Halo Remake Revealed For PS5 & Xbox

Nearly four years after the launch of Halo Infinite, Microsoft and Halo Studios have revealed the next major Halo release. Last year, Microsoft revealed that 343 Studios would be rebranding to Halo Studios and using Unreal Engine 5 for future projects. Earlier this week, a rumor suggested that the series would finally make the leap to PS5, following a number of multi-platform Xbox releases in recent years.

Microsoft and Halo Studios just revealed a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved on the official Xbox website. Called Halo: Campaign Evolved, the new game will make franchise history by releasing on PS5 alongside Xbox and PC. Campaign Evolved promises “high-definition visuals, updated cinematics, and refined controls” along with new content, all of which will arrive in 2026.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Adds Some New Features

Other Halo: Campaign Evolved additions include three new campaign prequel missions, along with nine new weapons that originally appeared later in the Halo series. These include the Energy Sword, Battle Rifle, and Needle Rifle, offering a lot more flexibility than before.

Sprinting is now allowed as well, but if you’re concerned about balance, Halo: Campaign Evolved promises that skeptics can disable it. Offline, two players can join Halo: Campaign Evolved co-op, while online supports a total of four. If the title doesn’t make it clear, though, this is just the campaign, so larger multiplayer endeavors will have to stick to the Master Chief Collection.

Halo’s Leap To PlayStation 5 Is A Huge Transition

Halo’s arrival on PS5 signifies a major transition for Xbox, as Master Chief has been the face of Xbox exclusivity for decades. Halo: Combat Evolved was a huge selling point for the original Xbox, setting up a future of serious competition for PlayStation. Games like Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5 have already made the leap to PS5, but a Halo multi-platform release is the biggest step in Microsoft’s shift away from a hardware focus.

Halo: Campaign Evolved isn’t quite as exciting as a new Halo game would be, and the shift to Unreal Engine 5 raises some concerns. Halo Infinite’s Slipspace Engine had its issues, but optimization problems have become a regular complaint for UE5 games. There’s also something to be said for art style, as the upgraded visuals might not recapture the original game’s atmosphere.

Hopefully, the remake will overcome these challenges to provide a great Halo experience. As the franchise’s debut on PlayStation, Halo: Campaign Evolved could be many player’s first experience with the series, potentially making it one of the most important releases in Halo history.