Cover art by itsbasilbasil. (Source)

We’re back with another chapter of Your Halo Story, featuring fond memories from fellow Halo fans looking back on 25 years in the Halo community. Keep up with past entries below:

• Your Halo Story: Chapter 1
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 2
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 3
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 4
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 5
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 6
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 7
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 8
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 9
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 10

Check out the next batch of fan submissions from our #Halo25Together haul below, and look for even more to come in next month’s mail bag!

I remember being eight years old, going to my cousin's house and seeing them play Halo 3 on their old 360. I was completely enamored by the game and the way they talked and debated about it; the world, the Covenant, and then, of course, Earth's mightiest hero, Master Chief.

As I didn't have a 360 at the time, I watched YouTube videos about it day after day, night after night, just so I could hold myself up in those conversations. I even remember me and my mother making a Hunter costume for a fashion week thing at my old primary school (made from the best‑quality cardboard boxes, of course; I wanted to show up the other kids taking part).

This then turned from watching into playing eventually at my cousin's house just when Halo: Reach came out two years later, though I did have to wrestle my cousins for the controller at times, and they most likely got in trouble with my auntie and uncle when they saw that I didn't have my go. Two more years later, I finally got a 360 and played the hell out of Halo 4 and went back through the franchise throughout the years after.

Now I'm 23. I'm a writer for a Halo fan series that has given me experiences that I never thought I would be a part of, like going to London to present it at Comic Con and seeing real‑life Spartans and ODSTs walk around at the event, then coming to our presentation to support us. (Massive shout out to the UK Halo Cosplay Group.)

I had recently seen the same two cousins that I used to pester all of the time for the sake of playing Halo after not seeing them for so long. Something that put a smile on my face was that one of them had an ODST tattoo, and we had the nerdiest conversation about the lore, Halo Infinite, and MCC mods that brought me back to being eight years old again.

To say I'm thankful for Halo, as a universe, as a community, and as a family bonding experience, is a complete understatement. It has such an influence on my life that I don't know where I would be without it, and being a part of its community has shown me how united we are in support of each other.

To another 25 years of memory building for the next generation who'll probably watch their cousins play Halo: Campaign Evolved and fall in love with the same franchise that I did when I was young.

Podge

I played my first Halo, which is Halo 2, in 2005. When I first played, I was blown away by playing an FPS in which you play as a human soldier against alien invaders. That was pretty cool. I was seven years old at the time, so my impression of Halo 2 was impeccable. During 2005, I used to like LaserTag, Super Soaker, Cartoon Network, Star Wars, and Disney Channel. So playing Halo 2 added to my impression and imagination of me fighting the Covenant in the game.

Orin Mhando

When HALO first came out, I was 36 years old, and the XBOX was the first video game console I ever had, and HALO was the first video game I ever really played. I WAS HOOKED. In the following 25 years, HALO and XBOX have grown up with my family and me. Master Chief and Cortana have been my companions through the stresses and triumphs of my life through the last 25 years, and they will continue for the next 25+.

Stalker1203

So after I got my Xbox, my dad showed me Halo, and so soon I loved Halo.

Lil Hylian 4588

Very impressive game, camera, movement, shooting, dungeons, vehicles, everything is very awesome.

Orlando

Last week, I decided to do a campaign run of Halo: Reach. I wasn't expecting to play on autopilot after not playing in years. I used to play and still have the original 360 version, though I played on the MCC. My last run (with full gameplay and cutscenes) took five hours and 10 minutes, with actual gameplay totaling 220 minutes.

LykosOfficial

When I was a child, I really liked computers for watching video game videos. At around six years old, some classmates introduced me to the demo of Halo: Combat Evolved. It amazed me from the very first moment. I remember that it took me days to finish because I didn't know English. Some time later I was able to play the full version, and what can I say? I loved it.

Later I played Halo 2, which excited me a lot. At that time the MCC still didn't exist, so I was left wanting to play the following games. Because of that, I watched the entire saga on YouTube from beginning to end. It wasn't until a year ago that I was able to buy a good PC and play the MCC, and now Halo Infinite. It was a long wait, and tears came to my eyes.

I didn't have many friends. Master Chief and Cortana accompanied me from when I was a child until now. Hopefully in the future I can play the new releases. I am currently going to begin studying digital animation for video games, and one day I would like to work in something related to video games because Halo was the game that made me love this industry very much.

P.S. Hopefully one day there will be a more faithful adaptation of the video games into a series, so I can watch it with my dad, who really loves television series and movies, and share my love for this video game with him.

sebajara15

Watch on Youtube

Realizar o sonho de ter meu primeiro Xbox exigiu esforço; cheguei a vender DVDs na rua, e foi só depois, por acaso, que conheci Halo. O que começou como curiosidade virou algo gigante: em um bairro onde quase ninguém tinha esse console, convenci amigos a jogarem e transformamos dificuldades em momentos inesquecíveis. Carregávamos TVs de tubo e videogames em carrinhos de obra para jogar em conexão local por horas. Halo não foi só um jogo; foi união, amizade e memórias que marcaram para sempre minha infância.

Marcos 3RL

It all started getting home from school, and my parents had bought pizza, Pizza Hut to be exact. With this pizza came a demo disc that included the Halo level, “The Silent Cartographer.” That level set the field for what is now my one and only hobby, which is Halo. I have since then been to all of the awesome midnight releases (when they still did them). Throughout the years, I have played every game, gotten to the highest rank on everything except MCC. I mean, that’s hard to do, right? I have collected everything I possibly can without going broke. I have a walk‑in closet full of Halo memorabilia, everything from keychains, books, huge statues, and signed posters—I can’t even name them all...—that my wife keeps saying, if I don’t get rid of, she will divorce me. She’s joking, but I know it’s a lot of stuff. To me it’s priceless.

My kids, heck, my entire family likes Halo now. We all wear something Halo‑related, whether it’s our King Ice jewelry, things from the Xbox store, etc. I really hope and dream in the future to be a content creator or streamer for Halo specifically. I have it planned out; I just need to find the time. So if you run across Slayboy, you’ll know my dream came true.

Slayboy TTV

Watch on Youtube

Wizbod was my first friend that I met on Halo MCC via game chat. He had way more experience than me at the time, but still guided me (formerly @Headlong Hog) through pulling off a sneaky game‑winning bomb plant.

The randomness, execution, and memorableness of this small play is why we still stay in touch today

@The H0Gfather

I remember when I got the Xbox bundle pack with (Halo & Fuzion Frenzy) for Christmas. My brother and I stayed up all night playing Halo and finished the game! It was epic!

Bleu Boy 86em 86

When I was a child, my first true love in video games was Halo. I still remember walking into the neighborhood cyber café and seeing that classic Master Chief logo from Halo: Combat Evolved on the screens. To me, it felt almost magical.

I could spend hours playing without noticing the time passing. Every match felt like a new adventure, and I always left feeling the same thing: pure fun. I discovered Halo when I was about five or six years old, and from that moment it stayed in my memory.

Many years have passed, but whenever I have the chance, I play it again. No matter how much time goes by, Halo will always be special to me, and I know I will always love it

Michu117#3972

SWAT weekends in Halo 3 were the best! Monster energy drinks and Hungry Howie's pizza, me and my roommate would play all weekend. Then they added SWAT to the regular playlist and it couldn’t get any better! So many great memories and great friends and relationships were formed through Halo! Best game of all time! I was KSI for a while before joining TcG (Total Chaos Gaming) TcG SirRolTide, that’s me!

TcG SirRolTide

As a child, I used to play games only when I was with my cousins because they had many consoles we could play. But at seven, I got my first Xbox. Then it was love at first sight. I played Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Combat Evolved, and it was my real beginning as someone who loves Halo, as a true gamer. I’m so glad that this was my first game, my own game!

Slyhalo chief97

I've grown up with Halo for as long as I can remember. When I was little, my dad and I would wake up early every Sunday morning and play together. It wasn't just a game to us; it was time we spent bonding and making memories. Now I'm 18, and we still play Halo together to this day. This franchise has been part of my life for so many years, and those Sundays with my dad are memories I'll always carry with me. Thank you for creating something that brought us closer together.

RagingRhino23

Halo has been a great game to me. I've played it since I was young; my uncle showed me and my brother. I really liked it back then, and even my dad did. We played it a lot, though we mostly fought against each other. When I played the game, I absolutely loved it. I used different Xbox accounts to play multiple campaigns at the same time with other people. I hated when I finished Halo 4, knowing it was the end of the game that I carried with me through my childhood. I keep the memories with friends, my father, and even my mother. It was really amazing. Currently, I'm drawing Master Chief in my class, and I'm planning on making the Energy Sword. I love Halo, and I always will. Halo has a place in my heart.

Elena

I remember the first time I opened Halo Infinite. I was convinced it was just going to be another game my brother recommended to me, a game that I would try, save to my library, and then forget about, but this game was different. I don't know what it was that drew me in, whether it was the awesome music (shoutout to Alex Bhore and Curtis Schweitzer!), or if it was the surreal landscape, or just the dopamine hit from shooting something, but for me it really clicked when I was standing on the highest point in the game and, conveniently, "Reverie" started playing.

That was three years ago. Since then, I've played through the game multiple times, gotten some of the novels, and I'm currently playing through Halo: CE. I'm looking forward to the remake and can't wait to experience it on the PS5 as a new PlayStation player. So thanks for 25 years of Halo, and let's make the next 25 even greater!

DopoNoco001

Halo is my favorite forever game.

Redfire574

With Halo 2, it was the first competitive game I was able to play since I was literally a five‑year‑old child, haha. It was incredible to play the PC version, and that's why to this day I still like playing Halo games with a keyboard and mouse.

Around 2013/2014 were the final days of the servers. It was an incredible era for playing excellent games! In fact, my current Gamertag exists because I played that game online for the first time. I owe it all to Halo 2, without a doubt. A spectacular video game. My favorite game!!

BegunFlea183646

From elementary school to adult life with splitting paths, all this time and various distances have been kept together by a core of playing Halo together. This is what it truly means to us.

Watch on Youtube

Austin Murphy (JumperScape)

It was early 2008 at my uncle's house. He was playing Halo 3's mission “The Covenant.”

He was at the midpoint of the tank section, the music was bumping, the map looked great. Then the colossal Scarab walkers fell from the sky as the music swelled.

That moment started a lifelong adoration of gaming and convinced little me that games were art.

Alexis N

I was fourteen the first time we loaded up Halo: Combat Evolved in 2001. My brother and I were packed in front of the TV with controllers in hand, while my dad sat next to us figuring out the sticks as he went. None of us knew it then, but that night would turn into a twenty‑five‑year tradition. It stayed with us through growing up, moving out, and everything else life brought along.

In those early years, Halo was just part of our house. Split‑screen was loud, competitive, chaotic, and honestly the best. We played co‑op late into the night, accused each other of screen‑looking, and pretty quickly realized my dad was not just there for the ride. He was getting good!

Halo became the constant. Weekends, holidays, random nights during the week, it was always there. It gave us something simple but lasting, real time together.

When my brother and I left for college, it could have easily faded like a lot of family routines do. But it didn’t. It just changed with us.

Split‑screen became online multiplayer. The couch became headsets. But the ritual stayed the same. No matter how busy things got, we found time every week to log on. Within a few minutes, it always felt familiar again.

Halo became how we stayed close. It gave us a way to stay connected even when everything else in life was changing.

Now my dad is seventy‑six, and he still plays Halo with us every single week.

That means a lot to me. Not just because he still plays, but because we’ve kept this going together for so long. At this point, playing together is about more than just having fun. It carries a lot more weight than it used to. It is about time, consistency, and the fact that we’ve shared this part of our lives for decades.

From those early split‑screen nights when I was fourteen to playing Halo Infinite together now, Halo has been the thing that kept our family close.

And now I work at Microsoft.

That still feels surreal to say after six years. The game that shaped so many of my best memories is part of the same company I’m proud to work for today. It is one of those full‑circle moments I never could have imagined back in 2001.

The best part is that I have kids of my own now, and I can’t wait to introduce them to it. Controllers in hand, sitting next to me, just like I did with my dad. Bringing them into the same fireteam. Keeping this tradition going into a fourth generation.

So celebrating twenty‑five years of Halo is not just about the game for me. It is about what the game gave us. Time together. Connection. Memories that never really stopped growing.

FrEaKnRiCaN (a.k.a. HaloMasta14 back in 2001)

Watch on Youtube

When I was a child, I first saw a stop‑motion animation about a war between Spartans. I fell in love with the designs, and they bought me the MEGA BLOKS. Later, as a gift for my fifteenth birthday, I received my Xbox Series and was able to play every Halo game. I’ve spent many years knowing the franchise, and I’ve loved it since I was eight.

The Beeny

It was a Sunday, and of course since I still had school, I had nothing better to do, so I went into our family gaming room and checked out what my dad was doing. He was looking at Halo: The Master Chief Collection. He said: “I haven't played this in a LONG time.” And now he looks at the cover, and I say, “Looks boring.”

But what happens next changes my view on gaming forever! He says, “No, you would actually really like this!” And he clicked on the trailer. As I watched, I was transformed into something new. I was staring at the screen in awe as tanks, mechs, Spartans, and Covenant raced past me! After the trailer was done, I said, “Can we get it?!”

My dad said, “Ask your mom.” And so I zoomed downstairs, got her approval, and we downloaded it. I was so excited, I could not wait anymore! And that night, I did it. I played Halo for the first time in my life. And I have been transformed forever.

And now whenever Halo pops up, whether it’s on a Costco TV on display (which really did happen) or something else, I will now have fond memories to put with those experiences. And I will play Halo to its last game. Its last theme. Its last soldier. I may have played Halo for only a year, but I have played them all, and I am now a proud veteran. A Halo supporter.

Happy birthday, Halo!

#Halo25Together, Forever!!!!!!

Watch on Youtube

What an extraordinary game!

Spartane 117928

My first Halo memory was playing Halo: Combat Evolved on a giant projector screen at a neighbor’s birthday party around 2003 or 2004. I still remember playing on Hang ’Em High and Blood Gulch with a room full of kids.

Halo stuck with me as I grew up and became a huge inspiration for my art and animation. I used to draw Halo armor, helmets, and Master Chief all the time, and it’s what led me to pursue animation.

Years later, I somehow got the chance to work on Halo as an animation apprentice at 343 Industries, which is a childhood dream come true.

Going from that projector screen as a kid to contributing to Halo is something I’ll always be grateful for.

Skai Chow

One of my best memories I have for Halo was being young, playing all the Halo games with thousands of online friends from custom games to Warzone and more, and just living with no worries, no bills, no problems—just free. I literally got so good at the game that my name was getting noticed heavily without even having a YouTube page for it. I truly love Halo and forever will.

Dsosmooveee

One day I will finish all Halo LASO and also speedrun.

ConcreteJoker11

Well my story is short and sweet. I started playing Halo Infinite about two years ago and I actually found a very good friend (MjrBuffalo77). I was a very poor player and he was kind enough to teach me how to play.

The rest is history.

Might not sound like much, but for a middle‑aged guy it is a big thing. We became good friends and play Halo Infinite as much as possible, and through that even found new friends! So that is my little memory.

AtrociousFIN & MjrBuffalo77

Honestly, it’s hard to pick just one moment, but nothing beats that specific feeling of “Halo chaos.” I remember playing a Big Team Battle match on Valhalla years ago — the score was tied, and the music started swelling right as the match was ending. I was in a Warthog, bouncing over hills, dodging a Wraith mortar by literal inches, and “Never Forget” was basically playing in my head.

That’s what makes this game so cool — it’s the sandbox. It’s the way a grenade can hit a traffic cone, which flies across the map and somehow takes out a sniper. It’s the sheer scale of the worlds, from the first time you see the ring curving up into the sky to the feeling of finally landing a perfect four‑shot with the BR.

Beyond the gameplay, it’s the mystery of the lore and those late nights in custom games playing weird stuff like Fatman or Duck Hunt until 3:00 a.m. Halo isn't just a shooter; it’s a whole atmosphere. It’s the monk chants in the menu, the weight of the armor, and the fact that we’ve all been “finishing the fight” together for twenty‑five years. There’s just nothing else that hits quite like it.

Jounardienyou

My older brother got me into it as a kid, where he would beat me into the ground in H3, Reach, and Halo 4 custom Slayer. He set a fire in this Spartan's heart which evolved into a lifelong fanhood (and I'm now much better than him). We're going to Halo Fest this December, so you'll find us in a LAN 1v1 dressed as ODSTs.

RvB was another main area of the fandom I got hooked on. Tension, emotion, and an ever‑gripping story, and it lasted for ages!

"Bow chicka bow wow..." ;)

WhiteTiger1115

So, one of my favorite memories is when Halo Infinite was revealed at E3 2018. I had completely forgotten when E3 was until like ten minutes before it started while in the shower. I dried off one arm and was holding my phone out of the curtain to watch the stream. And I just remember screaming when the Chief’s helmet popped up, and my mom rushed in thinking I fell or something. And I’m like, “MOM, THERE’S A NEW HALO GAME COMING!!!!!!!” Definitely a core memory for me.

TekHardy

Playing Halo: The Master Chief Collection has greatly helped me during some of my difficult times, and I’ll always be thankful for that.

The story, music, and gameplay of Halo games made a strong impact on me, and the series will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you for making such an amazing series.

Arsalan Ahmed

My pappy (grandfather) got me into gaming from a young age. he would often give me games for Xbox, and one of the first games he ever gave me for my Xbox was Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. He was an amazing man, grandfather, and friend.

He recently passed away in 2024, and we each could put an item in the casket that meant something to us, so I put in a copy of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. It's said that someone truly isn't gone if there name is still out there, and people are still talking about them, so I wanted to put this out there so that he can live on in a way that he would love: his Gamertag, PSYCHO NINJA, and his Gamerscore of 223,371. A legend.

Connor Dawn

My friends and I would always make fun of Elites, and they decided to make the elites bigger than the Spartans for Halo: Reach. One time when we were playing a variant of Duck Hunt, the Elite in our squad couldn’t get past one of the obstacles because he was too big. It was very funny and I remember it to this day. Of course, I’ve had plenty more memories of all different Halos over the years, with my most fond being Halo 3 custom nights with randoms that would become friends. My friends list is still full of old Halo 3 friends that haven’t been online in over a decade. Long live Halo.

splintered edge

My stepdad passed two years ago (almost three). While we never really played Halo that much, we played a few rounds. Halo as a whole helped me through his passing, especially Halo Infinite's story relating to grief; it struck a chord with me, I will forever be great to this series for that. Here's to 25 more years of Halo.

KaiTheExpert849

I'll admit I'm relatively green when it comes to Halo, only getting into it around the end of 2024, but it was an immediate catch. There's so much in this saga, so many things to explore and appreciate, so many characters to be inspired by. My favorite part is seeing what my friends take from these games, what makes it so special for them, how they're experiencing it all.

For myself, I'll proudly admit no character has quite spoken to me as personally as Thomas Lasky has. The sheer courage and bravery of a young man in the face of impossible odds, as shown in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, and the pure belief he has in people, to trust that they'll do the right thing, no matter how “morally‑grey” they may seem, as shown in Halo 4 Spartan Ops; not to mention his interactions with the Master Chief, how he refuses to see him as the soldier/weapon the Chief himself believes he is.

Thomas Lasky is an average man in a universe of super-soldiers, and despite it all, even in the face of impossible odds, he believes in second chances, he believes in people. No other character has ever made me want to adapt that mindset in my own life.

(I want to sing praises to Sarah Palmer and Roland as well. All three of them are very special to me, it's a shame we've gotten so little of them after Halo 5: Guardians. In my head, they come in a three‑for‑one package deal.)

So thank you again Halo, for giving us such a fascinating story driven forward by interesting characters that everyone can grow attached to. Here's to hoping for great new things in the years to come! <3

Pars3c

Halo 2 came out two days after my seventeenth birthday, and I remember putting a hole in my mom's living room ceiling to run parties on two floors to combat screen‑peeking. She was none too happy, but still talks about it in good spirits. That was peak gaming; once it got online we never got together like that again.

Exoteric Surgery

We’ve been floored by the overwhelming response to Your Halo Story. Since we still have countless fan stories to share in future installments of this series, the submissions portal is now closed—but we invite you to help celebrate Halo’s iconic legacy with new video quizzes and community polls in the monthly Anniversary Angle.

Whether you’re a battle-hardened Spartan or a Halo rookie, we hope you’ll join the fun by sharing your Halo story on social media using hashtag #Halo25Together, in our official Discord server, or on r/Halo with the #Halo25Together tag.