Cover art by @JackieHernndez6. (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
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 11
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 12
• Your Halo Story: Chapter 13

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!

When I was a kid, I loved reading the books and playing the games. I still do love Halo. My favorite book was The Fall of Reach. My favorite game was Halo 2. The mission Metropolis was the level I enjoyed most. I always played Halo 2 multiplayer with my brother. I even made a character based on the original 75 candidates of the SPARTAN-II program.

HarbingerDevil

Back in 2001, the week that Halo: Combat Evolved launched, my older cousin Jarod had bought a copy. While visiting him, he introduced me to the game. I'll never forget holding the Xbox controller and hopping out of the cryopod as the Master Chief. The moment I got into battle and fought the Covenant turned me into the gamer and Halo fan I am today.

AshWilliams8876

My love for Halo started before I could even really understand it. From what I've been told, I was first handed a controller when I was two years old because I was crying and desperately wanted to play with my uncles, who were avid Halo fans. Somehow, from that moment on, Halo became a part of my life.

When I was around eight, I remember playing through the early missions of Halo: Combat Evolved over and over again—but every time I reached "343 Guilty Spark," I was too scared to keep going. The Flood terrified me.

A few years later, I finally pushed through that mission. My family didn't have a home PC or any easy way for me to look up tutorials, walkthroughs, or spoilers, so I had no idea how the story ended. Finishing the campaign and watching that final cutscene felt incredible. It felt like I had finally conquered something I had been trying to finish for years.

Around age ten, I found a copy of Halo: The Flood by Eric Nylund in a pawn shop while I was there with my parents. I begged my mom to let me buy it, and when I read it, I was ecstatic. There was a part of the book during the mission "Halo" where Master Chief fights the Covenant from behind a boulder—and that was exactly how I used to play that mission as a kid. I remember being so happy that, in my mind, Master Chief had played the mission the same way I did.

A few years later, I saw a newspaper ad for Halo 2 on sale. After playing Halo: Combat Evolved endlessly, I needed that game. I begged my mom to buy it for me, and I will never forget starting it for the first time: the award ceremony, Sergeant Johnson, the UNSC ships moving to defend Earth, and the Covenant scenes with Truth, Regret, Mercy, and the Arbiter. Those moments are still vivid in my mind.

Then came Halo 3. I traded another game for it at school, rushed home, put it into my Xbox 360, and was blown away by the opening mission. The jungle, the colors, the sounds, the cutscenes—everything felt amazing.

Then came Halo: Reach, and that was where I really dove into Halo multiplayer. I joined clans, joined teams, competed in online tournaments, and played the absolute heck out of Invasion. It was my favorite multiplayer mode. I also loved playing Firefight Generator Defense on Installation 04, blocking the ramps to the generator with a Warthog, and fighting the Covenant for as long as I possibly could.

When I got my hands on Halo 3: ODST, that was a game changer too. The jazz, the crime-noir atmosphere, walking through New Mombasa as the Rookie, and seeing that opening cutscene overlap with the events of Halo 2 had me hooked from the first few moments.

From Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Infinite, Halo Wars, Halo Wars 2, Halo: Spartan Assault, Halo: Spartan Strike, and Halo: Fireteam Raven, I have played it all, and I can honestly say I have enjoyed it all. Halo has grown with me, and I know I will keep returning to it as I grow older.

I'm 24 now. I have a Halo collection in my office, and I have played through every campaign many, many times. And while I have an Xbox Series X now, I still have the original Xbox that my uncles bought all those years ago. I just cannot let it go. It sits proudly on display in my living room, still fully functional, ready to transport me back whenever I want that old-school, "Duke controller" Halo experience.

That is why I am so excited for Halo: Campaign Evolved. It feels like a chance to relive my childhood in a brand-new way—to return to the game that started it all for me, but with modern visuals, a redesigned experience, and new reasons to be amazed again. What I am most excited for are the prequel missions because the idea of experiencing new moments connected to the world that shaped my love for gaming is something I cannot wait to get my hands on.

Halo is more than a game to me. It is family, childhood, fear, wonder, discovery, competition.

RaidingWithU

My dad gave me Halo: Combat Evolved 21 years ago. We played without stopping, and he taught me the story of our defender. I grew up alongside my favorite video game, and without a doubt, playing it still fills me with nostalgia. Thank you for all these years.

Noble117

I was introduced to Halo a few years ago by my uncle. We were on Christmas vacation, upstairs in his father-in-law's house. He had me and my three brothers sit down in the bedroom and turned on Halo: Combat Evolved. He played from "The Pillar of Autumn" to "343 Guilty Spark." Later that evening, he gave me my first chance to play on The Pillar of Autumn.

Fast forward three years, and my uncle invited us to his house for a four-player Halo PvP experience. After ten hours, we went home desperate to convince our mom to let us buy the game. After a few months and a few trips to my uncle's house, we finally convinced her. By the time our father agreed, it was March 7, a date we would never forget, because we later found out it was the Master Chief's birthday.

My uncle stopped by the house to deliver his physical copy of Halo: The Master Chief Collection for us to play. Having three brothers and one Xbox made it hard for everyone to get a chance to play, but we managed to beat every Halo campaign solo and then went back to play co-op. Halo CE and Halo 3 stole my heart, while Halo: Reach and Halo 2 found my other brothers' interest.

Skip to the present. We went from noobies who didn't know how to use a sniper rifle in local split-screen to playing online and clocking a sprinting opponent with a snipe to the head. My favorite weapon by far is the Halo 3 sniper rifle. The highlight of my career was finishing second in a competitive hardcore Halo 3 Snipers match with a psychotic 171 kills.

As a closing remark, to my nemesis and greatest enemy... MasterReach, I know you're out there, and I will get revenge.

Puddleslime2008

My claim to fame is being one of the "Final Few" and the last Elite to play Halo 2 before the servers shut down. I have collected nearly all the Halo books, CDs, games, models, props, statues, and vinyl records. I also hold the Hero rank in Halo Infinite.

xxMAKDADYxx

When my brother (37) and I (30) were kids, our grandparents bought him the OG Xbox in 2001, and along with it he got Halo: Combat Evolved. I remember he used to steal my TV, put it on my skateboard, and push it up the street to his friend's house. (Never his TV, of course!)

He and his buddies hosted many system-link parties, and naturally—me being the little brother—I was not invited. But when we were home, it was all split-screen 1v1s. Spoiler alert: he always won (smh). Whenever he wasn't home, I would always sneak into his room and play the campaign. My young mind was blown. I was hooked on this game; it was like nothing I'd played at that time.

Fast-forward to the Halo 2 release. My brother bought the Collector's Edition, and WOW! Once again my mind was blown. He and I would 1v1 for hours, and he would still win all the time, but just the way the game was played hooked me even more than I had been with Combat Evolved (plus I was a few years older, so I was getting way better, and starting to understand the mechanics a lot more too!). My brother showed me BXRs, BXBs, quad shots, super bounces, and all the other Halo 2 tricks. I took all that knowledge Big Bro had blessed me with and used it on my friends.

When he wasn't home, I'd sneak into his room and log into his Xbox Live account and game until he caught me and tell me to get out of his room. He'd yell, "You better not be playing Ranked!" (I totally was.) Then ten minutes later he'd come into my room and ask if I wanted to play Halo. That became a huge way for us to bond despite a pretty big age difference.

By the time Halo 3 released, I had my own Xbox 360. I begged my mom if I could get the game, but she said no—so I went to Grandpa. Let's just say I got the Collector's Edition. (Sorry, Mom, and thank you, Grandpa!)

So there I was: no more sneaking into Big Bro's room to play. Instead, he set up an Xbox Live account for me. We would still 1v1, though it wasn't so one-sided anymore. We would trade wins constantly, and even played the Campaign on Legendary together. I even helped him get all the Skulls and Terminals. We put so much time into Halo 3.

To me, Halo 3 is nothing short of a perfect video game. My brother and I would absolutely dominate games together online. It's such a happy "core memory" I have with not just my favorite game but my big brother!

Halo means far more to me than just a perfect series. It's years and years of bonding experiences with my older brother. I can't really put into words how much this series means to me! Unfortunately, I've had to "solo run" Halo from Halo 3: ODST all the way to Halo Infinite, since my brother stopped playing—but I will never forget the first day he showed me Halo. Here we are 25 years later, and I'm still here playing!

Thank you, Bungie. Thank you, Halo Studios. Thank you, 343 Industries. Thank you, Microsoft. And thank you, Aaron. Love you, Big Bro!

xCONNERx707

Too many memories to share, but I would like to say thank you to everyone who continues to build on the legacy of Bungie and 343 Industries. I grew up on Halo and have played every Halo game since I was two years old. I was born in 2000, which I think was the peak of gaming taking a turn for the better, as we are now seeing another age in the pivot, which I am glad y'all are taking part in. I remember beating Halo 2 with my little brother at two or three years old. I have been a serious gamer ever since, and I like to think Halo made me the gamer I am today.

NysiLabrynth & OMGWhoIsThis

When I was four, I played Halo 5: Guardians and loved it. Then I got huge into Halo. Have a good 25th anniversary!

Da Blainster

My Halo journey started like many others, during the holidays of 2001. My mom managed to get an Xbox for my brothers and me, and naturally a copy of Halo: Combat Evolved. It didn't take long for Halo to spread like wildfire in my school and eventually become a staple for the "Art Club" with my closest friends.

Now, the Art Club in my high school was run by the ceramics and sculpture teacher; however, it had historically been used as an excuse to play board games (Risk) or basketball, watch movies, or participate in other extracurricular activities on school premises after hours. When the teacher's son (one of my best friends) got his Xbox, it didn't take long for him to wire consoles together for 16-player madness during overnight events. We played all of the classic modes and probably tried just about every weird combination you could think of in the game settings. We would spend 12-hour marathons playing Halo: Combat Evolved, with breaks for food or the occasional pickup basketball game.

These events lasted through Halo 2, with us utilizing projectors and the in-building networking to have rooms for every team. That same core group eventually graduated, leaving the high school behind. A chunk of our group moved the events to our house at university with four Xbox 360s, all in a row in the front room for Halo 3 co-op and multiplayer when it launched. (BTB Sandtrap matchmaking where your entire team is in the same room blasting music is a wild time.) Every one of my Art Club friends had a different reason to play: competitive players, people there just to socialize, hardcore Halo nerds like myself, and everything in between.

My social Halo career has been a long one. I've been on forums as old as HaloPlanet, the McFarlane Spawn forums for the action figures, Bungie.net, Ready Up Live, and so on, always with their own community and flair. However, nothing got close to those Art Club days until recently, when I picked up Halo: Flashpoint. It's not the same, but long weekend tabletop tournaments with Spartans, ODSTs, Brutes, and Elites come surprisingly close to capturing the feeling of my teen years.

The original group is still around, minus the ceramics teacher's son, who unfortunately passed away years ago. We still talk about those days fondly—proof that Halo was instrumental to all of us. Some of us still play Halo online together, including spouses, but schedules and adult priorities make overnight gaming events a thing of the past for the most part. While a few things have come close, nothing quite compares to playing with the Art Club.

Mongerty

I can't believe it's been this long since I've been earning rewards without purchases. As this game has grown, my favorite memories are all the friends I've made and all the rewards I've earned over the years.

MsMariaYT

I once loaded into a game of Halo Infinite and picked up a weapon whose name I don't even remember. I went on an insane streak and got so many kills with it. I love the Halo series. Please keep making more!

NosseBigBig

I've been playing Halo since I was 11 years old when Halo: Combat Evolved was first released. My friends and I would spend entire days and nights playing together.

Recently, I finally completed every Halo game on Legendary. The memories will always remain.

Squircamel

I was five years old in 2011 when a cousin invited me over to play on his Xbox. I had never seen a console before. When he loaded up Halo: Reach, I was absolutely fascinated. For a whole month, we mostly played local multiplayer, and I barely understood what was happening.

Then one day he started the campaign. I expected to fight humans. Instead, there were aliens everywhere. The ships, explosions, battles, and music completely blew my mind. To this day, it's one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life.

Loyaldrake16

As a kid, I thought Halo ghosts were real. I watched videos of nameless players moving around maps in Halo 2 and Halo 3, and they scared me. I even tried to recreate them in Halo 4, but it never worked. One time a friend convinced me he was a ghost player in Halo, and I was terrified. Today I just laugh about it.

Masterchief9369

I remember going to Xbox gaming shops to play Halo over system link with friends. We played Halo: Reach, laughed, got angry, and argued about screen-watching. Now I have an Xbox at home and play Halo Infinite, where I can customize my armor however I want.

Miguel0512#2361

My first memory of Halo is playing the trial version of Halo: Combat Evolved with my brother on an old family PC. Years later, after moving abroad, I finally completed the full game and shared every story moment with my brother back home.

Halo became tied to memories of my family, my parents, and simpler times. Today, it serves as a reminder of where I came from and the people who helped shape my life. Thank you, Halo, for the memories.

Andy Nash

I love playing Firefight with my friend because one time he died underneath the map.

Cyberpunk412

My earliest vivid memory is watching my brother play Halo 2.

My favorite Halo memory came with Halo: Reach. After a successful parent-teacher meeting, my mom left me a note saying she was proud of me and bought me Reach as a reward. I loved it, and I've loved everything this franchise has given me since.

Happy 25th, Halo.

Mad Jack Jay

I played Halo: Combat Evolved when I was very young with my dad. Every Halo release created new memories with my family.

Now I'm 27 with a family of my own. When my stepson was five, I handed him an Xbox controller and loaded up Halo CE. Watching him learn to play reminded me of my own childhood.

One day my sons will get to play together, just like I did.

TaurosLuna

I met my husband in 2007 while playing Halo 3 matchmaking. I lived in Arizona and he lived in Washington. We still play Halo together today and now have children who enjoy gaming too. Halo connected us and made our life together possible. #couplesthatslaytogetherstaytogether

Kwildflowers

I was six years old. Now I'm 13. I discovered Halo thanks to my father through Halo 3. We spent countless hours playing 1v1 matches together. I've now played every Halo game. Thank you.

nezuro

I remember playing Halo: Reach on my Xbox 360 in 2016. I was so lost back then. Now it's 2026, I'm 16, and ready to relive those memories. Thank you, Halo.

Halo fan4896

Fourteen years ago, when I was 16 years old, I used to go to my friend's house after school to play Xbox 360. One day he showed me Halo: Reach and Halo 4, and I fell in love with the Spartan helmet, green armor, and the number 117.

Now I'm 30 years old, still playing Halo Infinite, and still waiting excitedly for new Halo adventures. Thank you, Halo.

Hulk17075254

I've been loving the community, and I don't care if I win! People helped me because they saw that I lost every time :)

Eon142

Throughout the years, Halo has been the best game in my eyes. But it's not really the game itself, it's the people and the memories. Through the years and even today, it made us happy, made us laugh, and maybe even made us cry. Now those moments are memories, and luckily the story still continues, and I hope it always does.

Halo, happy birthday, and just a reminder: 25 is not old. It's just a number that keeps building forever. Thank you, Halo, for all the great efforts in creating memories throughout these 25 years.

Mason Angelino

The first game I ever got on Xbox was Halo Infinite. When I started playing it, the gameplay was amazing. When I tried the Grappleshot, it felt like I was flying.

When I got on the Mongoose, I kept honking by accident until I figured out how to make it go forward and backward. Then I got the Warthog and felt like a real Spartan. I'd drive off cliffs, fly through the air, and crash into Banished forts while Marines sprayed everything in sight. Later I played MCC, and my favorites were Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach.

Thank you for making such great games.

Jedi42

I spent a good portion of my childhood playing Xbox, from the 360 to the One and later the Series X.

Halo and Xbox are two sides of the same coin in my mind. I played so much Halo: Reach and MCC that some of my earliest memories involve my father and brother blasting Grunts on the Ark in Halo 3.

No other game captures the magic of gaming, community, creativity, and fun quite like Halo. I can't wait to see Chief and Cortana again and explore some caves that certainly didn't form naturally. See y'all in another 25 years. <3

Catriona Maberry

If I recall correctly, the Elephant in Halo 3 was this massive troop transport, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever when I was younger. Being able to jump in and out while this giant vehicle rolled across the desert was amazing. Still think about it to this day, haha.

SleepyToast5730

Halo has been a core part of my life since I was about 10 years old. One of my favorite memories is playing through all of Halo 3 with my younger brother.

I know it sounds cliché, but sitting together in our shared bedroom, playing for hours until the sun went down, created memories I'll never forget.

Because of those moments, Halo will always hold a special place in my heart.

Psycho268

My name is Hamzah, and I'm writing from Jordan. I've been a Halo fan for nearly 25 years. Halo has inspired my imagination, creativity, and countless unforgettable memories.

Living in Jordan has never made being a Halo fan easy. Merchandise is difficult to find, and nearly every item in my collection has been imported from another country.

Halo has been with me through childhood, adulthood, and even one of the most important days of my life. When I married the love of my life, my wife and I chose "Green and Blue" as the song for our first dance. To us, it represented our relationship perfectly. I always tell her that I'm her Green and she's my Blue.

Whether I get to experience a new Halo release on day one or have to wait, it doesn't change what this franchise means to me. Thank you for creating memories that have lasted a lifetime.

hti dark devil

I loved Halo: Reach. I love Halo.

Echo spartan#370

I'm a campaign grinder. I've played all of the campaigns except Halo: Combat Evolved, and I can't wait for more.

Gghii3362

I remember my first time playing Halo. My parents got my siblings and me a transparent green original Xbox along with Halo: Combat Evolved.

My siblings weren't interested, but I instantly gravitated toward it. The enemies, the environments, and the feeling of exploring the Ring captured my imagination.

Sometimes my mom would even play alongside me to help. Soon we finished the game, and of course I wanted more.

Golden0718

I remember that day clearly because my mom let me get the Halo Master Chief Collection. I was so excited because of two games in particular: ODST and Halo 3. I even managed to complete ODST in less than a day.

FolkML

I was an Electronics Boutique manager in southeastern Pennsylvania before the original Halo launched in 2001.

My staff and I believed in Halo so much that we bundled it with nearly every Xbox we sold. We sold so many copies that a Microsoft representative personally delivered a congratulatory letter and a huge box of Halo merchandise.

I still remember the fun and camaraderie of our Halo LAN parties. Those are some of my fondest memories of the original Xbox launch.

CAPTN2126

I honestly just played for fun, but Halo: Reach was a masterpiece. The story was so good because everything goes south in the end.

Myl0v3lac3

When I was young, my dad took me to the mountains for one of my hockey games. When we got back to the hotel room, he pulled out two laptops and loaded Halo: Combat Evolved onto both of them. It was the first video game I ever played.

Years later, when MCC arrived on PC, I was finally able to share the rest of the Halo games with my dad the same way he had shared Halo with me.

Those are my favorite Halo memories. Thanks, Dad.

weasley009

I was at a friend's birthday party when I sprained my ankle and couldn't play with everyone else. Then I found a Halo arcade machine and started playing.

It was so much fun that after the party I immediately bought MCC. Since then I've completed Halo: Combat Evolved and started Halo 2.

sergeiser3293

In March 2002, just before heading off to basic training for the U.S. Army, I hosted my first Halo LAN party as a farewell gathering. Nearly 20 friends brought Xboxes, controllers, TVs, pizza, and soda for an entire day of Halo: Combat Evolved.

The highlight was a two-and-a-half-hour Capture the Flag match on Blood Gulch that remained scoreless for over an hour.

That night remains one of the greatest gaming memories of my life. Halo has been part of more than half of my life, and I still look forward to it today.

Alpha Threat

Watch on Youtube

Halo has been my favorite video game since I was a child. It gave me so many joyful moments and even became a way to spend time with my boyfriend, even though I killed him a few times. Thanks for everything, Halo!

MaferNGG

It's crazy that I'm 25 years old and still have Halo in my life.

I remember going to a friend's house and playing Halo 2 for the first time. Eventually I got an Xbox and experienced Halo 3, which completely captivated me.

From there I discovered the books, Red vs. Blue, and the deeper Halo universe. It became one of the defining parts of my childhood.

Halo has been there for every major part of my life, and I'm thankful for every memory it's given me.

Spence The Ninj

I asked a police officer to play Halo with me. He said no.

ECH02587

My first Halo memories are from 2003 with Halo: Combat Evolved on the original Xbox.

I would go to a friend's house almost every day. One afternoon he told me he had a new game. We sat down, he loaded it up, and then asked if I wanted to play with him.

That was my first time playing Halo, and I was instantly hooked.

TrIsTaIn2010

I am only 15, but I remember playing the very first Halo game on my Xbox, which I still have today. I have played almost every Halo game, and Halo will forever be a key part of my childhood. I will never forget the first time I played it because I knew it would become my favorite franchise of all time.

Uber 190907

I still remember playing Halo: Combat Evolved for the first time. I thought it was just about fighting the Covenant on a giant ring in space, but I was so wrong.

I still get goosebumps whenever I think about the mission where the Flood were introduced. It was amazing playing through the trilogy and eventually finishing the story of the Master Chief versus the Flood and the Covenant.

Mohit Jain

I am a Belgian Halo fan, and French is my native language, so I translated my story into English to share it with the entire Halo community.

Halo and I have a very special history together. When I was around six years old, I bought my very first console, the original Xbox. The game I chose to buy with it was Halo: Combat Evolved.

From the very first minutes of the game, I was completely captivated by the story, the universe, and this incredibly innovative experience for its time. Halo sparked my love for first-person shooters.

Now, 25 years later, I am 33 years old. I still play on Xbox, and I own every Halo game. Halo is, without a doubt, my favorite video game franchise of the last 25 years. Thank you for creating Halo and continuing to bring this incredible universe to life.

P.S. I would love to see a Halo game from the perspective of the Covenant.

Moustix117

I was playing Firefight when a Grunt suddenly flew out of nowhere and knocked me out. It happened in Halo: Reach, and I lost because of it.

DarthJARevan

Growing up playing Halo, Halo: Combat Evolved introduced me to the Marines. As a kid in elementary school, I fell in love with their gung-ho attitude.

Years later, I ended up joining the United States Marine Corps. I've served five years now as an infantry Marine, and I don't know where I would be without the influence Halo had on me.

P.S. Please add a Marine armor skin to Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Dan

Back in 2014, I started playing Halo: Combat Evolved on my dad's Xbox and Halo 3 on our Xbox 360.

I loved playing Halo, and I completed all of the games with my dad. Later, I discovered Halo 5: Guardians Forge on PC, which became one of my favorite things to play.

I miss that style and those weapons, but I'm excited for Halo's future, whatever it may be.

Halo Ninjanick

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.

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