← all stories
HALO
Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the 2001 original, released on July 29, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox, marking the series' first appearance on a PlayStation platform. The franchise's broader footprint includes a Mattel Brick Shop building kit and a role in fan-made game mods.
Synthesized from 12
Yomimono stories · updated
1h ago
Halo: Campaign Evolved, a full remake of the 2001 Halo: Combat Evolved, released on July 29, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Developed by Halo Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios, the remake is built in Unreal Engine 5. It includes the original 10 missions plus three new ones under the operation name 'Operation: Meteorite', featuring Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson. The game adds nine iconic weapons from across the series, a third-person perspective option, 42 collectible Skulls, and a Campaign Remix mode with randomized modifiers. It supports solo play and online co-op for up to four players, with cross-play and cross-progression across PC (Steam and Microsoft Store), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The game is included in Xbox and PC Game Pass from day one.
The release marks the first time a mainline Halo game has launched on a PlayStation platform, a shift noted across multiple stories. Early reviews were positive, with Metascores of 81 on PS5 and 84 on Xbox Series X as of July 26, though the lack of competitive multiplayer drew criticism. The game's arrival was accompanied by a launch trailer and early access for Premium Edition buyers, allowing play up to five days before launch. A separate graphics comparison video from YouTube channel ElAnalistaDeBits highlighted the visual evolution from the 2001 original through the 2011 remaster to the 2026 remake.
Beyond the game itself, Halo appears in a Mattel Brick Shop building kit, a 1/1 scale block recreation of the original Xbox console and Duke controller with dioramas for Halo, Psychonauts, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. The kit releases overseas on October 1 for 63,500 yen. Halo also appears in fan-made mods inspired by Jimothy, a viral round raccoon. The franchise's expansion to PlayStation and its continued presence in merchandise and fan culture define its current state.
Key facts
- Release date
- July 29, 2026 ↗
- Publisher
- Xbox Game Studios ↗
- Platforms
- PC (Steam and Microsoft Store), PS5, Xbox Series X|S ↗
- First PlayStation release
- Yes, the series' first appearance on a PlayStation platform ↗
- Co-op support
- Online co-op for up to four players, with cross-play and cross-progression ↗
- New missions
- Three new missions under 'Operation: Meteorite' ↗
- Metascore (PS5)
- 81 as of July 26 ↗
- Metascore (Xbox Series X)
- 84 as of July 26 ↗
Timeline
- Aug 20, 2026 Mattel Brick Shop Recreates Original Xbox at 1/1 Scale
- Aug 18, 2026 Halo: Campaign Evolved Brings the Series to PlayStation for the First Time
- Aug 9, 2026 Steam Sales Ranking: Dragon Sword Awakening Enters Top 10
- Aug 9, 2026 Round Raccoon Jimothy Spreads Across Games as Fan Art and Playable Mods
- Aug 6, 2026 Halo: Campaign Evolved Remake Lands With New Features and Some Concerns
- Jul 26, 2026 Halo: Campaign Evolved Early Access Begins Ahead of July 29 Launch
- Jul 26, 2026 This Week's New Games: Halo Remake, Xenoblade 2 Switch 2 Edition, and More
- Jul 22, 2026 Game Freak ARPG Beast of Reincarnation Leads Game Pass Lineup Through August 4
- Jun 23, 2026 NVIDIA Launches Halos for Robotics Safety System
- Jun 22, 2026 Halo: Campaign Evolved Pre-Orders Open With Mark V Mjolnir Bonus
- Jun 11, 2026 Halo: Campaign Evolved Gameplay Footage Shows Third-Person Mode and Visual Upgrades
- Jun 7, 2026 Halo: Campaign Evolved Remake Launches July 28
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Noted
- also perform well · 2026-08-09
- Noted
- Tributes in Halo · 2026-08-09
Connections
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/halo.
CC BY 4.0.
All coverage
1h ago
Microsoft announced a wide reorganization of its Xbox game studios on September 22. The next Halo game will be led by a new dedicated team at Activision, separate from the Call of Duty team, with a small group staying at Halo Studios to support existing titles and the community. Rare and World's Edge also move under Activision. Bethesda takes oversight of Obsidian Entertainment, which continues Grounded and a new Fallout project with Bethesda Game Studios. Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games merge into one studio handling Forza and Fable. King absorbs Microsoft Casual Games. Microsoft will cut 268 positions across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and Xbox Game Studios management and shared services. Matt Booty said about three-quarters of the reorganization plan is complete. Two sale agreements for Ninja Theory fell through, and the company begins employee consultations on a closure proposal. Consultations for Arkane continue through the end of the year.
Sep 25
SDPI Inc. announced on September 18 that Hoshimu Shalon has joined its VTuber production Nanahapi as a new member. Shalon, who describes herself as a magical-girl VTuber delivering dreams and smiles, was previously active as an indie VTuber. Her first showcase stream after joining ran on September 20 at 21:00 on YouTube, and TikTok and X accounts have also opened.
Sep 18
Prime 1 Studio is producing 1/4-scale statues of Master Chief and of an Elite Zealot & Grunt Minor pair under its Ultimate Premium Masterline line, based on Halo: Campaign Evolved. The Master Chief statue stands 78cm tall, includes a special base and swappable arms for an energy sword or assault rifle, and carries LED features in the base, helmet and energy sword. Preorders run September 18 to November 18, 2026, priced at 278,190 yen, with release planned for around February to May 2028.
Aug 29
Microsoft set a pre-order date for the Xbox Series X25, a limited edition Xbox Series X marking the 25th anniversary of Xbox. The bundle includes a specially designed console with an engraved serial number, a matching controller, and a download of Halo: Campaign Evolved. It costs $899.99 USD and releases November 13, 2026. The Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition is sold separately for 11,100 yen, releasing October 20, 2026.
Aug 20
Mattel announced the Mattel Brick Shop Microsoft Xbox Building Toy Kit, a 1/1 scale block recreation of the original Xbox console and Duke controller built from 3,509 blocks. The kit includes dioramas for Psychonauts, Halo, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and plays the startup sequence with light and sound effects. It releases overseas on October 1 for 63,500 yen.
Aug 18
XBOX Game Studios released Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 29, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox. Developed by Halo Studios, the title is a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved from 2001. The release marks the series' first appearance on a PlayStation platform, with co-op support for up to four players.
Aug 9
Game Spark's weekly Steam sales ranking for August 1, 2026 shows 'Dragon Sword: Awakening' entering the top 10 at 8th place, while 'Halo: Campaign Evolved' and 'Grim Dawn' also perform well. The list is led by 'Counter-Strike 2' and 'Dota 2'.
Aug 9
Jimothy, a round raccoon found in Seattle on July 13, 2026, has become a viral meme. Game studios and fans have created tributes in World of Warcraft, Old School RuneScape, Dead by Daylight, The Sims, Halo, Among Us, and more. Fan-made content includes a browser game, a Stardew Valley pet mod, and a Minecraft add-on.
Aug 6
The remake of the 2002 FPS Halo: Combat Evolved, titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, released on July 29, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PS5. The original established twin-stick gamepad controls and auto-recovering shields, and its PS5 availability means many players will meet Halo for the first time. The reviewer says the remake's new features make the old memories fresher and more fun, but also flags some points of concern.
Jul 26
Publisher Xbox Game Studios and developer Halo Studios have started early access for 'Halo: Campaign Evolved,' a full remake of the first Halo game built in Unreal Engine 5. Early access, a benefit of the Premium Edition, allows play up to five days before the official release on July 29 at 0:00 JST. The remake supports online cooperative play for up to four players for the first time in the series, and includes cross-platform play across PC (Microsoft Store and Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. A launch trailer accompanied the early access start. A separate graphics comparison video from YouTube channel ElAnalistaDeBits shows the visual evolution from the 2001 original through the 2011 'Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary' remaster to the 2026 remake, noting that the UE5 version rebuilds environments from scratch with altered object shapes and rock placements, more realistic water transparency, and metallic vehicle finishes. The remake also supports Xbox Game Pass.
Jul 26
The week of July 27 to August 2, 2026, sees a slate of major releases across platforms. Leading the lineup is 'Halo: Campaign Evolved', a Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original 2001 campaign, launching July 29 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S at 7,900 yen. It includes 10 original missions plus three new ones, 4-player online co-op with cross-play, and a Campaign Remix mode with randomized modifiers. Early reviews are positive, with Metascores of 81 on PS5 and 84 on Xbox Series X as of July 26, though the lack of competitive multiplayer drew some criticism. Also releasing July 30 is 'Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition', an enhanced version for the new console. The same day sees the extraction shooter 'Mistfall Hunter' on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, along with 'BLUE REFLECTION Quartet: The Miracle of the Girls' (7,480 yen), 'Culdcept the First', 'Volcano Princess', 'TATSUJIN EXTREME', and 'Honoboshi no Niwa'. On July 31, dark fantasy action RPG 'The Relic: First Guardian' arrives on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The week's releases span genres from FPS and RPG to puzzle and simulation, with several titles also available on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
Jul 22
Microsoft announced the Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass lineup for late July through early August 2026 on July 21. The slate includes seven titles total, five of which are day-one releases. Game Freak's new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation arrives on August 4, blending real-time and turn-based combat in a post-apocalyptic Japan. Halo: Campaign Evolved, a ground-up Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, launches on July 28 with new prequel missions, online co-op for up to four players, and additional weapons and vehicles. Other day-one titles include the cooperative horror game Shift at Midnight (July 22), the PvPvE extraction action game Mistfall Hunter (July 30), and the pirate city-building game Corsair Cove (July 31, PC only). The lineup also includes the action-adventure Hell is Us (July 23) and the enhanced FPS compilation Heretic + Hexen (August 4). The announcement also noted that Zenless Zone Zero version 3.1 on July 29 will reset login rewards for Game Pass members.
Jun 23
NVIDIA announced NVIDIA Halos for Robotics, a full-stack safety system for physical AI and robots. The system spans hardware, software, and sensor layers, building on the Halos architecture previously used for autonomous vehicles. Agility is the first adopter, integrating safety features into humanoid robots deployed at Amazon, GXO, Schaeffler, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada.
Jun 22
Microsoft has opened pre-orders for the package version of Halo: Campaign Evolved on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The remake of Halo: Combat Evolved includes modernized graphics, revamped cinematics, three new missions, and a pre-order bonus featuring the Mark V Mjolnir armor. The game supports cross-play and cross-progression for up to four players.
Jun 11
On June 11, new gameplay footage for Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the 2002 original, was released. The video highlights a third-person perspective option, 42 collectible Skulls, a Campaign Remix mode with random elements, and sharper graphics. The game launches July 28 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with day-one Game Pass availability.
Jun 7
Microsoft announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 on June 8 that Halo Studios' remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, will release on July 28, 2026. The game is a full remake of the campaign mode, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, and will be available on PC (Steam and Microsoft Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. It will also be included in Xbox and PC Game Pass from day one. The remake adds three new bonus missions under the operation name 'Operation: Meteorite', featuring Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson, with new environments, gameplay, and enemies. Nine iconic weapons from across the Halo series have been added to the arsenal. Other improvements include higher resolution, revamped cinematics, refined controls, and a completely new sound design with a remastered soundtrack. The game supports solo play and online co-op for up to four players, with cross-play and cross-progression. Japanese text and audio are planned. Pre-ordering the Premium Edition grants early access five days before launch.