Halo Campaign Evolved Announced

A Classic Reborn

Remade entirely in Unreal Engine 5, Campaign Evolved is built entirely from the ground up to modernize the classic original. 4K visuals, rerecorded voice lines, completely remastered music, and updated animations promise to not only bring in new players into the Halo universe but also please longtime fans.

New Additions

While the team has said that their goal is not to modernize stuff for the sake of modernization, there have been some welcome additions that are sure to make it feel more welcoming to newcomers and existing fans.

One such addition is the introduction of four-player co-op. Tweaking some of the missions, such as "The Library," the team's goal is to balance the nostalgia while keeping up with the expectations of modern games. Other additions that will be added are a new bumper seat for the Warthog, weapons you originally couldn't use will now be playable, and you can even hijack vehicles such as the Covenant Wraith Tank for the first time!

Built on the original code and systems of the original, much of the gameplay and environments will still have that classic Halo feel while updating the visuals with the jump to Unreal Engine 5. Enhanced level design, updated cinematics, new dialogue, and improved wayfinding are only some of the changes made to the original Halo: Combat Evolved that I can't wait to see for myself.

New Prequel Missions—The Silent Cartographer

Perhaps the most exciting addition to the game is a whole new prequel arc with new missions, environments, characters, enemies, and gameplay. The story involves Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson on a mission to locate the map room and uncover the path to the ring's control center.

These 3 new missions will all take place before the events of the original Halo: Combat Evolved and provide more depth to the original story.

A New Platform

I think the most surprising fact about this remake is the platforms it will release on. Of course, Halo Campaign Evolved will release on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Game Pass when it launches, but for the first time, Halo will also be releasing on PS5. What this means for Halo, Xbox, and the future of their exclusives, we'll have to wait and see, but this part of the announcement in particular was a shocker, to say the least. Regardless, I'm excited to play this remake of a beloved classic coming in 2026.