Halo: Campaign Evolved is a full remake of Halo: Combat Evolved's campaign, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5 by Halo Studios. It's also, notably, the first mainline Halo campaign ever released on PlayStation — a genuine break from 25 years of Xbox exclusivity. It launches July 28, 2026, with early access from July 23 for Premium and Collector's Edition buyers.
What's Actually New
- Operation: METEORITE — a new three-mission story arc set a year before the original campaign, featuring Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson, included with every edition.
- Four-player online co-op, plus two-player split-screen on consoles — a real upgrade over the original's two-player co-op.
- Cross-play and cross-progression across Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5.
- The remake covers campaign only — the original's competitive multiplayer is not included.
Editions and Pricing
| Standard Edition | $49.99 — base game, Foundry Armory Pack pre-order bonus |
| Premium Edition | $59.99–$69.99 (reported range) — adds up to 5 days early access + Alpha Halo Armory Pack, digital artbook, short story, digital manual |
| Collector's Edition | $199.99 — all digital content plus physical collectibles, available via Halo Waypoint |
The early access window is the main thing you're paying extra for with the Premium Edition — five days is a real head start, but it's also five days of cosmetics and a digital artbook, not additional gameplay content. If early access isn't a priority for you, the $10–$20 saved by sticking with Standard buys you the identical core game.
What We Don't Know Yet
As of this writing, Microsoft hasn't detailed performance targets or confirmed resolution/frame-rate modes for any platform. If a locked 60fps or a performance mode is a priority for you, that's worth watching for in the days before launch rather than assuming based on the trailer.
What's Good
- Day-one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass — meaningful value if you already subscribe
- Four-player co-op fixes a real limitation of the original
- Cross-play and cross-progression across all three platforms
- First-ever PlayStation release for a mainline Halo campaign — genuinely notable for the franchise
- Physical disc included with retail purchases on Xbox and PlayStation
What's Not
- No competitive multiplayer — campaign only
- Performance modes and resolution targets aren't confirmed yet for any platform
- Premium Edition's early access is the main paid perk — the rest is cosmetic
- It's still a remake of a familiar 2001 campaign, not new Halo storytelling
The Verdict
DEPENDS Standard Edition for most people. Game Pass subscribers should just wait for day one.
If you already have Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, this is included at no extra cost on launch day — there's no reason to buy anything. If you don't subscribe and want to own it outright, the $49.99 Standard Edition gets you the complete campaign experience; save the Premium upcharge unless five days of early access genuinely matters to you.