Microsoft’s HALO officially comes to PlayStation 5 in 2026 with COMBAT EVOLVED remake
Halo is arguably the crown jewel of Microsoft and Xbox. Indeed, it was once one of the most powerful gaming franchises in the industry. Advanced combat revolutionized first-person shooters and paved the way for its sequel, Halo 2to become a cultural phenomenon upon its release in 2004. Things continued to go well for Master Chief with Halo 3 And Halo 4. Unfortunately, the franchise’s popularity waned with the release of the 2015 film. Halo 5: Guardians. Its somewhat lukewarm reception showed cracks in a previously bulletproof property, and things continued to deteriorate six years later with Halo: Infinite.
Although arguably better received than its predecessor, Infinity failed to revive the Halo fandom to the heights it had enjoyed years before. Despite this, Halo remains Microsoft’s flagship property. As such, for a long time the idea of allowing Master Chief to make his way into a PlayStation system seemed impossible. It was just something that couldn’t be done. Still, things slowly changed for Microsoft, and it started to look like more and more likely that PlayStation would get a piece of the Halo pie. Now it has finally happened, because after 24 years, Halo comes to PlayStation 5 with a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved.
The remake, titled Halo: Campaign Evolvedwas announced by Halo Studios on Friday, October 24 during the Halo World Championship. The game will be released on Xbox Series X/S, Playstation 5, PC and Steam. It will also be a day one arrival on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, and will support Xbox Cloud Gaming and Xbox Play Anywhere. A trailer for the remake was shown during the announcement (posted below), showcasing its new graphics, voice acting, and level design. A demo was also made available to some, including IGN’s Ryan McCaffrey.
Speaking to game director Greg Hermann, IGN asked if Advanced campaign would see improvements for the PS5 Pro version. Hermann replied: “It’s safe to say that it will be tailored to the target devices.” This isn’t the first time that Xbox exclusive games have come to PlayStation: it happened with War equipmentFor example. However, Halo may be Microsoft’s biggest exclusive, representing a significant change for the gaming industry.
What we can expect Halo: Campaign Evolved
Talk to Xbox Wire, Advanced campaign Executive producer Damon Conn said the remake Advanced combat was made with the intention of giving fans an easy entry point into the Halo franchise:
“We wanted to start where it all began, with the original campaign that defined Halo. Starting here means that people who have never played the game before will be able to understand the story from the start, and it can help us chart a path forward with new ‘Halo’ stories. By focusing on the campaign experience, we can fully concentrate on capturing the atmosphere, tone and emotional impact of what made the first campaign so special and iconic. “
By Xbox Wire, Advanced campaign was developed with the intention of carefully adapting Advanced combatThe classic feel and structure of for modern gaming sensibilities. The game’s development is described as having been driven by the desire to create Advanced campaign it’s like Halo fans have known him for years. According to IGN, Advanced campaign will also add to Halo’s story by offering a prequel campaign consisting of three missions focusing on Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson.
Improving the Halo Experience
Adaptation Advanced combat For modern gamers, Halo Studios has focused on improving what is arguably one of the most feared levels in the franchise: Advanced combatthe seventh chapter of, “The Library” (*he shudders as he types the name). Advanced campaignCreative director Max Szlagor said his team was aware of the desire to improve parts of Advanced combatwhich led them to make essential changes to “The Library”:
“We learned from ‘Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary’ that there was still an appetite for things like better orientation, better navigation, and more diversity in enemy encounters. In ‘The Library,’ in particular, which features several Flood encounters, we wanted to re-evaluate the pacing and improve the environmental storytelling. We added new lines to Guilty Spark, which guide players through the level, and there are new dialogues that give greater insight into the narrative. while it’s playing out. […] We’re not changing the stories, it’s about refining and adding context to this moment, as well as other levels like it, so players can stay on track. »
There are several improvements fans can expect in Evolved campaign. The remake, developed in Unreal Engine 5, as opposed to Halo Infinite Slipspace Engine—features 4K graphics, re-recorded voice lines and remastered music. Good news for long-time fans of the series, Steve Downes and Jen Taylor are returning as Master Chief and Cortana, respectively.
Gameplay-wise, players will also be able to use nine weapons from the Halo universe that were not available in Advanced combatsuch as the needle rifle, energy sword and battle rifle. Honoring Halo’s roots, Advanced campaign focuses on the multiplayer experience. The game will support up to four players online co-op, cross-platform play, and feature two-player split-screen on consoles.
No exact release date has been given, but Halo: Campaign Evolved expected to be released sometime in 2026.
What do you think about PlayStation getting a Halo remake? Are you happy with it or do you think the franchise should have remained an Xbox exclusive? Leave your thoughts below!
