COSM-GAME Halo: Campaign Evolved
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a premium first-person shooter developed by Halo Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. Players control Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, a genetically enhanced Spartan super-soldier who crash-lands on the mysterious ringworld Alpha Halo alongside his AI companion Cortana. Progression centers on battling the alien Covenant across 13 campaign missions, uncovering the Flood threat, and discovering the Halo array's true purpose. Its defining gameplay centers on faithful yet modernized combat rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, featuring refined controls, an expanded arsenal, 42 gameplay-modifying Skulls, and seamless cross-platform co-op for up to four players.
Game summary
On this page
Latest update
Halo: Campaign Evolved launched on July 28, 2026 following a five-day early access period for Premium and Collector's Edition owners beginning July 23. The game commemorates the 25th anniversary of both the Halo franchise and the Xbox platform. Post-launch, Halo Studios has addressed various issues through patches, including NVIDIA RTX 50 series driver crashes on the mission Keyes (resolved in driver 610.88). Free armor style unlocks include the Silver Anniversary set for all players, the Hidden Blade via Discord Quest, and the Damascus Prototype and Sandstone Ancient styles through Halo Waypoint redemption codes.
Release date and status
The game launched globally on July 28, 2026 at 8:00 AM PDT for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam, Xbox on PC). Early access began July 23 for Premium and Collector's Edition purchasers. It is the first mainline Halo game to release on PlayStation and marks Microsoft's shift to multiplatform publishing. The game is available day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. It has sold approximately 1.2 million copies across all platforms as of early August 2026.
| Global release | Jul 28, 2026 |
| Original launch platforms | |
| Global status | Released |
| Pricing model | Premium |
| Availability | SteamXbox StorePlayStation StoreXbox Game Pass UltimateXbox Game Pass PCWorldwide |
Platforms and availability
The game is available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam, Xbox on PC app). It is the first Halo title to launch on PlayStation. Full cross-play and cross-progression are supported across all platforms. Two-player split-screen is available on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. A Microsoft account and Gamertag are required on all platforms. The game is included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch. Physical Collector's Editions are available for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
Gameplay and setting
After crash-landing on the mysterious ringworld Alpha Halo (Installation 04), Master Chief and his AI companion Cortana must defend stranded UNSC personnel against the alien Covenant while uncovering the ring's dark secrets. The 13-mission campaign spans iconic locations including the Pillar of Autumn, Truth and Reconciliation, Silent Cartographer, Assault on the Control Room, and The Library. Combat is rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5 with refined controls, modernized movement, and an expanded arsenal. The new Operation: METEORITE prequel arc adds three missions featuring Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson. Campaign Remix offers randomized replays, while 42 Skulls provide gameplay modifiers. The game supports first-person and third-person perspectives.
Trailer, screenshots, and media
The selected media includes the official launch trailer, cinematic story trailer, Operation: Meteorite trailer, and The Silent Cartographer gameplay demo. Images include the key art wallpaper, premium edition artwork, Energy Sword key art, Game Informer cover art by Sam Wood, and Collector's Edition contents.
Developer and publisher
Halo: Campaign Evolved is developed by Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) and published by Xbox Game Studios. Halo Studios was rebranded in October 2024 alongside the shift to Unreal Engine 5 development. The game is directed by a team led by concept artist Sam Wood and studio art director Chris Matthews. Voice cast includes Steve Downes (Master Chief), Jen Taylor (Cortana), Keith Silverstein (Captain Keyes), and Keston John (Sgt. Johnson). No generative AI was used in development. The game commemorates 25 years since the original Halo: Combat Evolved launched in 2001.
| Developer | Halo Studios |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Official website | Halo: Campaign Evolved |
Download and availability
The game can be purchased digitally through Steam, Xbox Store, and PlayStation Store. Physical Standard and Collector's Editions are available for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. The game is included day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. All digital purchases support cross-progression via Microsoft account linking.
System / Device Requirements
| PC specification | Low (Minimum) | Medium | High (Recommended) | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit 22H2 | Windows 10 64-bit 22H2 | Windows 11 64-bit | Windows 11 64-bit |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 / Intel Core i7-10700K | AMD Ryzen 7 5700X / Intel Core i5-12600K | AMD Ryzen 7 7700 / Intel Core i7-12700K | AMD Ryzen 9 7900X / Intel Core i9-13900K |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER / AMD Radeon RX 6600 / Intel Arc B580 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 / AMD Radeon RX 7600 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 9070 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 |
| VRAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 100 GB SSD | 100 GB SSD | 100 GB SSD | 100 GB SSD |
| Target | 1080p @ 60 FPS | 1440p @ 60 FPS | 4K @ 60 FPS | 4K Max @ 60 FPS |
| Additional Notes | Resizable BAR recommended; Shader Model 6.0 | Resizable BAR recommended; Shader Model 6.0 | Resizable BAR recommended; Shader Model 6.0 | Resizable BAR recommended; Shader Model 6.0 |
| PlayStation 5 specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Supported hardware | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro |
| Resolution / frame rate | 4K at up to 60 FPS; 1080p at up to 120 FPS (Performance Mode) |
| Install size | Approximately 100 GB |
| Special features | DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers, 2-player split-screen, Activity Cards, Remote Play |
| Online requirements | PS Plus required for online co-op |
- Value
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro
- Value
- 4K at up to 60 FPS; 1080p at up to 120 FPS (Performance Mode)
- Value
- Approximately 100 GB
- Value
- DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers, 2-player split-screen, Activity Cards, Remote Play
- Value
- PS Plus required for online co-op
| Xbox Series X/S specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Supported hardware | Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S |
| Resolution / frame rate | Series X: 4K at up to 60 FPS; Series S: 1440p at up to 60 FPS |
| Install size | Approximately 100 GB |
| Special features | Smart Delivery, Quick Resume, 2-player split-screen, Xbox Game Pass day one |
| Online requirements | Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate required for online co-op |
- Value
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Value
- Series X: 4K at up to 60 FPS; Series S: 1440p at up to 60 FPS
- Value
- Approximately 100 GB
- Value
- Smart Delivery, Quick Resume, 2-player split-screen, Xbox Game Pass day one
- Value
- Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate required for online co-op