Halo: Campaign Evolved Announced for Xbox, PC, and Yes, PS5 – Here’s Everything We Know So Far, Including New Missions

Microsoft and Halo Studios person conscionable announced Halo: Campaign Evolved, an Unreal Engine 5 remake of the 2001 original-Xbox launch-day classic, Halo: Combat Evolved. I played a abbreviated demo of it already, truthful beryllium definite to cheque retired my archetypal impressions, but present we’ll spell done everything we bash and don’t yet cognize astir 2026’s Halo merchandise – which volition beryllium the archetypal 1 since 2021’s Halo Infinite.

Did you accidental “remake”?

Yes, I asked Halo Studios point-blank if this is simply a remake oregon a remaster, and Executive Producer Damon Conn said, “It’s a modernized remake – a rebuilt mentation of the classical communicative that started it all.”

Since Microsoft has been publishing a batch of games connected different platforms, does this mean Halo volition beryllium coming to PlayStation 5?

Yes, Halo: Campaign Evolved volition beryllium released for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5. And yes, I did clarify with Halo Studios that the PS5 mentation volition beryllium released day-and-date with the Xbox and PC versions.

Is this weirder than Sonic games coming to Nintendo consoles?

It’s astatine slightest connected that aforesaid level of weird, yeah.

Is Halo Studios adding immoderate PS5 Pro enhancements?

I asked this question, and Game Director Greg Hermann didn’t accidental much, lone telling me, “It’s harmless to accidental that it volition beryllium tuned for the people devices.”

OK, truthful erstwhile volition Halo: Campaign Evolved beryllium released?

So far, each Halo Studios volition accidental is “2026,” but it seems highly apt that it volition beryllium released adjacent to the 25th day of Combat Evolved’s release, which volition beryllium connected November 16, 2026. In different words, Fall 2026 seems similar a harmless bet.

Campaign Evolved? Does that mean there’s nary multiplayer?

Sort of. There is run co-op for 2 players successful split-screen, oregon up to 4 players online. Cross-play is supported.

Wait, cross-play? Does that mean I tin play co-op with a person who’s connected PS5 portion I’m connected Xbox oregon PC?

Yup.

Finish the multiplayer thought. What bash you mean by “sort of” with multiplayer?

As the sanction suggests, this is campaign-only. When I asked astir wherefore they’re not besides remaking Halo 1’s fantastic multiplayer successful Unreal Engine 5 – deliberation astir however glorious Blood Gulch and Hang ‘Em High and Sidewinder would look successful UE5! – Game Director Greg Hermann told me, “Right present we’re conscionable focused connected the 25th day and the run here.” Executive Producer Damon Conn added, “Halo Infinite and [Halo: The Master Chief Collection] supply truly large experiences for multiplayer.” Which is true…though that doesn’t assistance PS5 owners precise much. Unless…

Does this pave the mode for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite to get ported to PS5 to get PlayStation players caught up connected the series?

We’ll person to cheque backmost connected that one. Conn said, “There is an accidental for america to turn the fanbase. We’re bringing the astir players to Halo ever. So that maturation is what we’re genuinely funny in. And this paves the mode for aboriginal stories and Halos.” So…maybe?

Will Campaign Evolved beryllium a full-price game?

I asked but didn’t get an answer. Personally, $50 feels close to maine without due multiplayer, but Microsoft already tried to rise its first-party crippled prices to $80 this year, truthful I’m astir apt being naively optimistic with that $50 thought. At slightest there’s caller single-player contented here, though.

Did you conscionable accidental “new single-player content”?

Yes! I didn’t get immoderate details beyond the precise basal description: Campaign Evolved volition see a three-mission prequel communicative arc revolving astir Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson. I asked if those missions volition beryllium disposable consecutive retired of the container oregon if they’ll request to beryllium unlocked, possibly by completing the campaign. Halo Studios did not person an reply for me.

Are determination immoderate gameplay changes?

Yes, tons of small ones, actually. Vehicles are present destructible and they tin beryllium hijacked, arsenic they were successful each consequent Halo crippled aft Combat Evolved. You tin besides present prime up and wield immoderate limb the enemies can, which means you’ll person entree to the Energy Sword, among others, successful this campaign. The Warthog has 4 seats present (the other 1 is connected the back, similar riding connected the lowered tailgate of a pickup truck), and you tin aviator a Wraith tank. I didn’t get to spot immoderate of the Flood successful the chunk of The Silent Cartographer ngo I played, but Halo Studios says they’ve implemented dismemberment for Flood enemies. The squad besides told maine that “level plan has been thoughtfully updated” to creaseless retired symptom points. Presumably they meant the Library, but they didn’t specify. Also, the cinematics person each been wholly redone, with caller mocap and freshly rerecorded dialog from Steve Downes (Master Chief) and Jen Taylor (Cortana).

Any different updates?

One different notable one: Skulls! Halo Studios is adding Skulls to Campaign Evolved, and tons of ‘em. The astir Skulls ever successful a Halo campaign, apparently, and the full fig is “dozens.”

Does it inactive consciousness similar Halo successful Unreal Engine 5?

In my little acquisition truthful far, I’d accidental yes. See my preview for much astir that.

We’ll person overmuch much connected Halo: Campaign Evolved arsenic improvement progresses, truthful enactment tuned! In the meantime, beryllium definite to tune successful to our play Xbox show, Unlocked, for long-form treatment connected everything happening successful the satellite of Xbox.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's enforcement exertion of previews and big of some IGN's play Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, arsenic good arsenic our monthly(-ish) interrogation show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, truthful it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him connected Twitter astatine @DMC_Ryan.