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Halo: Campaign Evolved, the long-rumored remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, was officially revealed and is scheduled for release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026. The project reimagines the original campaign with modern visuals and new features while preserving the story that made the series iconic.
What changed: a full rebuild in Unreal Engine 5
Halo Studios has rebuilt virtually everything from the ground up. Models, environments, textures, and systems were recreated for Unreal Engine 5 after the studio moved away from the Slipspace Engine. That shift unlocked modern rendering, lighting, and performance tools that simply weren’t available before, and the remake leans hard into those benefits to deliver a fresher, more detailed Halo experience.
New missions, same story — plus more ways to play
Campaign Evolved does not alter the original narrative beats of Combat Evolved, but it does add value with three brand-new bonus missions that act as a prequel prologue. These missions expand the opening context and give both newcomers and veterans something extra beyond a straight recreation.
Co-op updates fans asked for
Multiplayer classicists may be disappointed to learn this release focuses solely on the single-player campaign. However, the remake introduces four-player online co-op for the entire campaign, and it finally brings back two-player couch co-op — a local option Halo Infinite never shipped with. If you want classic Halo multiplayer modes, the Master Chief Collection remains the go-to destination.
Seen the gameplay: Silent Cartographer showcase
Alongside the announcement, Halo Studios released a 13-minute gameplay demo of the Silent Cartographer level. The footage showcases environmental upgrades, reworked encounters, and modernized combat pacing. Early impressions suggest the remake keeps the spirit of Bungie’s original design while pairing it with contemporary fidelity and feel.
Why this matters to players
Seeing Halo land on PlayStation for the first time is a notable milestone in platform availability and represents a broader push by Microsoft to make its first-party franchises widely accessible. But the real test will be how the remake feels in the hands of players — especially since part of Halo’s legacy is tied to the original Slipspace-driven game feel. Rebuilding that intangible quality while modernizing visuals and systems is a delicate balance.
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
- Release window: 2026 (exact date TBD)
- Content: Single-player campaign remake with three new prequel missions
- Co-op: Four-player online co-op and two-player couch co-op
- Multiplayer: Not included — use Master Chief Collection for classic multiplayer
For now, Halo: Campaign Evolved is available to wishlist on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Whether it becomes the definitive modern take on Combat Evolved will depend on how well the new visuals and retooled systems capture the original’s gameplay magic. Stay tuned — 2026 will tell the rest of the story.
Source: wccftech
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