Halo: Campaign Evolved
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ESRB: Mature 17+ (M) for Violence, Blood and Gore and Language[4] |
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a first-person shooter game developed by Halo Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, recreated in Unreal Engine 5, following up on the Project Foundry demo first created by Halo Studios in 2024.[1]
Unlike 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the game is a complete remake of the original rather than just a graphical remaster. It includes remade gameplay, art, re-recorded voice acting and music, and new story content in the form of new prequel missions set one year before the story of Combat Evolved, with the goal of providing a modern entry point to the Halo franchise for new players.[3]
Campaign Evolved was released on July 28, 2026 on the Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Play Anywhere, PC (via Steam and Windows Store), and for the first time in the series' history, PlayStation 5.[3] Players who purchased the game's premium edition were given early access and were able to begin playing Campaign Evolved on July 23, 2026.[2]
Gameplay
Per its name, Campaign Evolved is a campaign-only experience with no multiplayer component. The game supports singleplayer or cooperative play with up to two players splitscreen or four players online - a notable increase from the two-player co-op in the original Combat Evolved. The splitscreen component is only supported on the console releases of Campaign Evolved.[5]
The game features all of the weapons from the original game alongside nine new weapons useable for the first time in Combat Evolved's campaign, including the Energy Sword,[6] Battle Rifle, Fuel Rod Gun, Sentinel Beam, Needle Rifle,[7] SMG, Brute Plasma Rifle, Spiker,[4] and the Beam Rifle.[8] Likewise, the game now features the ability to drive the Wraith - a vehicle not useable in the original - alongside the ability to board and take over vehicles. The Warthog has also been updated to have an additional fourth seat on the rear bumper, allowing the vehicle to transport a full fireteam of four for the first time in the series.[5]
Unlike the original game, Campaign Evolved now features the ability to sprint, though this feature can be turned off for a more classic experience.[3] Weapons like the Assault Rifle and Needler which were hip-fire-only in the original game now have aiming similar to that of Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite.
Levels
Halo: Campaign Evolved includes all ten original levels from Combat Evolved alongside three new prequel missions focused on Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson some time prior to the events of the main game.[5]
- The Pillar of Autumn
- Halo
- The Truth and Reconciliation
- The Silent Cartographer
- Assault on the Control Room
- 343 Guilty Spark
- The Library
- Two Betrayals
- Keyes
- The Maw
- Three new additional prequel missions set during Operation: METEORITE.[5][4][9] The first level of the prequel campaign is available to play as soon as the game is first loaded, though Halo Studios recommends playing the original campaign first.
The remade levels have been created with a focus on maintaining the classic "feel" of Combat Evolved's levels, and so most changes have focused on updating sections of the game (such as The Library) which were previously unintuitive to add in additional environmental storytelling and refine the pacing of the mission, rather than modernising the layouts for its own sake. Likewise, some spaces have been updated to account for the larger player count available in the game.[3]
The Flood enemies have been updated with new enemy types including the pure forms first introduced to the series in Halo 3.[6]
Audio
The game features redone audio including a new remastered score recreating the original soundtrack of Combat Evolved alongside redone sound effects across the board.[5] The voice-acting for the original game has also been redone, with the principal cast reprising their roles as their respective characters to recreate their original dialogue and, in some cases, expand upon or alter it. New dialogue was recorded for 343 Guilty Spark in The Library to help add additional context for the mission.[5]
Collectibles
Halo: Campaign Evolved will include new skulls and other collectibles,[10] including text-based terminals similar to the ones featured in Halo 3.[11] Skulls unlock the Campaign Remix feature,[12] which allows players to randomise weapon behaviours, enemy placements, player attributes, environmental effects, and more.[5][8]
Player customization
- Main article: Player customization (Halo: Campaign Evolved)
Campaign Evolved will support customization for the Master Chief's Mark V MJOLNIR armor, along with various UNSC and Covenant weapons.
Appearances
Development
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a continuation of Project Foundry, Halo Studio's exploratory project on the development process in using the Unreal Engine.[13][14] The development team was informed by the feedback of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and incorporated gameplay features from the sequels.[7] For audio, Steve Downes and Jen Taylor re-recorded their lines from the original game, reprising their roles as John-117 and Cortana respectively. The original game's cutscenes were redone through motion capture.[15]
Brainstorming for the new three prequel missions occurred as early as June 2024.[16]
Voice Cast
- Steve Downes as John-117
- Jen Taylor as Cortana
- Keston John as Avery Johnson
- Keith Silverstein as Jacob Keyes
- Tim Dadabo as 343 Guilty Spark
Marketing and promotions
Roundtable Reveal
- Main article: Halo: Campaign Evolved Roundtable Reveal
The Roundtable Reveal premiered at the Halo World Championship on October 24, 2025. The video featured a discussion chaired by Brian Jarrard with three members of the development team, Greg Hermann, Dan Gniady, and Max Szlagor. The four gave an overview on the game and highlighted notable changes from the original.[6][17]
The Silent Cartographer Trailer
- Main article: The Silent Cartographer Trailer
The Silent Cartographer trailer shows both gameplay and cinematic footage from a pre-release build of the campaign level The Silent Cartographer.[18]
The Silent Cartographer 13 Minute Gameplay Demo
- Main article: The Silent Cartographer 13 Minute Gameplay Demo
The demo shows 13 minutes of gameplay footage from a pre-release build of the campaign level The Silent Cartographer.[19]
New Missions Trailer
- Main article: Halo: Campaign Evolved New Missions Trailer
The New Missions Trailer premiered at the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 on June 7, 2026; while it contains a mix of gameplay and cinematic footage from the game, it also showcases the three additional new missions.[4]
Cinematic Story Trailer
- Main article: Halo: Campaign Evolved Cinematic Story Trailer
The Cinematic Story Trailer premiered on June 8, 2026, the day after the Xbox Games Showcase 2026. The trailer focuses on showcasing the updated levels based on those of the original Combat Evolved, rather than the new prequel levels.[20]
Gallery
Logos
Halo: Campaign Evolved logo with white text.
Halo: Campaign Evolved logo with dark text.
Halo: Campaign Evolved logo with blue text.
Key art
Key art.
Key art without the game logo.
Premium Edition variant with John-117 utilizing the M6D magnum.
Premium Edition variant without the game logo.
Additional variant with John-117 utilizing the Meluth'qelos-pattern energy sword.
Additional variant without the game logo.
GameInformer cover artwork.
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Concept art
Concept art of the Master Chief and Cortana.
Concept art for the battle around the gravity lift on The Truth and Reconciliation.
Concept art for the beaches on The Silent Cartographer.
Concept art for Flood forms on The Maw.
2025 reveal screenshots
Master Chief in the game.
Master Chief onboard a Pelican.
Three Pelicans flying across a body of water.
The Master Chief and marines onboard Echo 419.
Pelicans approaching the Silent Cartographer island.
An Unggoy watches as a damage Pelican flies overhead.
A Warthog battling a Spirit.
A battle inside the Cartographer.
A plasma grenade explodes inside the Cartographer.
A first-person screenshot of a player using an assault rifle.
A first-person screenshot of a player using a Needler.
A gameplay screenshot of a player driving a Warthog.
A gameplay screenshot of the Warthog.
A screenshot of several Grunts on the beach.
A screenshot of a Sangheili on the beach.
The Silent Cartographer.
The beach.
A Spirit over the island.
The Cartographer's security facility.
A Sangheili with an energy sword in the Cartographer.
2026 Xbox Games Showcase screenshots
- Operation: METEORITE
A Jiralhanae Berserker standing among defeated Covenant troops.
Unggoy and Kig-Yar Sacristan warriors.
Sergeant Johnson and John-117 aboard the Covenant vessel.
Minister of Harmony and Sacristan warriors.
Sergeant Johnson and John-117 with their weapons raised.
John-117 in battle aboard the Covenant ship.
Two Sangheili during a duel, with Unggoy observing.
John-117 fighting Covenant troops in a habitat dome aboard the ship.
A Jiralhanae Berserker wielding a Spiker in combat.
The interior of the Covenant vessel.
John-117 piloting a Seraph outside the vessel.
- Main campaign
The Pillar of Autumn exits slipspace.
Sergeant Johnson and marines aboard the Autumn.
The Master Chief and a Mgalekgolo.
A portrait of Cortana.
A Bumblebee approaches Halo.
Spartans in combat during cooperative play.
First-person view of the sniper rifle during a battle underneath the Truth and Reconciliation.
The Master Chief fighting Covenant troops aboard the Truth and Reconciliation.
A ravine in a snowy region on Halo.
A Scorpion and marines come across Covenant vehicles.
Two Spartans on a Warthog during cooperative play.
The Master Chief and dead Covenant troops on a bridge.
The Master Chief boards a Ghost.
First-person view of the energy sword during a battle at the control room.
The Master Chief fighting Covenant troops in the swamp.
A crashed Spirit in the swamp.
The index chamber in the Library infested with Flood biomass.
External links
- Halo: Campaign Evolved on Halo Waypoint
- Halo: Campaign Evolved on Xbox Store
- Halo: Campaign Evolved on Steam
- Halo: Campaign Evolved on PlayStation Store
Sources
- ^ a b c d Xbox, Halo: Campaign Evolved (Retrieved on Oct 24, 2025) [archive]
- ^ a b Steam, Halo: Campaign Evolved (Retrieved on Jun 7, 2026) [archive]
- ^ a b c d e Xbox Wire, Halo: Campaign Evolved – Answering the Big Questions About This Ambitious Remake (Retrieved on Oct 24, 2025) [archive]
- ^ a b c d e Halo: Campaign Evolved marketing, Halo: Campaign Evolved New Missions Trailer
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Halo Waypoint, Introducing Halo: Campaign Evolved (Retrieved on Oct 24, 2025) [archive]
- ^ a b c Halo: Campaign Evolved marketing, Halo: Campaign Evolved Roundtable Reveal
- ^ a b YouTube - Halo, Community Stage - Halo World Championship 2025 – Day 1: Halo Studios Project Deep Dive (Retrieved on Oct 26, 2025)
- ^ a b Halo: Campaign Evolved marketing, Halo: Campaign Evolved First Look: Skulls, Remix & Co-Op
- ^ Xbox Wire, Halo: Campaign Evolved Launches July 28, Pre-Orders Available Now (Retrieved on Jun 7, 2026) [archive]
- ^ Entertainment Weekly, Halo team talks new Combat Evolved remake, crossing over to PS5, and addressing 25 years of player feedback (exclusive) (Retrieved on Oct 24, 2025) [archive]
- ^ YouTube - Halo, Community Stage - Halo World Championship 2025 – Day 2 (Retrieved on Oct 26, 2025)
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Skulls & Campaign Remix | Halo: Campaign Evolved (Retrieved on Jun 10, 2026) [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, A New Dawn (Retrieved on Oct 7, 2024) [archive]
- ^ Xbox Wire, Halo Studios: New Name, New Engine, New Games, New Philosophy (Retrieved on Oct 7, 2024) [archive]
- ^ IGN, Halo: Campaign Evolved Is a Pretty Remake Coming to PS5, but Not an Exact One (Retrieved on Oct 25, 2025) [archive]
- ^ YouTube - Conor Collection, Interview With Josh Daniels - The Cinematic Director of Halo Studios (Retrieved on Dec 15, 2025)
- ^ YouTube - Halo, Halo: Campaign Evolved | Roundtable Reveal (Retrieved on Oct 26, 2025)
- ^ YouTube - Halo, Halo: Campaign Evolved | The Silent Cartographer Trailer (Retrieved on Oct 26, 2025)
- ^ YouTube - Halo, Halo: Campaign Evolved | The Silent Cartographer – 13 Minute Gameplay Demo (Retrieved on Oct 26, 2025)
- ^ Halo: Campaign Evolved marketing, Halo: Campaign Evolved Cinematic Story Trailer
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