Halo: Campaign Evolved is Coming to PS5 and Xbox
Rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, the anniversary remake reimagines Halo’s origin story with 4K visuals, new missions, and full crossplay support.
Halo Studios is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Halo with something that feels both nostalgic and new: a full remake of the original Combat Evolved, rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. Titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, the project promises 4K visuals, modern gameplay refinements, new missions, and the kind of cinematic polish the original team could only dream of in 2001.
I got to preview a section of The Silent Cartographer, the mission that introduced many players to Master Chief’s world, and the difference is instantly clear. The cinematics are sharper, the dialogue re-recorded by the original cast, and the island battlefield feels completely redesigned to match today’s scale and visual fidelity. Every element has been rebuilt to honor the legacy of Halo while bringing it into a new era. Despite the upgrades, it still feels unmistakably Halo.
The studio says it approached the remake with a guiding principle to stay true to the original vision. Developers revisited old storyboards, code, and concept art to rebuild each moment with authenticity. Even the soundtrack retains Marty O’Donnell’s haunting choral score, now layered with modern spatial audio that makes every plasma shot and explosion resonate.
While Campaign Evolved celebrates the past, it also expands the experience. Three new prelude missions add fresh environments, new enemy types, and more dynamic moments between Chief and Johnson. For the first time, players can experience the entire campaign in four-player online co-op with full crossplay between Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. The gameplay also now includes sprinting, vehicle hijacking, and the ability to pilot a Wraith, introducing mechanics that feel both fresh and faithful.
At the same time, weapons and combat systems have been completely rebuilt with realistic lighting and refined effects. Nine new weapons from across the franchise, including the Energy Sword, make their appearance. The difficulty system has been expanded with more skull modifiers than any previous Halo entry. The developers hinted that completing the campaign on Legendary with every skull activated might be nearly impossible, though many will certainly try.
Emmanuel Umahi
Interestingly, Campaign Evolved does not include multiplayer, a choice that feels deliberate rather than limiting. The original Combat Evolved predated Xbox Live and was built around local multiplayer, so Halo Studios chose to focus entirely on the campaign that started it all. They describe this remake as a blueprint for the future, a foundation that merges classic storytelling with next-generation design.
Perhaps the most significant moment is the platform shift. For the first time, Halo is coming to PlayStation 5. Master Chief, once the face of Xbox, is stepping onto new ground. The move signals a change in the gaming landscape where long-standing console barriers are finally beginning to fade.
The takeaway
Launching in 2026 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, Halo: Campaign Evolved will be available on day one through Game Pass with support for Xbox Cloud Gaming and Play Anywhere.
Halo: Campaign Evolved is not just a remake. It's a bridge between past and future, proof that even the most storied games can evolve without losing the spirit that made them legendary.
Emmanuel Umahi
