Master Chief has a firm return date. Halo: Campaign Evolved, the from-scratch remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, arrives July 28, 2026, with pre-orders open now across every platform it is launching on.
Quick answer: Halo: Campaign Evolved releases July 28, 2026. Buyers of the Premium Edition or Collector’s Edition get up to five days of early access starting July 23, 2026.
Halo: Campaign Evolved release date and early access
The full launch lands on July 28, 2026. If you buy the Premium Edition or the Collector’s Edition, you can start playing up to five days sooner, beginning July 23, 2026. That early-access window applies across the supported platforms, including PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate.
The Standard Edition does not include early access, so the Standard release is the July 28 date.
Platforms and Game Pass
This is the first mainline Halo release to go multiplatform on day one. It launches simultaneously on Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is also included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch, and Xbox Play Anywhere lets you play across console and PC at no extra cost.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full release | July 28, 2026 |
| Early access | July 23, 2026 (Premium and Collector’s Edition) |
| Platforms | Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam |
| Game Pass | Included at launch (Ultimate and PC) |
| Developer / Publisher | Halo Studios / Xbox Game Studios |
Editions and pre-order pricing
There are three editions to choose from. The Standard Edition is $49.99 and the Premium Edition is $69.99, with a Collector’s Edition also available. Every pre-order includes the Foundry Armory Pack, which adds a Classic 2001 Mark V Armor skin, a Classic 2001 Assault Rifle skin, and Gilded Onyx styles for both the armor and the assault rifle.
| Edition | Price | Key extras |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $49.99 | Base game, Foundry Armory Pack (pre-order) |
| Premium | $69.99 | Up to 5 days early access, Alpha Halo Armory Pack, digital artbook, short story, game manual |
| Collector’s | — | Up to 5 days early access, physical collectibles |
Pre-orders are live on Xbox, Steam, and PlayStation, with the Collector’s Edition handled through Halo Waypoint. The Foundry Armory Pack offer requires a pre-order placed by July 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM local time.
What’s new in the remake
Halo: Campaign Evolved rebuilds the original Combat Evolved campaign in Unreal Engine 5. It keeps the story intact but gives it high-definition visuals, updated cinematics, a remastered soundtrack, rebuilt sound design, and refined controls. You still crash-land on the ringworld, team up with Cortana, and fight to stop the Covenant.
The headline addition is Operation: Meteorite, a three-mission prequel arc set before the events of the original game. You play as the Master Chief alongside Sgt. Johnson as they infiltrate a Covenant ship on a secret mission, with new environments, enemies, and gameplay built around it.
Combat has been widened too. Nine extra iconic weapons from across the series join the arsenal, you can hijack enemy vehicles for the first time in Halo: CE, and a fully drivable Wraith tank is now in play. Optional “Skull” modifiers remix each mission with randomized weapons, enemies, and conditions for added challenge and replay value.
Co-op, crossplay, and multiplayer
You can play the whole campaign solo or with up to four players in online co-op, complete with full crossplay and shared progression across console and PC. Co-op is available on day one, unlike the staggered rollout some fans remember from Halo Infinite.
Note: This release is campaign only. There is no competitive multiplayer at launch, as Halo Studios is focused entirely on the single-player and co-op story experience.
PC system requirements
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 / Intel Core i7-10700K | AMD Ryzen 7 7700 / Intel Core i7-12700K |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM | 32 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Radeon RX 6600 / Intel Arc A580 / RTX 2060 Super | Radeon RX 9070 / RTX 3080 Ti |
| Storage | 100 GB | 100 GB |
Whether you are jumping back in 25 years after the original or stepping onto Halo for the first time, the July 28 launch puts the full remade campaign in front of you, with the early-access route open from July 23 for Premium and Collector’s buyers.
