Halo: Campaign Evolved, the ground-up remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, has a locked global release time. It arrives on Xbox Series X and S, PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, and PlayStation 5, and it lands in Game Pass on day one. If you bought the Premium or Collector’s Edition, your clock starts running several days earlier.
Quick answer: Halo: Campaign Evolved unlocks globally on July 28, 2026 at 8am PDT for the Standard Edition and Game Pass. Premium and Collector’s Edition buyers get up to five days of early access starting July 23, 2026 at 8am PDT.
Release time: July 28, 2026 at 8:00 AM PDT (Standard Edition and Game Pass)
Halo: Campaign Evolved release time and early access
The full launch happens on July 28, 2026 at 8am PDT. In Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets the date rolls over to July 29 at the same moment in real time. Early access begins five days sooner, on July 23, 2026 at 8am PDT (July 24 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets).
Early access is not a separate purchase. It is tied to the edition you own, and it applies across every platform the game ships on, including PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate for those who upgrade. The Standard Edition has no early access, so Standard and base Game Pass players unlock on July 28.
Note: You know early access worked when the title becomes playable from your library at 8am PDT on July 23 rather than showing a pre-load or countdown lock. If it still shows as locked, confirm you own the Premium or Collector’s Edition, or that you have applied the Premium Edition Upgrade to a Game Pass copy.
Editions and which ones unlock early
Three editions are available, and only two of them grant the July 23 head start. Every edition includes the full game, which combines the original 10-mission campaign with Operation: METEORITE, a new three-mission arc starring the Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson.
| Edition | Price | Early access | Key extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $49.99 / £49.99 / €59.99 | No | Full game, Foundry Armory Pack with pre-order |
| Premium | $69.99 / £69.99 / €79.99 | Yes, from July 23 | Alpha Halo Armory Pack, Digital Story & Art Collection |
| Collector’s | $199.99 / €199.99 | Yes, from July 23 | Everything in Premium plus 12-inch Master Chief statue, LED Cortana chip, Steelbook, art prints, physical manual |
Pre-ordering any edition adds the Foundry Armory Pack, which includes the Classic 2001 Mark V Armor skin, the Classic 2001 Assault Rifle skin, and Gilded Onyx styles for both the armor and the assault rifle. That offer requires a pre-order placed by July 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM local time. You can place a pre-order through the official Xbox store listing, on Steam, or on PlayStation; the Collector’s Edition is handled through Halo Waypoint.
Platforms and Game Pass availability
This is the first mainline Halo to go multiplatform on day one, including a debut on PlayStation. It launches at the same moment on every supported platform, and Xbox Play Anywhere lets you buy once and play on both Xbox console and PC at no extra cost.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full release | July 28, 2026 at 8am PDT |
| Early access | July 23, 2026 at 8am PDT (Premium and Collector’s) |
| Platforms | Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam and Microsoft Store), PlayStation 5, Xbox Cloud Gaming |
| Game Pass | Included at launch (Ultimate and PC) |
| Developer / Publisher | Halo Studios / Xbox Game Studios |
Game Pass members get the game on July 28 as part of their subscription. To start on July 23 instead, a Game Pass member needs the Premium Edition Upgrade, which unlocks the same early access and bonus content as a direct Premium purchase. Online four-player co-op supports full crossplay and shared progression across console and PC, so your unlock time only affects when you can first jump in.
The simplest path is to match your goal to your edition. Pick Standard or rely on Game Pass if July 28 at 8am PDT is fine, or buy the Premium or Collector’s Edition (or apply the Premium Edition Upgrade to a Game Pass copy) to step onto the ring from July 23. Either way, lock in your pre-order before the July 27 deadline to keep the Foundry Armory Pack.
