Halo Leads Say Releasing Halo: Campaign Evolved on PS5 Will Help Grow and Reconnect the Community
For the first time in the franchise’s history, Halo: Campaign Evolved — the full remake of Halo: Combat Evolved — isn’t just coming to Xbox and PC in 2026: it’s also launching on PlayStation 5. Developers say this decision is about more than business — it’s a strategic effort to unite and expand the Halo community that has grown up around the series over the past 25 years.
A Historic Platform Shift for Halo
Creative director Max Szlagor and executive producer Damon Conn of Halo: Campaign Evolved explained in a GamesRadar interview that bringing Halo to PlayStation isn’t something the team takes lightly — it’s a move meant to reach players who never had the chance to experience Halo before.
“Halo is best played when we have a large, healthy community. We see this as a way to grow, expand, and reconnect the Halo community,” Szlagor said, emphasizing the importance of welcoming new players without leaving longtime fans behind.
Conn added that the decision is rooted in a desire to bring together fans old and new:
“There are people who have never been exposed to Halo — maybe they’ve always owned Sony consoles or switched systems over time. We want to bring players back together.”
Industry outlets like GameSpot also noted that this isn’t just about reaching new players — it’s about restoring a shared experience among fans who may have drifted away from the franchise or never had access to it due to platform exclusivity.
Why This Matters for the Community
Halo: Campaign Evolved is more than a remake — it’s a bridge to a broader, more unified player base:
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PS5 players get access to an iconic franchise for the first time, expanding the Halo audience beyond Xbox and PC.
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Longtime fans on Xbox and PC get new hooks to reconnect with the series.
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Cross-play and cross-progression promise a more seamless multiplayer experience across platforms once other entries follow.
Developers acknowledge that this shift won’t erase years of platform rivalry, but they see it as a positive development for the franchise’s health and longevity — a chance to invite more players into Halo’s story, universe, and community.
What We Know About Halo: Campaign Evolved
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a full remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, rebuilt from the ground up using Unreal Engine 5 with modern visual and gameplay enhancements.
Key features include:
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Remastered visuals and audio designed for current-gen hardware.
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Four-player online co-op with cross-play across PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
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Split-screen support on consoles.
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Three new prequel missions expanding Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson’s story.
Although the game has not yet received an official release date beyond “2026,” Xbox Game Studios has confirmed that it will launch across all three platforms — marking a major shift in the franchise’s long-held Xbox exclusivity.
Industry & Community Response
Industry analysts view this move as part of Microsoft’s broader strategy to make its first-party franchises more platform-inclusive, following similar expansions like Forza Horizon 5 and Gears of War: Reloaded.
On social channels like Reddit, longtime gaming fans have reacted with a mix of excitement and skepticism. Many PlayStation owners welcomed the opportunity to finally experience Halo, while some Xbox purists questioned how community identity and competitive multiplayer will evolve across platforms.