Halo: Campaign Evolved News & Patch Notes

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcementspatchnotes

3h ago

First, a huge thank you to everyone who jumped in and played on launch day (and Early Access!). We appreciate your excitement, your feedback, and your patience.

While we have made some improvements (listed below), we would like to remind you to continue to submit tickets for any issues you encounter to Halo Support directly. This is the best (and fastest) way to surface issues to the team so they can look into things.

And now, the updates:

Download size: 20.2GB
Stability has been improved when watching or skipping the introduction cinematic in the mission The Maw while FSR is turned on with AMD graphics cards using driver versions 26.6.2 or 26.6.4
All PC versions now display a warning when Halo: Campaign Evolved is launched with an AMD or NVIDIA GPU driver version that has known issues.
XBOX Gamertags now display throughout the account linking process for Steam players
General stability improvements for the mission Pillar of Autumn
Jackals in the hanger hallway of The Truth and Reconciliation now actively patrol instead of remaining idle
On Assault on the Control Room, Spec Ops Elites near Rally Point Delta now engage the player as intended
On Assault on the Control Room, enemies no longer walk into the Control Room exterior
The Hunter pair now consistently engages the player after approaching the cartographer’s entrance on The Silent Cartographer
A charged Plasma Pistol shot no longer kills players who have full health and shields on any difficulty
Performance improvements have been made to reduce hitching for players with large friends lists

KNOWN ISSUES

The following list contains some of the high-impact known issues for the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved:

Global

Cinematics may occasionally stutter during playback if the display refresh rate is not an even multiple of 30 Hz
- Workaround: If possible, set your display refresh rate to a multiple of 30 Hz (such as 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or 240hz), turn on Game Mode on your TV if available, or turn off Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), as it may contribute to cinematic stuttering on some setups
Audio and video may become out of sync, and the cinematic can briefly freeze, if the game is paused and then resumed during a cinematic.
Navigation markers do not progress until everyone in the Fireteam passes them.
After the first generator in Two Betrayals, players will be unable to progress if they destroy the banshee.
While playing The Truth and Reconciliation, you may hear brief popping or stuttering of audio during gameplay.

PC

Launching Halo: Campaign Evolved directly from the HaloCampaignEvolved.exe file in the Steam installation folder may cause the game to launch without connecting to Steam. When this occurs, you may be unable to sign in, experience severe performance issues, or encounter a game freeze that requires the application to be closed through Task Manager.
- Workaround: Launch Halo: Campaign Evolved directly from the Steam library within the Steam app itself
Some Intel 13th and 14th generation processors may crash on launch due to a pre-existing Intel microcode issue that can prevent affected systems from successfully starting certain applications
Players who have not updated their BIOS recently may be affected. If the game closes or crashes before reaching the splash screen, install the latest BIOS update available from your system or motherboard manufacturer
AMD graphics cards may crash when using high refresh rate displays if VSync is turned on and the maximum frame rate is set to 30
- Workaround: Raise the maximum frame rate limit, or disable VSync
Players using the Low upscaling quality option for DLSS upscaling may notice visual grain, haze, or oversized lens flares when using Low graphics quality settings
NVIDIA RTX 50 series graphics cards may crash on missions Keyes and The Maw when using driver versions 610.47, 610.62, and 610.74
- Workaround: Update your NVIDIA driver to 610.82, or rollback to 596.49.
Turning on XeSS Frame Generation while an in-game maximum frame rate limit is set can cause the game to become visually frozen, with only occasional frame updates
- Workaround: Use FSR or DLSS with Frame Generation instead of XeSS, turn off Frame Generation when using XeSS, or remove the in-game maximum frame rate limit.

Using Frame Generation with XeSS upscaling may cause graphical issues and limit frame rates during cinematics
- Workaround: Use Frame Generation with DLSS or FSR, or disable Frame Generation while using XeSS

If you experience an issue not listed here, report it through Halo Support using our Game Issue Report Form. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

Player feedback is critical. Report issues through Halo Support using our Game Issue Report Form

If you have problems with your account, Microsoft Support can help you

If you experience a problem in Steam that is not an in-game issue, please contact Steam Support

July 29 Update

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcementspatchnotes

3h ago

First, a huge thank you to everyone who jumped in and played on launch day (and Early Access!). We appreciate your excitement, your feedback, and your patience.

And now, the updates:

Download size: 20.2GB
Stability has been improved when watching or skipping the introduction cinematic in the mission The Maw while FSR is turned on with AMD graphics cards using driver versions 26.6.2 or 26.6.4
All PC versions now display a warning when Halo: Campaign Evolved is launched with an AMD or NVIDIA GPU driver version that has known issues.
XBOX Gamertags now display throughout the account linking process for Steam players
General stability improvements for the mission Pillar of Autumn
Jackals in the hanger hallway of The Truth and Reconciliation now actively patrol instead of remaining idle
On Assault on the Control Room, Spec Ops Elites near Rally Point Delta now engage the player as intended
On Assault on the Control Room, enemies no longer walk into the Control Room exterior
The Hunter pair now consistently engages the player after approaching the cartographer’s entrance on The Silent Cartographer
A charged Plasma Pistol shot no longer kills players who have full health and shields on any difficulty
Performance improvements have been made to reduce hitching for players with large friends lists

KNOWN ISSUES

The following list contains some of the high-impact known issues for the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved:

Global

Cinematics may occasionally stutter during playback if the display refresh rate is not an even multiple of 30 Hz
- Workaround: If possible, set your display refresh rate to a multiple of 30 Hz (such as 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or 240hz), turn on Game Mode on your TV if available, or turn off Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), as it may contribute to cinematic stuttering on some setups
Audio and video may become out of sync, and the cinematic can briefly freeze, if the game is paused and then resumed during a cinematic.
Navigation markers do not progress until everyone in the Fireteam passes them.
After the first generator in Two Betrayals, players will be unable to progress if they destroy the banshee.
While playing The Truth and Reconciliation, you may hear brief popping or stuttering of audio during gameplay.

PC

Launching Halo: Campaign Evolved directly from the HaloCampaignEvolved.exe file in the Steam installation folder may cause the game to launch without connecting to Steam. When this occurs, you may be unable to sign in, experience severe performance issues, or encounter a game freeze that requires the application to be closed through Task Manager.
- Workaround: Launch Halo: Campaign Evolved directly from the Steam library within the Steam app itself
Some Intel 13th and 14th generation processors may crash on launch due to a pre-existing Intel microcode issue that can prevent affected systems from successfully starting certain applications
Players who have not updated their BIOS recently may be affected. If the game closes or crashes before reaching the splash screen, install the latest BIOS update available from your system or motherboard manufacturer
AMD graphics cards may crash when using high refresh rate displays if VSync is turned on and the maximum frame rate is set to 30
- Workaround: Raise the maximum frame rate limit, or disable VSync
Players using the Low upscaling quality option for DLSS upscaling may notice visual grain, haze, or oversized lens flares when using Low graphics quality settings
NVIDIA RTX 50 series graphics cards may crash on missions Keyes and The Maw when using driver versions 610.47, 610.62, and 610.74
- Workaround: Update your NVIDIA driver to 610.82, or rollback to 596.49.
Turning on XeSS Frame Generation while an in-game maximum frame rate limit is set can cause the game to become visually frozen, with only occasional frame updates
- Workaround: Use FSR or DLSS with Frame Generation instead of XeSS, turn off Frame Generation when using XeSS, or remove the in-game maximum frame rate limit.

Using Frame Generation with XeSS upscaling may cause graphical issues and limit frame rates during cinematics
- Workaround: Use Frame Generation with DLSS or FSR, or disable Frame Generation while using XeSS

If you experience an issue not listed here, report it through Halo Support using our Game Issue Report Form. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

Player feedback is critical. Report issues through Halo Support using our Game Issue Report Form

If you have problems with your account, Microsoft Support can help you

If you experience a problem in Steam that is not an in-game issue, please contact Steam Support

Halo: Campaign Evolved is OUT NOW!

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

1d ago

Return to the ring that started it all in Halo: Campaign Evolved, a faithful yet modernized remake of the legendary Halo: Combat Evolved campaign.

Featuring high-definition graphics, refined gameplay, enhanced cinematics, and fully rebuilt sound design, Halo: Campaign Evolved honors and expands the Master Chief’s original adventure with cross-play co-op for up to four players, 42 game-changing Skulls, the all-new Campaign Remix mode, and three additional missions set before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. It’s the definitive tribute to one of gaming’s greatest journeys.

Crash-land into Halo: Campaign Evolved in cross-play co-op for up to four players now. Available globally on XBOX Series X|S, PlayStation®5, Windows PC, and Steam.

Free Armor Style Unlocks

Planning a one-way trip to Alpha Halo? Be sure to up-armor with a variety of free Mark V Styles.

Silver Anniversary

Celebrate 25 years of Halo with the Silver Anniversary Armor and Assault Rifle Styles, a free unlock for all Halo: Campaign Evolved players. Find this commemorative combo in the Customization menu the first time you play.

Hidden Blade

Cut a precision figure with the Hidden Blade Armor Style, available exclusively as a Discord Quest reward now through August 3, 2026.

Simply log in to Discord, head to the Quests page, and watch the Halo: Campaign Evolved game trailer from the Halo Quest to receive a personalized unlock code to redeem on Halo Waypoint.

Damascus Prototype

The undisputed king of couch co-op. Embrace your inner “X factor” with the Damascus Prototype Armor Style, available to all Halo: Campaign Evolved players. Grab the code from the image above or click this redemption link to unlock it on Halo Waypoint!

Sandstone Ancient

The patience of ancients is measured in drifting sands. All Halo: Campaign Evolved players may contemplate the ages with the Sandstone Ancient Armor Style. Grab the code from the image above or click this redemption link to unlock it on Halo Waypoint!

Cinematic Showcase

Alert: spoilers inbound! If you don’t want to see all the story revelations and variant cutscenes in these official cutscene showcases, we recommend heading for those hills.

Content creators and story lovers alike can relish in all of Halo: Campaign Evolved’s in-game cutscenes—including difficulty-based variant scenes and Easter eggs—in a full, hour-long cinematic showcase.

When you’ve finished watching highlights from the remade Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, be sure to dive into the riveting story of Operation: METEORITE.

Accessibility Features

Halo: Campaign Evolved invites heroes to defend humanity on their own terms, with their preferred play configurations. Customize your experience with a wide range of accessibility settings, including input management, aim settings, custom control bindings, audio narration, HUD look and feel, UI language, menu animations, and much more.

Support Resources

Halo Support has prepared helpful guides to getting started in Halo: Campaign Evolved, including topics such as registering Microsoft accounts, adding cross-platform friends to your XBOX friends list, optimizing PC performance, and more!

Be sure to follow @HaloSupport on X for the latest updates. If you run into issues while playing Halo: Campaign Evolved, visit the Halo Support site to browse for more helpful how-to resources or submit a support ticket.

PRESS KIT

Download the latest Halo: Campaign Evolved press kit for screenshots, cinematic stills, and hi-res wallpapers to celebrate your triumphant return to the ring that started it all!

Known Issues

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

1d ago

The following list contains some of the high-impact known issues for the current release of Halo: Campaign Evolved:

Global

Cinematics may occasionally stutter during playback if the display refresh rate is not an even multiple of 30 Hz.
- Workaround: If possible, set your display refresh rate to a multiple of 30 Hz (such as 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or 240hz), turn on Game Mode on your TV if available, or turn off Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), as it may contribute to cinematic stuttering on some setups.
Audio and video may become out of sync, and the cinematic can briefly freeze, if the game is paused and then resumed during a cinematic.
Navigation markers do not progress until everyone in the Fireteam passes them.
After the first generator in Two Betrayals, players will be unable to progress if they destroy the banshee.
While playing The Truth and Reconciliation, you may hear brief popping or stuttering of audio during gameplay.

XBOX

Suspending the game during a cinematic may cause the last frame shown before suspension to remain on screen and overlap subsequent cinematics for the rest of the playthrough.
- If this occurs, fully restart your console to restore cinematics to normal.

PC

Launching Halo: Campaign Evolved directly from the HaloCampaignEvolved.exe file in the Steam installation folder may cause the game to launch without connecting to Steam. When this occurs, you may be unable to sign in, experience severe performance issues, or encounter a game freeze that requires the application to be closed through Task Manager.
- Workaround: Launch Halo: Campaign Evolved directly from the Steam library within the Steam app itself.
Some Intel 13th and 14th generation processors may crash on launch due to a pre-existing Intel microcode issue that can prevent affected systems from successfully starting certain applications.
- Players who have not updated their BIOS recently may be affected. If the game closes or crashes before reaching the splash screen, install the latest BIOS update available from your system or motherboard manufacturer.
AMD graphics cards using driver versions 26.6.2 or 26.6.4 will likely crash when skipping the introduction cinematic in the mission The Maw while FSR is turned on. Watching the cinematic to completion can reduce the likelihood of a crash.
- Workaround: Change your upscaling technique to DLSS, XeSS, or TSR, turn on Frame Generation while using FSR, or roll back to driver version 26.6.1.
AMD graphics cards may crash when using high refresh rate displays if VSync is turned on and the maximum frame rate is set to 30.
- Workaround: Raise the maximum frame rate limit, or disable VSync.
Players using the Low upscaling quality option for DLSS upscaling may notice visual grain, haze, or oversized lens flares when using Low graphics quality settings.
NVIDIA RTX 50 series graphics cards may crash on missions Keyes and The Maw when using driver versions 610.47, 610.62, and 610.74.
- Workaround: Update your NVIDIA driver to 610.88, or rollback to 596.49.
Turning on XeSS Frame Generation while an in-game maximum frame rate limit is set can cause the game to become visually frozen, with only occasional frame updates.
- Workaround: Use FSR or DLSS with Frame Generation instead of XeSS, turn off Frame Generation when using XeSS, or remove the in-game maximum frame rate limit.
Using Frame Generation with XeSS upscaling may cause graphical issues and limit frame rates during cinematics.
- Workaround: Use Frame Generation with DLSS or FSR, or disable Frame Generation while using XeSS.

If you experience an issue not listed here, report it through Halo Support using our Game Issue Report Form.

Early Access Begins TODAY!

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcementsmod_reviewedModAct_1889321037_1784823506_0

6d ago

If you pre-ordered the Halo: Campaign Evolved Digital Premium Edition or Collector’s Bundle, you can enjoy early-access play in both solo and four-player cross-play co-op starting today!

Jump into Halo: Campaign Evolved now to relive the timeless story with stunningly realized graphics, fully rebuilt sound design, and all-new cinematics.

Join Early Access

Ready to engage the Covenant on solid ground? There’s still time to purchase the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved and join your squadmates in Early Access.

Cross-platform Co-op

Ready to assemble your first Fireteam? Here are a few basic steps required for adding friends playing on different platforms:

If you don’t already have one, create a new Microsoft account and select a suitable Gamertag so your cross-platform friends can find and add you.

Search for and add your friends’ Gamertags to your XBOX friends list online at XBOX.com, in the XBOX mobile app, or through the XBOX Game Bar social widget on your PC. (Your friends will also need to accept your friend requests!)

Once successfully added to your XBOX friends list, access the “Play Co-op” menu in Halo: Campaign Evolved to send invites or join up on a friend’s Fireteam. You’ll see a blinking dot indicator beside the menu option whenever friends are online.

For detailed guides on adding friends to your XBOX friends list, visit Halo Support’s comprehensive startup guide to all things co-op in Halo: Campaign Evolved.

The first time you play Halo: Campaign Evolved, you will be prompted to link your Steam ID to your XBOX Gamertag. For help linking cross-platform accounts, check out this handy guide from Halo Support.

Anniversary Armory

Celebrate 25 years of Halo with the Silver Anniversary Armor and Assault Rifle Styles, a free unlock for all Halo: Campaign Evolved players. Find this commemorative combo in the Customization menu the first time you play.

Accessibility Features

Support Resources

UPDATED 7/23

Early Access for Halo: Campaign Evolved is now available for all platforms! As a thank you for your patience, all players may claim the brand-new Sandstone Ancient armor style here:

https://aka.ms/SandstoneAncient

We’ll see you on the ring!

PRESS KIT

Download the latest Halo: Campaign Evolved press kit for hi-res versions of the variant box art from the Collector’s Edition!

Get Ready for Early Access

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

7d ago

Later this week, a new generation of UNSC adventurers will exit slipspace over Alpha Halo during Halo: Campaign Evolved’s Early Access launch.

To prep you for storming the sacred ring, we’re issuing mission-critical intel on the Early Access schedule, platform-specific pre-load timelines, and a few pro tips from Halo Support to streamline your first foray into Halo: Campaign Evolved!

Early Access Launch Schedule

If you pre-ordered the Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved, you can enjoy Early Access play starting Thursday, July 23 (8:00 a.m. PDT). For quick reference, you can find that time localized to major cities around the world below:

Seattle: Thursday, July 23 (8:00 a.m. PDT)
Mexico City: Thursday, July 23 (9:00 a.m. CST)
New York: Thursday, July 23 (11:00 a.m. EDT)
São Paulo: Thursday, July 23 (12:00 p.m. BRT)
London: Thursday, July 23 (4:00 p.m. BST)
Berlin: Thursday, July 23 (5:00 p.m. CEST)
Riyadh: Thursday, July 23 (6:00 p.m. AST)
New Delhi: Thursday, July 23 (8:30 p.m. IST)
Hong Kong: Thursday, July 23 (11:00 p.m. HKT)
Tokyo: Friday, July 24 (12:00 a.m. JST)
Sydney: Friday, July 24 (1:00 a.m. AEST)
Auckland: Friday, July 24 (3:00 a.m. NZST)

There’s still time to pre-order the Premium Edition to unlock the Foundry Armory Pack and enjoy up to five days of Early Access starting July 23. (Pre-order bonuses are available now through July 28, 2026.)

Global Launch

Starting July 28 (8:00 a.m. PDT), all editions of Halo: Campaign Evolved will be available to install and play on any supported platform.

Microsoft Accounts

Halo: Campaign Evolved supports shared story checkpoints, collectibles, and customizations across all your preferred platforms. To keep track of your campaign progress, Skulls, and more, Microsoft accounts and Gamertags are required to play Halo: Campaign Evolved.

If you already have an XBOX Gamertag, simply log in with the affiliated Microsoft account when prompted during the first time you play Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Halo newcomers can ensure the smoothest start to their campaign experience by creating a free Microsoft account today online or from a mobile phone. You’ll also get to choose a suitable Gamertag to share with your IRL friends for cross-platform party invites!

Linking Cross-Platform Accounts

Upon loading into Halo: Campaign Evolved for the first time, Steam players will be prompted to link their Steam ID to their Microsoft account. This step is required to access your existing friends lists so you can campaign together.

To get you into the action, Halo Support has prepared a short, step-by-step guide on linking cross-platform accounts to your Microsoft account:

Account Linking and Unlinking in Halo: Campaign Evolved

Whether you play on Steam or elsewhere, you’ll find friends playing Halo: Campaign Evolved on the same platform in the “Platform Friends” pane of the “Play Co-Op” menu.

Adding Cross-Platform Allies

To add friends who play on other platforms, you’ll simply need to know their Gamertag (registrants of new Microsoft accounts will choose one during setup). You can then search for and add your friends’ Gamertags to your XBOX friends list in a variety of ways:

Online at XBOX.com
From the XBOX Game Bar (on Windows PC)
In the XBOX mobile app

Once successfully added to your XBOX friends list, cross-platform friends will appear in the “Cross-Platform Friends” list of the “Play Co-op” menu whenever they’re online.

Joining a Fireteam

Whenever friends are online, you’ll see a blinking indicator beside the “Play Co-op” option in the main menu. Find a friend on the “Platform Friends” or “Cross-Platform Friends” lists to join up on their session or invite them to your Fireteam as session host.

PC Specifications

To confront the challenges that await you on Alpha Halo, you’ll need at least these minimum PC specs:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7-10700K
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super / AMD Radeon RX 6600 / Intel Arc A580
VRAM: 8 GB
RAM: 16 GB
Storage: 100 GB SSD
OS: Windows 10 22H2 64-bit or Windows 11

For more info on recommended specs for higher graphics settings and quick links to update NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel drivers, please visit Halo Support’s full PC specifications guide.

PC Optimization

Bred for combat, built for performance. Turn your rig into the meanest, greenest Covenant-slaying machine possible with the official Halo Support guide to advanced PC optimization, featuring pointers on adjusting graphics quality, upscaling, resolution, GPU async, load, frame generation and limits, and more.

Accessibility Settings

Twitch Drops

Speaking of “hot drops,” be on the lookout for a chance to earn the exclusive Stream of the Crop Mark V Armor Style through Twitch Drops. We’ll have more info to share on our social channels soon!

In the meantime, it’s a good idea to link your Twitch account ahead of time, so you can claim your customizations through Halo Waypoint.

Modding Guidelines

With Halo: Campaign Evolved, our intention from the start was to leave the door open to the modding community. We will not be offering official modding tools, support, or Steam Workshop integration, but the team deliberately avoided putting any blockers in place that would prevent modders from working in and with this content. We look forward to seeing, and playing, modded creations, but we also want to make sure nobody finds themselves in a problematic situation.

If you are interested in modding Halo: Campaign Evolved, please be mindful of the following:

Halo Studios and Microsoft do not approve, endorse, nor accept any liability for modded content or experiences.
You may not distribute mods that contain a substantial part of our copyrightable code or content, nor may you distribute modded versions of Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Mods must not circumvent game entitlement checks, account authentication requirements, or otherwise permit access to official locked, unreleased, or premium in-game content.
Only non-commercial mods are permitted for Halo: Campaign Evolved. You may not sell or otherwise monetize Halo content or experiences built with Halo IP or underlying technology.
Microsoft reserves the right to shut down modded experiences that are a conflict of interest.
Do not make inappropriate or offensive content or experiences.
Do not use 3rd party IP without IP holder permission.
Abide by the XBOX Game Content Usage Rules.

We are excited to see the types of creations the Halo modding community comes up but please make sure to follow the rules. Failure to comply with Microsoft, 3rd Party, platform, and legal requirements may result in legal action.

Additional Support

Follow @HaloSupport on X for the latest updates. If you run into issues while playing Halo: Campaign Evolved, visit the Halo Support site to browse for more helpful how-to resources or submit a support ticket.

Brace for Impact

“The object we found. I’m going to try to land the Autumn on it.”

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a legendary adventure 25 years in the making. Whether you’re a battle-hardened Spartan or a Halo newcomer, we’re so excited to fight beside you.

If you’re looking for the latest intel (or something to read while your game installs), check out these recent Halo Waypoint posts for a glimpse at all that awaits on Alpha Halo:

Featuring the timeless and lovingly rebuilt Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, Operation: METEORITE’s riveting new recon missions, 42 Skulltacular collectibles, the endless possibilities of Campaign Remix, two-player split-screen co-op on consoles, four-player cross-platform co-op, and the most humbling LASO challenge yet, Halo: Campaign Evolved is the definitive return trip through one of gaming’s greatest journeys.

Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved to receive the Foundry Armory Pack and up to five days of Early Access play starting July 23, 2026.

Inside the Art of Halo: Campaign Evolved

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

13d ago

With the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved this month, Halo Studios officially begins a new chapter for the franchise. This release not only marks a major milestone for the studio; it also marks a total evolution of the craft of making Halo games. With the power and capabilities of Unreal Engine 5, the team set out to bring the world of Halo to life like never before while staying grounded in the spirit of the original.

From the first glimpses of Project Foundry to the final game, the Halo Studios art team delivered something that’s equal parts authentic and awesome—something that feels fresh and new yet also looks exactly like the memories we hold from 2001.

To learn more about the artistic vision, approach, and process behind the game, we sat down with Halo Studios Art Director Chris Matthews and Donnie Taylor, Halo: Campaign Evolved Art Director, to talk shop!

Project Foundry became a test bed and proof-of-concept exploration of what it means to bring Halo to life in Unreal. How did it work out in practice? Are there any artistic or technical outcomes in Halo: Campaign Evolved that you can directly tie back to Project Foundry?

Chris Matthews: Project Foundry helped us test key workflows in a real development environment and set a new bar for the variety, richness, and visual ambition we wanted to bring to Halo. Starting from an empty Unreal project, the team built an entirely fresh content set and used it to define the quality target for future production.

By focusing on the Pacific Northwest, the Coldlands, and the Blightlands, we were able to solve development challenges around environments, materials, world-building, and atmosphere. That work connected directly to Halo: Campaign Evolved, influencing levels such as “Halo” and “Assault on the Control Room,” as well as the broader implementation of the Flood throughout the game.

What has Unreal enabled the team to do that wasn’t possible before?

Donnie Taylor: Empowering our creative team. Slipspace (Halo Infinite’s engine) was quite powerful, but it required a decent amount of tribal knowledge and multiple disciplines to accomplish complex ideas. Unreal removed many of those barriers and allowed the team to focus less on the “how” and more on the “what.”

CM: Unreal empowered the team to move faster, iterate more freely, and lower the technical barriers between artistic intent and in-engine execution. It gave artists and content creators a much stronger connection between concept art and final implementation, allowing ideas to be tested, refined, and validated directly in the game with more consistent and reliable results. Access to tools like Nanite, Niagara, Lumen, and Mega Lights also gave us a broader technical foundation to realize the vision at a level of richness, scale, and fidelity that simply was not possible before.

Remaking something as iconic and beloved as Halo: Combat Evolved is equal parts daunting and exciting. At the start of this project, what were the key pillars established by the art team?

DT: We had five key art pillars for this project:

Military / Science Fiction: The creative heights of science fiction give Halo its wonder and the military foundation gives it perspective.
Aspirational / Spectacle: What pushes us toward the extraordinary.
Grounded / Relatable: Players don’t need an instruction manual to understand the world.
Intriguing / Storied: Every environment should tell a story.
Thoughtful / Intentional: Know the legacy and understand why things are the way they are. Our job is not to recreate the past beat for beat but understand what made those choices work in the first place.

CM: Alongside our core art pillars, our North Star was a careful balance of three influences: the original Bungie-era concept art, the insight and expectations of long-term Halo players, and a deep effort to preserve the essence of the original game. Every time these influences led us in a direction, we tested our ideas against Halo’s established lore, working closely with the franchise writers to ensure that every visual evolution still felt authentic to the universe.

Were there any specific processes in place to review new content against the original game?

CM: Every original asset was documented in detail and regularly reviewed by the team throughout production. Our artists and content creators returned to the original Halo: Combat Evolved frequently, comparing it with the Anniversary Edition, and analyzing the creative decisions behind each interpretation. New ideas, or revisions to existing designs, were first explored through concept art and then stress-tested with a panel of senior writers, designers, players, and artists. The team’s passion for Halo runs deep, and this process ensured that every decision was carefully vetted, with only the changes that genuinely enhanced or added to the experience making it through.

This isn’t the first time Halo: Combat Evolved has been revisited. How did the team consider prior work on Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and were there any key learnings or takeaways that informed your team’s approach?

DT: I had a mandate that the team play both CE and Anniversary. There are many aspects of Anniversary that were fantastic recreations, but in some areas, it strayed from the original. Our goal was to refocus on what we felt when we played Halo: Combat Evolved for the first time and try to capture that. It translated into darker, moodier environments where the feeling and tone of the game were truer to the original.

CM: The team reviewed prior work on Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, but Halo: Campaign Evolved was approached with its own deep reverence for the original game, its lore, and the artists and designers who first defined that world. Our goal was to recapture the sense of mystery, beauty, darkness, and liminality that made the original so powerful, while using modern tools to express new executions. Adding detail always invites conversation, because taste is subjective, but our approach was never arbitrary; every visual evolution was rooted in Halo lore, the intent of the original designs, and what the franchise has taught us over the last 25 years.

What’s the biggest difference between a “remaster” and a “remake”? And in the case of Halo: Campaign Evolved, why did the team opt for a full remake?

CM: To me, the key difference is that a remaster preserves the original experience and attempts to improves its presentation, while a remake rebuilds that experience from the ground up so it can fully live on modern hardware, with modern expectations, without losing its soul.

Halo: Combat Evolved is a timeless game because its core atmosphere, mystery, pacing, and visual identity still resonate decades later; we chose a full remake because we were not trying to replace that legacy, but to honor it properly by rebuilding the world with today’s tools so players could feel the same awe, scale, and discovery that the original delivered in 2001.

How did the team balance and draw inspiration from Bungie’s original work and elements from other parts of the Halo Franchise? How were decisions made around if, and how, something should be changed vs. leaving something exactly as it was 25 years ago?

DT: Lots and lots of discussions and references. Our team is very passionate about CE, what it means to them, and what it means to modernize a classic. Everyone has elements of each game in the series that are special to them. We held conversations both inside Halo Studios and outside with community members to guide many of our decisions.

CM: The team balanced Bungie’s original work with the broader 25-year Halo legacy by stepping back from the released game alone and going deep into the archive of early sketches, drawings, and design intent. We compared those original ideas with what ultimately appeared in Halo: Combat Evolved, then tested them against the stories, lore, and visual language that have developed across the franchise since.

We treated every element of the original game as a crown jewel. A design was only considered for refinement when it improved consistency, supported gameplay, or clarified an idea that had been has already resolved over the course of the franchise, or was limited by the realities of the production in 2001.

Nearly every Halo game has had variations and evolutions in key characters, weapons, and vehicles from title to title. Halo: Campaign Evolved draws inspiration from more than just Combat Evolved – what was the team’s approach to determining which version of a character, weapon, or vehicle would appear in this remake?

DT: We had an exercise early in the project which established our “Evergreen Assets.” During this exercise we looked at the art of every key asset within the Halo Franchise, and working with our peers and Franchise, defined what best represented the “look” of Halo.

CM: The Mjolnir armor and Warthog were great examples: both have evolved over time, but by rebuilding them carefully we could restore details that had been lost or simplified, such as the swing arms supporting the Warthog’s wheels. Even choices like Cortana’s color were approached with the same care, balancing her purple appearance in the original game with the lore and player expectations built around who Cortana has become to so many fans (and her iconic electric blue holographic appearance!).

Once a decision was made, for example the Elite design inspired by Halo Infinite, what is the general process to bring that to life in Unreal in Campaign Evolved?

CM: Every piece of art in Halo: Campaign Evolved was built from scratch, but our goal was refinement, not redesign. When a design already represented the strongest modern interpretation of the original, we preserved that direction; when key details had been lost over time, as with the Warthog, we returned to the original Halo: Combat Evolved designs and reinterpreted them through a modern lens.

DT: Every asset was rebuilt from the ground up, bringing it up to modern standards in a way Unreal could understand was just one of the steps. We also took the time to talk through the design with the character team to make sure the assumptions that were made were still true for Campaign Evolved and only changed those instances that didn’t align with Art Direction.

How was development of the three bonus missions different from the approach and work on remaking the original ten missions? How was it similar?

DT: There were a lot of similarities in approach to both the base ten missions and the three bonus missions. I would say the main difference was in efficiency. We learned a lot from making the original missions and that allowed us to be far more ambitious in our scope.

CM: The bonus missions were different because they gave the team room to create new Halo content rather than faithfully reinterpreting an existing mission. By that point, the studio was deeply absorbed in the story, visual language, and production techniques of Halo: Campaign Evolved, which allowed us to push scope, scale, and spectacle in a way that suited the prequel story. What remained the same was the artistic discipline; every new space, character, and detail still had to feel rooted in Halo’s history, tone, and design logic.

What were the art direction and visual design goals for “Operation: Meteorite,” and where did inspirations come from for these environments and characters?

CM: For the three bonus missions, our goal was to introduce a new Covenant faction, the dogmatic and extreme Sacristan, while delivering both the vast scale Halo is known for and the claustrophobic intensity of Covenant ships. Visually, we pushed classic Covenant ornamentation into something more opulent, ornate, and severe, supporting the idea of a colossal personal ship built around experimentation and fanaticism. The designs have both feet firmly in Halo’s history, while looking toward the future extremes of alien design.

DT: As an Art Director, I was guided by three main drivers: I wanted something that would excite new and old fans, something that pushed our art and design toward the future, and something that was unexpected.

We had one visual goal for environments in the three bonus missions: give the player something that was familiar and Halo, but unique and wholly alien—a setting that could only be found on a spacefaring vessel run by a highly zealous, multi-species faction.

What’s something you’re particularly proud of now that all the team’s work and execution is on display in the final game?

DT: We landed compelling visuals that still felt true to the original. Campaign Evolved is a visual feast brought together through our passion for Halo, talent and grit. I couldn’t be prouder of our art team and what they’ve accomplished.

CM: I could not be more proud of the Halo Studios team and the way they committed themselves to building this game with authenticity, care, and a real openness to community feedback. We had one clear goal; to create a love letter to the original game while making it exciting and relatable for both longtime fans and new players. Seeing that work come together in the final game is incredibly rewarding, and I cannot wait for what we do next.

When a player loads into Halo: Campaign Evolved for the first time later this month, what do you want their experience to be in terms of the art and design of this game?

DT: Hope and excitement. This is Halo Studio’s first offering and a taste of the future of Halo.

CM: When players load into Halo: Campaign Evolved for the first time, we want longtime fans to feel the same awe and excitement they felt when they first experienced Halo, and we want new players to feel the pull of adventure and the mystery of the ring. That intention starts immediately with the menu screen, which we fully recreated to match the scale, camera, and atmosphere of the original design. By using the in-game ring model, also seen in cinematics, we were able to create a stronger sense of consistency and make the world feel connected from the very first moment.

Thank you, Chris and Donnie, for taking the time to dig into the process and work that’s gone into realizing the look and feel of Halo: Campaign Evolved!

We are excited to welcome players to immerse themselves in Alpha Halo firsthand when we launch on July 28 (or pre-order the Premium Edition now for up to 5 days Early Access beginning July 23). To learn more, check out more at the links below:

Co-Op, Remix, & LASO Livestream

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

14d ago

Today on our recent livestream featuring Halo: Campaign Evolved, we played split-screen co-op, assembled a lobby of 4 players for a lively session of Remix, and debuted the final lineup of Skulls used in the infamous Legendary All Skulls On (aka “LASO”) mode.

If you missed the show, you can watch the VOD on YouTube!

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches this month on July 28 – or as early as next week on July 23 if you pre-order the Premium Edition to get up to 5 days of Early Access.

__________________________________________

LASO Skulls

After you find the Skulls below in-game, you’ll unlock the ability to play through the game using the LASO setting. Completing the entire game on LASO not only earns you tons of respect on the streets of New Mombasa, but it also earns you the “MYTHIC” Achievement.

Note: If anyone in your Fireteam has Difficulty Modifiers enabled, this Achievement will not unlock.

Skull

Description

Iron

Dying in co-op resets you to your last checkpoint, dying while solo restarts the level

Black Eye

Your shields will only recharge when you melee enemies

Fog

Motion Tracker is disabled

Famine

Weapons dropped by enemies contain half the ammo

Thunderstorm

Upgrades the rank of most enemies

Mythic

Enemies have increased health

Grint Birthday Party

Grunt headshots produce legendary celebrations

IWHBYD

It would have been your dialogue

Boom

Explosion radius is increased by 2x

Eye Patch

All auto-aim is disabled for all weapons

Grunt Funeral

Grunts die in a blaze of plasma

Malfunction

Upon respawn a random element of your HUD no longer appears

That’s Just Wrong

Enemies have increased awareness of the player

Speed Limit

Take your time, enjoy the sights! Disables sprint

Pop

Shooting Flood in their weak point causes them to explode

Temperamental

Allies will attack the player more quickly if the player kills a friendly

Johnny Ammo Seed

When reloading you lose the ammo remaining in the discarded clip

________________________________________________________________

To learn even more about the game, be sure to check out these videos and articles:

Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

July Community Q&A

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcementsmod_reviewedModAct_1607812438_1783441950_0mod_require_rereview

22d ago

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches this month on July 28 – or as early as July 23 if you pre-order the Premium Edition to get up to 5 days of Early Access! To help make sure you’ve got all the information you may need about the game, we’re back with another Q&A to answer some the top questions we’ve seen you ask online. If you missed our last one, be sure to check it out our June Community Q&A here on Waypoint.

We mean to continue this series, so please keep sending your asks our way!

Q: If I buy Halo: Campaign Evolved at a retail store, will there be a disc in the box? A: Yes! Buying the XBOX or PlayStation version of Halo: Campaign Evolved at your local retailer will result in getting the physical game case and disc so that you have tangible items to add to your collection.

Q: Will there be a Machinima mode? A: Yes, Halo: Campaign Evolved will have a Machinima mode! With Machinima mode, you will be able to pop out a freecam, lower your weapons, and even control your Spartan while in freecam mode. Machinima mode is available to all players just by using input combos, and does not need to be unlocked by finding a Skull. If you’re looking to create great content, you can leverage Machinima mode, in combination with the Acrophobia & Blind Skulls, and even various personal settings such as disabling your HUD UI, to capture unique videos and screenshots.

Q: Can I drop my weapon for teammates without needing to swap it for a gun on the ground? A: Yes! This functionality, which was first implemented in Halo Infinite, is back and we are happy to have it in Halo: Campaign Evolved as well. If you have two weapons, feel free to drop one of them for your friend anytime you want!

Q: Has Campaign AI gotten improvements since the preview with creators? A: Yes! The XBOX Showcase media and creator preview demo earlier this month was a pre-release build tailored to specific timing and scope needs. Over the last few weeks, the development team has been polishing and improving elements of the game, including enemy AI behaviors.

Q: Is LASO truly ALL skulls or just a subset? When will we find out the final details? A: We touched on this in our June Q&A, but we wanted to expand on this a bit more. For Halo: Campaign Evolved, this way to play and its corresponding Achievement will be a curated assortment of skulls, not all 42 of them. With so many skulls, some of which directly contradict each other or trivialize the experience (Acrophobia flying past all the encounters!), it just wouldn’t work to literally utilize ALL of them. So, this is technically more like “LAASO” (Legendary Almost All Skulls On), and the team has selected skulls that maintain the spirit of this challenge. We’ll share more details and show it in action during a live stream before launch!

Q: Will the Difficulty Modifier settings be usable for Achievements, such as LASO? A: It depends. While most simpler Achievements can still be earned with Difficulty Modifiers enabled, the Achievements that are meant to be more challenging – such as LASO – will not be unlocked if anyone in your Fireteam is playing with these on. We’ve updated our Achievements & Trophies blog here on Waypoint to include this information on a per-Achievement basis!

Q: How will we obtain the Foundry Armory Pack pre-order skins? A: At participating retailers, eligible purchases include a redemption code printed on your receipt, which can be redeemed through the XBOX or PlayStation Store. For those who purchased a physical Collector’s Edition, the Foundry Armory Pack code will be included inside the Steelbook to redeem at the XBOX, PlayStation, or Steam digital stores. If you pre-order digitally before 7:59 AM PDT on July 28, 2026, you will automatically receive the Foundry Armory Pack upon install.

Q: If we have Early Access with the Premium Edition, are we allowed to stream it on Twitch? A: Of course! Players who have purchased the Premium Edition or Collector’s Edition will be able to play – and stream – up to five days before general launch on July 28. All our timings will happen at the same time globally, so everyone can jump into the game at the exact same moment. To help make sure you can be ready to go, here are the exact timings:

Early Access begins July 23 at 8 AM PDT (July 24 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets).
Halo: Campaign Evolved launches globally on July 28, 2026 at 8 AM PDT (July 29 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets).

Q: Will Halo: Campaign Evolved be playable on handheld devices? A: Yes! Halo: Campaign Evolved will have the highest ratings for handheld devices:

Windows Handheld: Handheld Optimized (highest rating)
Steam Deck: Verified (highest rating)

Q: Is there friendly fire when playing co-op? A: You get to choose! In Halo: Campaign Evolved, players will have the option to enable or disable friendly fire. When running a co-op session with friends, this setting will be determined by the Fireteam leader.

Q: Are the physics fun? A: Yes! The Halo: Campaign Evolved team retained the original fun physics behaviors that make up the “Halo feel.” A few Halo creators previewed the game in June, and many tried fun physics tricks – like crate and vehicle launches to achieve new heights.

And, as you can see in the videos above, pairing these launches with Difficulty Modifiers and fun Skulls like Boom, Cowbell, and Bandana can lead to some outrageous outcomes.

We are excited to continue sharing more information over the next few weeks, and we can’t wait to launch Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28.

To learn even more about the game, be sure to check out these videos and articles:

Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

June Community Q&A

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

40d ago

Earlier this month we pulled the curtain back on Halo: Campaign Evolved and shared its imminent release date of July 28 – or July 23 if you pre-order the Premium Edition and get up to 5 days of Early Access. While we have been busy sharing lots of news, highlighting features like split-screen and online co-op, and creating fun videos with Sgt Johnson, we know you all still have plenty of questions.

Today, we’re setting aside some time to answer some of the most common ones we’ve seen online and in our mentions. We plan on doing this again, so please keep sending your questions our way and we’ll try to answer them in our next Q&A!

Q: Do you need to find Skulls in-game before you can apply them? A: Yes! In order to apply Skull modifiers in-game, you will need to find and collect them. There are 3 Skulls hidden on each mission in Halo: Campaign Evolved and another 3 that are granted upon unlocking Campaign Remix.

Q: Will there be any additional Collector’s Editions up for sale? A: We are humbled and blown away by the overwhelming excitement for the Collector’s Edition. This was always intended to be a limited edition offering but safe to say demand has far exceeded what was projected and produced. The Collector’s Edition is officially sold out and there are no plans for a restock. With regards to reports of reselling – Our retail partners have audited orders and found no evidence of widespread scalping. Only a tiny percentage of purchases showed suspicious behavior, and in those cases, orders were refunded and units were put back up for sale. As a reminder, some customers may choose to cancel their pre-order, so there’s always a chance a few more units trickle in over the coming weeks. If you’re a fan of awesome Halo statues, we are working with partners to release even more Halo: Campaign Evolved collectibles throughout the year to help celebrate 25 years of Halo. Stay tuned for more info.

Q: Are there any XBOX account requirements to play the game solo or co-op? A: Yes, just as you do today for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite to ensure smooth cross-platform progression, to play Halo: Campaign Evolved you will need a Microsoft account and XBOX Gamertag, regardless of the platform(s) you play on. This enables both cross-platform play and cross-platform progression.

If you’d like to jump in immediately on July 28, we recommend having an XBOX account created beforehand to help save time once you put the disc in the tray.

Q: Will there be a Photo Mode or Theater Mode? A: The Blind Skull, which hides your HUD UI, weapons, and hands from view, combined with the Acrophobia Skull, which allows you to fly, should be able to provide some incredible screenshot opportunities, but there are no current plans for a Photo Mode or Theater Mode in Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Q: Can I turn off hitmarkers in-game? A: Yes. We like to start by providing as much feedback to players as possible, so this is enabled by default, but you should feel free to turn this feature off via the in-game settings.

Q: Can I wear the Mark IV armor in the base 10 missions? A: We love the Mark IV armor too, so we understand the desire to wear it everywhere, but it will only be available in the 3 new bonus missions.

Q: How does the new 3rd Person mode work? Is it possible to play this way right from the start? A: The ability to play in 3rd Person is an optional way to experience the game that can be enabled once you’ve found the “Perspective” Skull hidden in one of the game’s 13 missions. To learn more about Skulls and the new Remix feature in Halo: Campaign Evolved, check out this blog!

Q: Will the Stanchion be useable in the bonus missions or in the main missions via Campaign Remix? A: Sgt Johnson’s Stanchion, which was featured in our new missions trailer, is his personal weapon and not one he likes to share. As such, it will not be featured outside his personal use in the prequel missions.

Q: If I customize my Spartan, will they show up in cutscenes with that armor? A: To ensure that the narrative remains as faithful to the original game as possible, the personalized customization options you choose will not show up during cutscenes.

Q: Will LASO mean playing the game with truly all Skulls active? A: We’ll have a specific selection of Skulls for LASO. Similar to MCC, it won’t be all Skulls, but it will still be extremely challenging. We’ll share more about the specific LASO selection in the lead up to launch.

Q: How does the game balance enemy encounters for Co-Op? A: If you load up a Co-Op session via split-screen or online play, each mission will scale appropriately depending on how many people you have in your lobby. This will show up in a few different ways:

Number of enemies: You may encounter a higher number of enemies, though this is largely determined by your difficulty selection.
Rank of enemies: Enemies have a chance to upgrade to a higher rank. The more players, and the higher the difficulty, the higher the chance they will upgrade.
Enemy intelligence increases: The enemy AI will avoid grenades more frequently, target and shoot at players more efficiently, and know when to fall back to gain their shields more effectively.

And, since not everyone in your Co-Op session will be at the same skill level, we’ve also introduced a new feature – Difficulty Modifiers – to help everyone enjoy their time together. Difficulty Modifiers allow each player to adjust settings for themselves, which can help them have an easier time or a more difficult challenge. These settings are:

Damage Resistance (increase or decrease how much damage you take from enemies)
Shield Recharge Rate (increase or decrease how quickly your shields will begin recharging)
Damage Modifier (increase or decrease how much damage you deal to enemies with weapons and grenades)
Melee Damage Modifier (increase or decrease how much damage your melee deals to enemies)
Ammo (Infinite Ammo, Bottomless Clip, etc.)

So, if you have 4 players in your lobby, expect to face more Covenant resistance than if you play solo, but be sure to take advantage of Difficulty Modifiers to ensure everyone in the lobby is having a good time. Note: There are some Achievements that will not be earnable when Difficulty Modifiers are enabled for any members of your Fireteam.

Q: Can you still backpack reload? A: We loved this button glitch in the original Halo: Combat Evolved, so we wanted to preserve its behavior with the “Stowed Reload” Skull, which allows your weapon to reload while on your back to mimic this behavior. Although it’s no longer a button glitch, its spirit continues to live on.

Q: Will there be more content or features such as additional story DLC, Firefight, new Skulls, more customization, etc. added after launch? A: Halo: Campaign Evolved is meant to focus on remaking the original campaign of Halo: Combat Evolved and providing three fun, new prequels missions. There are no plans to expand the game into a live service with continued content or feature additions.

Q: Will there be assassinations? A: No, there aren’t any specific assassination animations, but your traditional backsmacks will continue to provide one-hit kills while helping you avoid detection in stealthier situations.

Q: Will there be a public demo of Halo: Campaign Evolved ahead of launch? A: There are no plans to release a demo of the game before launch. If you’re excited and want to get your hands on the game as soon as possible, you can pre-order the Premium Edition and get up to 5 days of early access beginning July 23, 2026!

Q: Do I need to play the original missions before I can play the three new missions? A: You can play the prequel missions as soon as you launch the game. We want everyone to experience this new story, so we’ve decided not to gate it behind any specific tasks, actions, or paywalls. Load up the game, select the new missions, and enjoy another adventure with the Master Chief and Sgt Johnson. For brand new players, we do recommend starting with the original missions as they are designed to help onboard players with tutorials along the way.

Q: Is it July 28th yet? A: No, but we’ll get there together!

We are excited to continue sharing more information over the next few weeks, and we can’t wait to launch Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28.

To learn even more about the game, be sure to check out these videos and articles:

Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

Achievement List

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcementsmod_reviewedModAct_1598046824_1781816562_0

41d ago

On July 28, we return to the ring that started it all with Halo: Campaign Evolved. While the original game, Halo: Combat Evolved, launched before Achievements were officially established in the XBOX ecosystem, players in the community have always set goals and found unique ways to challenge themselves.

Now, 25 years later, we're excited to share the Achievements that you will be able to unlock when Halo: Campaign Evolved lands next month.

Assemble your co-op completionist crew with 2-player splitscreen on consoles or a 4-player online Fireteam and enjoy the hunt!

Name

Description

The Autumn Leaves

Complete Pillar of Autumn

Installation 04

Complete Halo

Infiltration Anticipation

Complete Truth and Reconciliation

Bee Thirty

Complete Silent Cartographer

Control Alt Delete

Complete Assault on the Control Room

This Stuff is Your History

Complete 343 Guilty Spark

Protocol Dictates Action

Complete The Library

Double Trouble

Complete Two Betrayals

Captain’s Orders

Complete Keyes

Dust and Echoes Evolved

Complete The Maw

Before the Fall

Complete New Mission 1

Tiger Company

Complete New Mission 2

Personal Space

Complete New Mission 3

Greenhorn

Complete the Campaign on Easy Difficulty

Birth of a Spartan

Complete the Campaign on Normal Difficulty

Heroes Never Die

Complete the Campaign on Heroic Difficulty

Living Legend

Complete the Campaign on Legendary Difficulty

Lore Have Mercy

Activate all 13 Terminals

Clean Sweep

Find all skulls and terminals in Pillar of Autumn

Successful Search

Find all skulls and terminals in Halo

Plundered

Find all skulls and terminals in Truth and Reconciliation

Buried Treasure

Find all skulls and terminals in The Silent Cartographer

Stowed in Snow

Find all skulls and terminals in Assault on the Control Room

Proto Gravemind

Find all skulls and terminals in 343 Guilty Spark

Timeless Tomes

Find all skulls and terminals in The Library

Outpost Discoveries

Find all skulls and terminals in Two Betrayals

Priorities

Find all skulls and terminals in Keyes

No Rush

Find all skulls and terminals in The Maw

Souvenirs

Find all skulls and terminals in New Mission 1

Brute Loops

Find all skulls and terminals in New Mission 2

Parting Gifts

Find all skulls and terminals in New Mission 3

Cranial

Collect a Skull

Making a Necklace

Collect 22 Skulls

Headhunter

Collect all 39 Skulls

Collector’s Addition

Find all skulls and terminals in the game

REMIX!

Complete a Remixed Mission

Beat the Drop

Complete a Remixed Mission without dying

Mix Master

Complete an entire Remixed Campaign without dying

Bad Gas

Destroy 100 Grunt backpacks

Plate Tectonics

Break off 25 Hunter backplates

New Whip

Hijack 10 Vehicles

Disarmed

Dismember 100 Flood parts

Claims Adjuster

Break off 50 Vehicle parts

Make Them Count

Kill 100 enemies with headshots

Hot Streak

With the Floor Is Lava Skull activated beat a mission without jumping or dying

Even Tempered

With the Temperamental Skull activated beat Halo without upsetting anyone

Like Old Times

Complete Two Betrayals with the Speed Limit, Endurance Spec, Hip Fire, and Armistice Skulls enabled.

Frugal Fire

Equip Famine, Recession, and Johnny Ammo Seed Skulls and beat a mission without running out of ammo.

MYTHIC

Complete the Campaign with LASO enabled

This is My Ship Now

Eliminate Captain Keyes and trap his six avenging Marines in the Autumn’s observation pen.

Map Quest

Complete The Silent Cartographer without shooting, using grenades, melee, dying, or restarting

That’s My Ride

On Assault on the Control Room get to the Banshee before the Elite

Arm's Length

On 343 Guilty Spark complete the first floor without taking a hit

Clean Lap

On The Maw complete the warthog run without being forcibly ejected from your vehicle

Jiralhanae Conservationist

On New Mission 2 don’t kill any rampaging Brutes

Food Critic

Listen to the Thirsty Grunt talk about his eating habits

All Shield, No Yield

Complete any level on Heroic difficulty or higher without taking health damage

Fully Evolved

Complete Every Achievement/Collect Every Trophy

Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026. Halo: Campaign Evolved launches July 28, 2026.

Skulls & Campaign Remix

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcementsmod_reviewedModAct_871423085_1781109697_0mod_require_rereview

49d ago

Halo: Campaign Evolved introduces more gameplay-modifying Skulls than ever before. 

Featuring fan-favorite Skulls from other Halo titles along with new, raucous relics, your return journey through Alpha Halo boasts a whopping 42 Skulls to collect and use for entirely new Campaign experiences.

Watch our Skulls & Campaign Remix trailer to learn more about Skulls and the all new Campaign Remix mode.

RAUCOUS RELICS

Halo: Campaign Evolved features 26 fan-favorite Skulls from previous Halo titles, plus 16 new game-changing Skulls specifically designed for maximum mayhem. 

Challenge Skulls: Embrace an all-too-familiar sense of terror with the return of pain-inducing Skulls such as Black Eye, Mythic, Famine, Catch, Boom, Cowbell, Grunt Funeral, and more. 
Arcade Antics: When in doubt, go all out. Throw a party with the return of beloved arcade-style Skulls such as Grunt Birthday Party, Bandana, Pinata, IWHBYD, Acrophobia, and more. 
Brand-new Skulls: Wrap your head around 16 new Skulls formulated for pain, pleasure, and piquancy. Try third-person combat with the Perspective Skull, make every shot count with the “math murder” of Give and Take, or watch where you step with Floor Is Lava. 
Classical Flair: Halo: Campaign Evolved introduces four new Skulls celebrating the ”classically evolved” combat experience. Slow your roll with the sprint-disabling Speed Limit Skull, eliminate aim-down-sights with Hip Fire, amp up your assault with Magnified’s 60-round AR magazine, or activate Endurance Spec to turn UNSC vehicles into indestructible, Covenant-stomping machines.

This is crania mania. Seek Skulls wherever they hide to instantly unlock their mission modifiers, and unlock all 42 to create endless possibilities in Campaign Remix. 

ABOUT SKULLS

If you’re new to Halo, Skulls are mysterious collectibles hidden throughout campaign missions that enable gameplay-modifying features once retrieved. All you have to do is find one and pick it up—if you can reach it, that is. 

Once collected, each retrieved Skull unlocks a new pre-launch option to alter your experience in future missions with greater difficulty, additional perks, or arcade-style upgrades for added fun. 

In Halo: Campaign Evolved, there are 39 collectible Skulls to be discovered across 13 missions, with three Skulls hidden in each of the ten original campaign missions, and nine more to find throughout new missions set before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. 

Find any three* Skulls to unlock Campaign Remix and instantly earn three additional Skulls for even more altered antics. You can check out the complete list of skulls further in this blog.

*Updated to reflect correct number of Skulls required to unlock Campaign Remix on June 11, 2026

CAMPAIGN REMIX, EXPLAINED

Collect any two Skulls in Halo: Campaign Evolved to unlock Campaign Remix, an all-new play mode that allows you to revisit and replay completed missions with randomized enemies, remixed weapon pickups, new visibility effects, and a grab-bag assortment of Skulltacular delights. 

Upon unlocking Remix, the following three Skulls automatically become available for use in both mission playthroughs and Remixed campaigns. 

Adaptation: Randomizes the enemy factions present in the mission. 
Reload: Randomizes pre-placed weapons available in the mission. 
Armistice: Enemy factions never fight one another.

When deploying a Remixed mission, you’ll also get to roll for a chance to experience one of two new visibility modifiers: 

Spore Visibility: Level visuals are blanketed in heavy, Floodified fog. 
Nightvision: Nightvision is always on.

Any time you play a Remixed mission, the Adaptation, Reload, and Armistice Skulls are enabled by default. You may then roll for a random visibility effect and an assortment of other gameplay-altering Skulls, with options to manually curate your experience. 

ADAPTATION AT WORK

The new Adaptation Remix Skull randomly replaces the enemy squads you’ll encounter during missions with new allotments of foes composed of different unit types or from completely different factions.

Because Adaptation is enabled by default, you’ll find missions populated with a surprising hodge-podge of enemies and allies in near infinite-variations. A surge of Elites or a troupe of Jackal snipers? A pair of Hunters or a gaggle of Spec-ops Grunts? Maybe you’ll find Flood combat forms where you were expecting Sentinels. You might even encounter brand new enemies from the Operation: Meteorite bonus missions. That’s Adaptation at work! 

When combined with the new Armistice Skull, these random adversaries put aside their differences and form a cohesive front against all do-gooders—meaning this inter-species army has its sights set firmly on you and your allies. 

RELOADED WEAPONS

Another essential element in the Remix recipe is Reload, a Skull that randomizes all the weapon placements in your chosen mission for a Fiesta-style outing each time you play. 

Don’t be surprised to find fallen UNSC Marines beside recently relinquished fuel rod cannons, or browse a Covenant weapon rack filled with sniper rifles. All the new armaments included in the Operation: Meteorite bonus missions – such as the Battle Rifle, Brute Spiker, Needle Rifle, and more – are now also fair game for your classic campaign playthroughs.

VISIBILITY MODIFIERS

After selecting a completed Campaign or Operation: METEORITE mission to Remix, you’ll next be prompted to roll for a randomly assigned visibility effect, with options to adjust this selection to your taste. 

When you roll for a random visibility effect, there’s a chance you could see no difference, but it’s just as likely you’ll have to contend with one of two new visibility modifiers in a uniquely dangerous scenario. 

Might want to close your mouth for this one. Spore Visibility smatters your visor with phlegmy Flood-flecks as you creep through the haze of Flood spores. 

Get tactical, marines! The Nightvision modifier deploys an espionage-ready filter over your op.

RECIPE FOR CHAOS

Once you’ve chosen a visibility setting, you can then pick and choose additional Skulls to modify gameplay however you like, or roll for a random assortment of discovered Skulls until you find a perfectly curated menu of madness. 

Seek out Skulls. Collect the carnage. Remix and repeat. 

All this chaos is even better together – jump in with up to four friends for unpredictable shenanigans and legendary challenges.

HALO: CAMPAIGN EVOLVED SKULL COMPENDIUM

Legacy Skulls

Angry

Enemies fire their weapons faster and more frequently

Black Eye

Your shields will only recharge when you melee enemies

Blind

HUD and Weapons do not appear onscreen

Catch

Enemies throw and drop more grenades

Eye Patch

All auto-aim is disabled for all weapons

Famine

Weapons dropped by enemies contain half the ammo

Fog

Motion Tracker is disabled

Foreign

Players cannot use weapons from another faction

Iron

Dying in co-op resets you to your last checkpoint, dying while solo restarts the level

Mythic

Enemies have increased health

Recession

Every shot expends twice the normal amount of ammo

That’s Just… Wrong

Enemies have increased awareness of the player

Thunderstorm

Upgrades the rank of most enemies

Tough Luck

Enemies always go berserk, constantly dive out of the way, and never run away from a fight

Bandana

Infinite ammo and grenades

Boom

Explosion radius is increased by 2x

Ghost

Enemies no longer flinch when taking fire

Grunt Birthday Party

Grunt headshots produce legendary celebrations

Grunt Funeral

Grunts die in a blaze of plasma

Malfunction

Upon respawn a random element of your HUD no longer appears

Piñata

Punching enemies makes them drop inert grenades

Cowbell

Physics mass of objects is reduced, making them more easily displaced

They Come Back

Flood Combat Forms reanimated by Infection Forms are much more dangerous

IWHBYD

It would have been your dialogue

Tilt

Enhances both positive and negative damage multipliers. EX: Plasma does MORE damage against shields, but LESS damage against health

Acrophobia

The Corps: Now issue rifles AND wings…

New Skulls

Speed Limit

Take your time, enjoy the sights! Disables sprint

Pop

Shooting Flood in their weak point causes them to explode

Endurance Spec

UNSC vehicles cannot be damaged

Give & Take

Firing your weapon drains your shield, but dealing damage to enemies recharges it

Stowed Reload

Weapons continue to reload while stowed

Hip Fire

All weapon zoom functionality is disabled

Temperamental

Allies will attack the player more quickly if the player kills a friendly

Floor is Lava

Take continuous damage whenever touching the “ground”

Magnified

60-round magazines for the AR are now standard-issue

Johnny Ammo Seed

When reloading you lose the ammo remaining in the discarded clip

Leadhead

Headshots no longer provide extra damage or instant kills

Efficient

Enemies killed while the player is at full health drop more ammo

Perspective

Changes the player camera to third-person

Adaptation

Randomizes the enemy factions present in the mission

Reload

Randomizes the pre-placed weapons for the mission

Armistice

Enemy factions never fight one another

Silent Cartographer: Third-Person Gameplay

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

49d ago

“The Silent Cartographer,” the iconic fourth mission from Halo: Combat Evolved has been rebuilt from the ground up in the upcoming Halo: Campaign Evolved. Last October we shared a first look with a work-in-progress build playthrough and today we’re returning to the idyllic shores of Alpha Halo and storming the beach in a brand-new way.

Check out some fresh gameplay, captured entirely in third-person view, thanks to the new Perspective Skull.

Halo: Campaign Evolved includes 42 unlockable gameplay modifying Skulls to augment your experience with new challenges, powerful upgrades, and chaotic outcomes. Read more about Skulls and the new Campaign Remix feature here.

Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026. Halo: Campaign Evolved launches July 28, 2026.

First Look: Assault on the Control Room

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

49d ago

Earlier this week, we shared a new Campaign Story Trailer for Halo: Campaign Evolved and revealed Operation: METEORITE, a new three-mission adventure starring the Master Chief and Sergeant Avery Johnson.

Now’s your chance to enjoy a first look at “Assault on the Control Room,” the fifth campaign mission of Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Renowned for its mix of breathless short-range encounters, stealth opportunities, and intense vehicle combat through memorable scenery such as snowy canyons and subterranean complexes, the original Assault on the Control Room showcased nearly every weapon and vehicle available in Halo: Combat Evolved’s campaign.

That made it the perfect mission to share with the world. Dive into the fully remade snow-filled wonders of Assault on the Control Room, complete with brand new gameplay enhancements like vehicle boarding and an expanded arsenal, in the full pre-release playthrough embedded above.

In this mission, the Master Chief and Cortana make a daring aerial insertion into an underground Forerunner installation in search of the control room that governs Alpha Halo. There, they may just discover something pivotal about this mysterious ringworld.

Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026. Halo: Campaign Evolved launches July 28, 2026.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Story Reveal

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

51d ago

We’re excited to showcase the story of Halo: Campaign Evolved, a faithfully reforged yet modernized tribute to one of gaming’s greatest journeys. Whether you’re a brand-new player jumping into Halo for the first time or a longtime series’ veteran, Halo: Campaign Evolved delivers the story that started it all brought to life like never before along with brand new additions and surprises.

Halo: Campaign Evolved releases July 28, 2026 with early access beginning July 23, 2026. Pre-order now.

Today’s story reveal trailer is a cinematic introduction to the world of Halo and the campaign that started it all. It is also our first look at Halo gameplay captured on a PS5 Pro.

After the destruction of the human colony world of Reach, Master Chief John-117 and the crew of the UNSC Pillar of Autumn have crash-landed on a mysterious ring world known as Halo. Accompanied by the AI construct Cortana and surrounded by the overwhelming alien forces of the Covenant, the SPARTAN-II super-soldier soon uncovers a deadly secret that could threaten all life in the galaxy.

Completely rebuilt with high-definition visuals, enhanced cinematics, and refined gameplay, Halo: Campaign Evolved enriches the timeless story of Halo: Combat Evolved with three new missions, a broader arsenal of weapons and vehicles, dangerous new enemies, and more gameplay-modifying Skulls than ever before.

BETTER TOGETHER

For the first time in Halo history, Halo: Campaign Evolved introduces four-player network co-op cross-play. Seamlessly squad up and experience the legendary story together with friends, no matter where they’re playing.

And, for the first time in the series, new armor customization can be utilized in co-op games to personalize and differentiate Spartans on the battlefield.

PRE-ORDER BONUSES

Pre-order any edition of Halo: Combat Evolved and get the Foundry Armory Pack, a special customization bundle featuring armor and weapon skins for use in the campaign. Kick it old school with the throwback lo-fi classic 2001 Mark V armor and Assault Rifle Skin.

Classic 2001 Armor Skin
Classic 2001 Assault Rifle Weapon Skin
Gilded Onyx Armor Style
Milestone Assault Rifle Weapon Style

If you pre-order the Digital Premium Edition or physical Collector's Edition, you'll also enjoy up to five days of early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

Pre-order Halo: Campaign Evolved now.

PREMIUM EDITION PERKS

The Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved includes all of the above pre-order bonus content plus the Alpha Halo Armory Pack, Art of Halo: Campaign Evolved digital artbook, Halo: Hungry Buzzards digital short story by Troy Denning, and a digital game manual based on the original manual released with Halo: Combat Evolved.

COLLECTOR'S EDITION

The Halo: Campaign Evolved Collector’s Edition is the ultimate nostalgia-inducing launch kit for diehard Halo fans. In addition to all the Premium Edition perks detailed above, the Collector’s Edition includes:

XBOX Series X and PlayStation®5 Collector’s Editions include Halo: Campaign Evolved physical game disc and Premium Edition Upgrade voucher code
Steam Collector’s Edition includes Halo: Campaign Evolved – Premium Edition voucher code (includes single code for base game and Premium Edition Upgrade content)
Collectible SteelBook®
12” Master Chief Statue by Dark Horse
LED Replica of Cortana’s Data Chip
Three (3) 11x17” prints of Halo: Campaign Evolved concept art
Physical manual modeled on the original Halo: Combat Evolved game manual

Pre-order the Collector’s Edition and get the Foundry Armory Pack and up to five days of early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

Available in limited supplies.

Important Information:

Americas packaging localized in English, French Canadian, and Spanish only. EMEA and APAC packaging localized in English, French, and German only.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches globally on July 28, 2026 at 8 AM PDT (July 29 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets). Early Access begins July 23 at 8 AM PDT (July 24 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets).

Collector’s Edition will be available for purchase in the following regions:

North America: United States, Canada, Mexico
South America: Argentina, Chile
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

NEW INFO DROPPING SOON

This year, as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved we’re thrilled to go back to where it all began and welcome a new generation of fans with the launch of Halo: Campaign Evolved next month.

To learn more about this modern remake, check out last year’s Halo Studios Roundtable Reveal to hear more directly from the development team. To learn more about the 3 brand new missions, check out the official New Mission Reveal Trailer from the XBOX Showcase.

Download your Halo: Campaign Evolved press kit here.

Pre-order the Collector’s Edition or Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved and get the Foundry Armory Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026. Halo: Campaign Evolved launches July 28, 2026.

Pre-Order for Early Access

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcements

52d ago

Touchdown, Marines!

Pre-order the physical Collector's Edition or Digital Premium Edition to enjoy up to five days of early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

Grab a friend and get ready to co-op in style!

Pre-order today!

Halo: Campaign Evolved | Pre-Order Bonuses and Editions

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcementsmod_reviewedModAct_1889321037_1780856143_0

52d ago

Following our exciting new mission reveal at the XBOX Showcase, the time has come to officially unveil all the pre-order bonuses and exciting content available with physical and digital editions of Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on July 28, 2026, with early access beginning July 23, 2026.

Pre-Order now!

Pre-Order Bonuses

Pre-order any edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved to unlock the Foundry Armory Pack, a customization bundle featuring armor and weapon skins for use in the Campaign.

Classic 2001 Armor Skin
Classic 2001 Assault Rifle Skin
Gilded Onyx Armor Style
Milestone Assault Rifle Weapon Style

Featuring retro designs inspired by the Master Chief’s iconic look and signature weapon from Halo: Combat Evolved, along with legendary skins inspired by Forerunners and starry nights, the Foundry Armory Pack offers essential Spartan gear for returning heroes and newcomers alike.

Early Access Starts July 23

Pre-order the physical Collector's Edition or Digital Premium Edition and get up to five days of early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

Pre-order Halo: Campaign Evolved now.

Alpha Halo Armory Pack

Purchase the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved to wage war with six additional Weapon Skins and five intimidating Armor Skins for the Master Chief.

Splintered Warden Armor Skin
Subanese Fang Energy Sword Weapon Skin
Lochagos Armor Skin
Laconian Lance Battle Rifle Weapon Skin
Mobile Armor Type 117 Armor Skin
Proto Type SPNKr Weapon Skin
Timberwolf Armor Skin
Savage Tooth Sniper Weapon Skin
Gestalt Armor Skin
Colossus Fuel Rod Cannon Weapon Skin
Cold Iron Magnum Weapon Skin (the personal sidearm of Captain Keyes)

Equip these Skins from the Customization menu for use in Halo: Campaign Evolved while playing solo or co-op.

Digital Premium Perks

The Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved includes the Alpha Halo Armory Pack, and the following Digital Story & Art Collection:

Art of Halo: Campaign Evolved Digital Artbook: Featuring concepts, character designs, and environments from Halo: Campaign Evolved, this art collection reveals how Halo Studios developers attentively reimagined the original vision of Halo: Combat Evolved.
Halo: Hungry Buzzards Digital Short Story: Written by award-winning author Troy Denning, Halo: Hungry Buzzards is an essential companion piece to Operation: METEORITE, a new three-mission adventure available only in Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Digital Game Manual: Featuring updated gameplay information, controls, and background lore, this lovingly crafted, modern homage to the original Halo: Combat Evolved game manual is a nostalgic companion for longtime fans and a helpful introductory guide for Halo newcomers.

The Digital Premium Edition invites you to immerse yourself in the world of Halo: Campaign Evolved with customization skins and a curated collection of universe and story essentials.

Collectibles Evolved

Featuring a limited-edition statue, art prints, and other physical memorabilia, the Halo: Campaign Evolved Collector’s Edition is the ultimate nostalgia-inducing launch kit for diehard Halo fans from the legendary era of discs and LAN parties.

The Collector’s Edition includes:

XBOX Series X and PlayStation®5 Collector’s Editions include a Halo: Campaign Evolved physical game disc and Premium Edition Upgrade voucher code
Steam Collector’s Edition includes Halo: Campaign Evolved – Premium Edition voucher code (includes single code for base game and Premium Edition Upgrade content)
Collectible SteelBook®
12” Master Chief Statue by Dark Horse
LED Replica of Cortana’s Data Chip
Three (3) 11x17” prints of Halo: Campaign Evolved concept art
Physical manual modeled on the original Halo: Combat Evolved game manual

Pre-order your Collector’s Edition copy at the XBOX Game Studios Gear Shop.

Important Information:

Americas packaging localized in English, French Canadian, and Spanish only. EMEA and APAC packaging localized in English, French, and German only.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches globally on July 28, 2026 at 8 AM PDT (July 29 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets). Early Access begins July 23 at 8 AM PDT (July 24 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets).

Collector’s Edition will be available for purchase in the following regions:

North America: United States, Canada, Mexico
South America: Argentina, Chile
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

More Info Coming Soon

In case you missed it, check out the New Mission Reveal Trailer for a closer look at the all-new Master Chief and Sgt. Major Johnson adventure, and the Roundtable Reveal to learn more about the game from the team at Halo Studios.

Stay tuned for more info on Halo: Campaign Evolved coming soon!

Halo: Campaign Evolved Launches July 28!

misplacedyanksteam_community_announcementsmod_reviewedModAct_1889321037_1780855874_0ModAct_1889321037_1780857992_4ModAct_1598046824_1780859145_4mod_require_rereview

52d ago

Today at XBOX Games Showcase 2026, we announced a release date of July 28, 2026, shared the first details about the Premium & Collector’s Editions, and unveiled a first look at Operation: METEORITE, a new, three-mission adventure available only in Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Halo: Campaign Evolved releases July 28, 2026, on XBOX Series X|S, Steam, and PlayStation 5®, with early access beginning July 23, 2026.

Pre-order now!

Watch the Operation: METEORITE reveal below, and read on for more highlights from XBOX Games Showcase 2026. For even more details on the Premium and Collector’s Editions, check out the Halo: Campaign Evolved Pre-Order Bonuses and Editions blog.

Operation: METEORITE

Sneak into a Covenant science fair in Operation: METEORITE.

Before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, these all-new, action-packed missions follow the Master Chief and his most stalwart ally, Sgt. Major Avery Johnson, as they encounter new threats, new allies, and untold surprises aboard a Covenant vessel.

Pre-Order Bonuses

Pre-order any edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved to receive the Foundry Armory Pack, a customization bundle featuring Mark V Mjolnir armor and weapon skins.

Classic 2001 Armor Skin
Classic 2001 Assault Rifle Weapon Skin
Gilded Onyx Armor Style
Milestone Assault Rifle Weapon Style

Pre-orders for the Digital Premium Edition and Collector’s Edition also include up to five days of early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

Pre-order Halo: Campaign Evolved now.

Premium Edition Perks

The Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved includes all the above pre-order bonus content, the Alpha Halo Armory Pack, and the Digital Story & Art Collection:

Alpha Halo Armory Pack: Includes five Armor Skins and six Weapon Skins for the Master Chief.
Art of Halo: Campaign Evolved Digital Artbook: Featuring concepts, character designs, and environments from Halo: Campaign Evolved, this art collection reveals how Halo Studios developers attentively reimagined the original vision of Halo: Combat Evolved.
Halo: Hungry Buzzards Digital Short Story: Written by award-winning author Troy Denning, Halo: Hungry Buzzards is an essential companion piece to Operation: METEORITE, a new three-mission adventure available only in Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Digital Game Manual: Featuring updated gameplay information, controls, and background lore, this lovingly crafted, modern homage to the original Halo: Combat Evolved game manual is a nostalgic companion for longtime fans and a helpful introductory guide for Halo newcomers.

The cover of Halo: Hungry Buzzards

Immerse yourself in the world of Halo: Campaign Evolved with the Digital Premium Edition’s customization skins and a curated collection of universe and story essentials.

COLLECTOR’S EDITION

The Halo: Campaign Evolved Collector’s Edition is the ultimate nostalgia-inducing launch kit for diehard Halo fans. In addition to all the Premium Edition perks detailed above, the Collector’s Edition includes:

XBOX Series X|S and PlayStation®5 Collector’s Editions include a Halo: Campaign Evolved physical game disc and Premium Edition Upgrade voucher code
Steam Collector’s Edition includes Halo: Campaign Evolved – Premium Edition voucher code (includes single code for base game and Premium Edition Upgrade content)
Collectible SteelBook®
12” Master Chief Statue by Dark Horse
LED Replica of Cortana’s Data Chip
Three (3) 11x17” prints of Halo: Campaign Evolved concept art
Physical manual modeled on the original Halo: Combat Evolved game manual

Pre-order the Collector’s Edition now and get the Foundry Armory Pack and up to five days of early-access play starting July 23, 2026. Available in limited supply at the XBOX Game Studios Gear Shop.

Important Information:

Americas packaging localized in English, French Canadian, and Spanish only. EMEA and APAC packaging localized in English, French, and German only.

Collector’s Edition will be available for purchase in the following regions:

North America: United States, Canada, Mexico
South America: Argentina, Chile
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

Pre-order now!

RETURN TO THE RING

To learn more about this modern remake, check out last year’s Halo Studios Roundtable Reveal to hear more directly from the development team.

Stay tuned to Halo Waypoint and @Halo on your favorite social platforms for more information about gameplay-modifying Skulls and Campaign Remix, Co-Op, and more.

Download your press kit here!

Halo: Campaign Evolved news & patch notes

KNOWN ISSUES

Global

PC

Halo: Campaign Evolved news & patch notes

KNOWN ISSUES

Global

PC

Free Armor Style Unlocks

Silver Anniversary

Hidden Blade

Damascus Prototype

Sandstone Ancient

Cinematic Showcase

Accessibility Features

Support Resources

PRESS KIT

Global

XBOX

PC

Join Early Access

Cross-platform Co-op

Anniversary Armory

Accessibility Features

Support Resources

PRESS KIT

Early Access Launch Schedule

Global Launch

Microsoft Accounts

Linking Cross-Platform Accounts

Adding Cross-Platform Allies

Joining a Fireteam

PC Specifications

PC Optimization

Accessibility Settings

Twitch Drops

Modding Guidelines

Additional Support

Brace for Impact

LASO Skulls

RAUCOUS RELICS

ABOUT SKULLS

CAMPAIGN REMIX, EXPLAINED

ADAPTATION AT WORK

RELOADED WEAPONS

VISIBILITY MODIFIERS

RECIPE FOR CHAOS

HALO: CAMPAIGN EVOLVED SKULL COMPENDIUM

Legacy Skulls

New Skulls

BETTER TOGETHER

PRE-ORDER BONUSES

PREMIUM EDITION PERKS

COLLECTOR'S EDITION

NEW INFO DROPPING SOON

Pre-Order Bonuses

Early Access Starts July 23

Alpha Halo Armory Pack

Digital Premium Perks

Collectibles Evolved

More Info Coming Soon

Operation: METEORITE

Pre-Order Bonuses

Premium Edition Perks

COLLECTOR’S EDITION

RETURN TO THE RING

Steam news for Halo: Campaign Evolved