately created by people.
Let me be clear: people are the heart of game development. While AI can help streamline processes and assist in making games, it’s people who are ultimately creating them. We see AI as a tool to enhance the creative process, not replace it – something that adds to, rather than detracts from, making a great game.”
Hermann agreed with Conn, explaining that AI is just another tool for game developers, like Photoshop or Unity. It’s a means to help bring creative ideas to life, but the creativity itself still comes from people. Think of it as a brush an artist uses – it assists with the process, but doesn’t create the art on its own.
Hermann explained that AI is simply one of many tools available to creatives. While acknowledging the increasing integration of AI – like the generative fill feature in Photoshop – he noted that it can sometimes blur the lines between human and machine creation. Ultimately, he agreed with Damon that the core of creativity still comes from people, and AI should be used to enhance, not replace, their workflow.
No multiplayer
Halo: Combat Evolved only lets you play the campaign with online or local co-op; it doesn’t have traditional head-to-head multiplayer. If you’re looking for that type of multiplayer experience, you can play Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which includes multiplayer for several Halo games, including Combat Evolved. Just keep in mind that The Master Chief Collection isn’t available on PlayStation.
Not the first remake and maybe not the last
In 2011, Microsoft re-released the original Halo: Combat Evolved for Xbox 360 as Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. This version had improved graphics and allowed players to compete online. A unique feature was the ability to instantly switch between the updated visuals and the original graphics with a single button press.
This game is part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which bundles together six different Halo games. The collection includes updated versions of both the original Halo and Halo 2, complete with both story campaigns and multiplayer modes.
A source claims that remakes of Halo 2 and Halo 3’s campaigns are planned for release at some point down the line.
Not the only new Halo game
Besides the recently released Halo: Campaign Evolved, Microsoft is reportedly developing another Halo game designed as an ongoing live-service experience. Microsoft has already indicated that several new Halo titles are in development, so an announcement about the next game after Halo: Infinite is likely coming soon. Halo: Infinite, which launched in 2021, didn’t perform as well as Microsoft hoped, leading to significant changes within the game’s developer, Halo Studios.
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2025-11-06 18:48