There are certain things that I've always thought would herald the coming of the apocalypse, and Halo appearing on a PlayStation console was certainly one of them. You can imagine my surprise, therefore, when I opened up my computer to discover that Microsoft's flagship gaming series, its pride and joy, and the game that launched the Xbox back in 2001, is appearing on the PS5 next year.
Yes, 2001's classic Halo: Combat Evolved is jumping ship and landing on PS5 in 2026 in a rebuilt version named 'Halo: Campaign Evolved'. The new remake is being built from scratch in Unreal Engine 5 and, according to multiple outlets, will come with new updates to visuals, gameplay, and weaponry.
Community Director of Halo Studios Brian Jarrard said in a recent press release 'We’re going back to where it all began – the legendary campaign from Halo: Combat Evolved. This is the story that first introduced players to the Master Chief, a super-soldier leading humanity’s fight for survival, and Cortana, the AI who became his closest ally. It’s where we met the Covenant, an alien alliance waging war against humanity, and uncovered the mystery of the Halo ring – an ancient megastructure holding secrets that could change the fate of the galaxy.'
Brian went on to say 'From the beginning, we wanted to build a world with stories and experiences that bring people together. And now, for the first time, PS5 players will get to be part of that journey too.'
So what is this new game going to look like? Well, stunning is the first word that comes to mind. For players who grew up with Halo like me, it's going to be a trip down memory lane like no other. The story is going to be exactly the same, just updated with better visuals and quality of life features. We're talking better controls, weapons from later Halo games, new vehicles, and new gameplay mechanics like hijacking vehicles. Essentially, it's the Halo you know and love but much more immersive, allowing you to get even closer to the heart of the action and narrative.
And yes, there will be online and local multiplayer options, allowing you to game with your friends from across the world, and you'll be able to play with them no matter whether they're playing on Xbox, PS5, or PC.
I've said for a while now that Xbox were on their way out of the console wars and would end up like Sega, producing games for other consoles. It seems that I was right, and that we're getting ever nearer to a world where Sony and Nintendo own the console market. Halo arriving on PS5 feels like the final hurrah for Xbox, but as a PS5 owner, I'm very happy about it and will be playing this as soon as it releases. Though I'll definitely have my copy of the original Combat Evolved on show to pay homage to the original Xbox, gone but never forgotten.
