Microsoft will launch Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the 2001 Halo: Combat Evolved single-player campaign, on July 28, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PC [1, 2, 3, 4]. The game is rebuilt on Unreal Engine 5 and features updated 4K visuals, animations, remastered music, and re-recorded voice lines, making it a "modern evolution" of the original story, according to Microsoft [3].

The remake adds three new story missions collectively called Operation: Meteorite, set one year before the original campaign. These missions follow Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson as they infiltrate a Covenant research vessel, introducing new locations, enemy types, and space combat sequences [2, 3, 4]. A cinematic story trailer released June 7 showcased footage captured on the PS5 Pro, which was noted by The Verge’s Tom Warren as feeling "like it would have made more sense if it was originally supposed to be part of Sony's State of Play" [5, 6].

Halo: Campaign Evolved features classic Halo weapons alongside newcomers such as the energy sword and battle rifle. The game supports cooperative multiplayer, including local two-player split-screen and online four-player co-op, but it does not include competitive multiplayer modes [1, 3].

Preorders are now open for three editions: Standard at $49.99, Premium at $69.99, and Collector’s Edition at $199.99 [4, 7, 8]. The Premium and Collector’s Editions offer five days of early access starting July 23, 2026, giving players a chance to start before the full launch [4, 7, 9]. The Collector’s Edition also includes physical extras like a 12-inch Master Chief statue, a steelbook case, art prints, and a reimagined physical game manual, along with digital bonuses [4, 7, 8].

Despite recent shifts at Xbox under new CEO Asha Sharma to focus more on exclusives, Microsoft confirmed the game will still release on PS5 as originally planned [2, 5, 6]. Halo: Campaign Evolved will also be available on Xbox Game Pass and support cloud play from day one [9].

The campaign’s official full release date is July 28, 2026, with early access beginning July 23 for Premium and Collector’s Edition players [1, 2, 4].