Cover art by spartan_cassius.

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

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!

Art by spartan_cassius. (Source)

If I hadn't logged onto Halo 3 Team Swat that morning before school, I never would have met my best friend, Jay. 2006/2007-ish, 5:00 a.m. Log into Swat, hear a kid with a mic that sounds like he would be fun to crap-talk. Ended up bonding over it. Been friends ever since. He was in my wedding. Halo is life!

Beardless BK

My journey began at a very early age, back when YouTube was still popular for Halo music videos and MEGA BLOKS animations. As a child, I dreamed of playing on a computer or buying a construction set, but Halo is not popular in Ukraine; you could even say it is little-known. After a long period of growing up and becoming a fan of the franchise, I was able to buy both MEGA BLOKS and the Halo: The Master Chief Collection game itself—twice even. I consider Halo to be one of my favorite gaming universes. Thanks to this game, I had a good childhood. To this day, I return to replay the saga's campaigns on Legendary difficulty and have a lot of fun.

Thank you, Bungie and 343 Industries. These were the best 15 years of my life.

FireMghh

I got my first console back in 2011. I was six, and it was the Halo 4 Xbox 360 bundle. Me and my siblings always loved playing Flood, and I had made settings that we still play in 2026 lol. On the Grifball court, we turn the speed and jump all the way up for the Flood and Last Man Standing. Recently my brother and sister both got 360s and each bought Halo 4 so we could connect our Xboxes via LAN and have 12 people all playing S.W.A.T. Slayer and Flood!

Epichalo boom

I'm not much of a storyteller and I don't remember much in those days, but I'll never forget the release of Halo 2 and having LAN parties that lasted days. It's some of the best times I've had with friends.

GenuineSounds

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Halo has been a big impact on my life since I started playing it at a young age up until now—all fun memories with friends. Though my favorite two memories are seeing Halo 3: ODST playing at G4 and beating Halo: Reach with a friend of mine on Legendary.

SHADOW 0228

In 2001 we were in our first year of starting a new church. Every week our teams would set up and tear down music, technical, and other equipment, and although it was exhausting, we enjoyed being and working together. One of our musicians was the first to get an Xbox and have an internet connection that could do multiplayer. He invited several of us over to check out Halo: Combat Evolved, because it not only had fun multiplayer capabilities, but also had a storyline with deep symbolism, and (for that era) groundbreaking gameplay. After busy Sunday mornings, we often grabbed lunch, rested, and then met together in the evenings to explore this new world. Our friendships deepened just spending more time together in community, but the unexpected thing was the relationships and connections we made with other players across the country.

It didnt take long for the four of us who were regulars (Fishcross, DarthRaz, aRs3N1c42, Darkiss) to add other local friends (JrHessey, bigWES0199, and McMaster23) and then start finding people across the country and building community.

I can't mention everyone we met over the years, but some significant connections were with some Coast Guard Officers and others (Sunshinegirl4u, TicoRico, Rico220, JWjiggles). We would swap stories of the day, talk about life, hear about rescues, and became a community where encouragement and support was ever present, while we took our frustrations out on the Covenant, the Flood, or helped each other complete all the campaign Skulls.

Several of us continued to connect through the seasons of Halo up to Halo 3. Then we all had moved, life changes happened, and some of us didn't play as often. We had a short reunion around Halo 5: Guardians, and later we lost some of our friends around COVID (aRs3N1c42, bigWES0199). We dont know how many online friends from that era were lost, but their names remain in our friends lists— "Status: Offline."

Flash forward a few years to Halo Infinite, and a few of us had children old enough to learn and experience the world of Halo together, as well as some of the community. A few of us reunited and added buggerboob09 and Cadmosgaming to the squad.

A lot has changed about "on-mic" multiplayer culture in 20 years. Way fewer people actually engage in open chatter during play, party chat is more common, and trolls are bolder and more annoying. But in the midst of it, we have had community again with players all over the country. Whether on-mic or via chat, there are new voices and new stories we are sharing. There are people like us, and people very different from us, enjoying gaming, talking about life, and taking on the Banished together. In this season it's been fun to share encouragement with PuggleAttack, and team up with Demon52590 and his wife—we even got to help them calm their daughters one night when they were scared and couldn't get to sleep. The stories go on, and much of that is because of the uniqueness of Halo.

Even though much has changed, the adventure of the game, and the consistency of facing challenges together, still brings an opportunity to build trust, be connected, and encourage one another for IRL, in ways that other games can't match. This 25 has been good. Looking forward to even greater opportunities for community and connection as we co-op multi the next season of Halo.

Fishcross

Eu comecei pelo Halo Infinite. Eu sei que é o último lançado, mas fui testar e adorei; zerei, fui para os outros, zerei todos. Chorei, fiquei feliz, fiquei triste, mas eu adorei tudo.

In January 2013, I started what would become my favorite Halo game of all time (Yes. Even Halo 2, which I bought on PC recently.) I was enthralled walking through the ruined Forward Unto Dawn, battling Covenant, and setting foot on Requiem.

I remember the Didact's words, "Time is your ally, and it has long since abandoned you," which stick with me to this day.

I even competed against fellow Spartans in unforgettable War Games, from Husky Raids to Mini Slayers. Nothing in any other Halo came close.

TheHUNTaKILLa

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A couple last-second plasma grenade vehicle sticks to win an EXTREMELY close Slayer match on Rat's Nest in Halo Infinite.

KryssCom

I was so happy the day I got Halo. It was so fun it almost made me cry. I can't wait to get Halo: Campaign Evolved.

chunkamunka

Mi recuerdo más preciado es cuando conocí Halo. Tan solo tenía 6 años; no entendía lo que pasaba, solo era un supersoldado verde acabando con alienígenas, y eso fue suficiente. Con el tiempo entendí que Halo no es solo un juego: es un universo, con misterios por revelar, mundos que descubrir e historias que tienen que ser escuchadas. Gracias, Halo, y gracias por seguir en nuestras vidas.

Leonelsparta

I have been playing Halo since it released in 2001, when I was 11 years old. Hearing the chants still gives me goose bumps. I have loved every title of Halo! The stories, the gameplay, and just expanding the universe I love. Every year since 2011 on New Year’s Eve I have been hosting a Halo party and it is still going strong. Twelve to sixteen of us get together and have basically and old school LAN party playing together! Cannot wait to do it with the new Halo games!

Lyeonidas

This isn't a single memory, but rather a period of time when I really felt like a part of something, during the Halo 4 days. That something was called The Syndicate. It was a clan that was part of Xiled Gaming. And, sadly, we were a very small percentage of the group, in that we were a Halo clan, surrounded by… well, other non-Halo players.

It was because we were an island to ourselves that made us a tight-knit group. Now, I was never a great player, but I knew how to play the objective, and keep opponents occupied while the heavy hitters did their thing.

But, like all good things, it eventually came to an end. And, as one of the last Spartans standing in the Syndicate, it was bittersweet to watch it go. But I always have good memories of the wins, the fun playing custom games, and the friendships made.

PyroMancyr

I remember me and my cousin played co-op in Halo 3 and all Halo games every day. Then he moved and I haven't seen him since.

ASHERBETAS

Horas de juego en el multijugador con conocidos y amigos.

Xx10deCopasxX

I remember the first time I played Halo: Combat Evolved on Xbox. My friend and I were doing a 1v1, and he kept switching his weapons.

I asked, “Dude, how do you change weapons?”

He just said, “Y.”

I’m like, “Dude—because I want to change my weapon.”

He goes, “Y!"

"Because you’ve got two weapons. I want two weapons.”

Then he reaches over and presses the Y button on my controller.

We were like 8 years old.

Mad RussianX17

Halo came into my life with Halo 3, but over time I realized it wasn’t just a science-fiction story. It was a reflection of many of my own battles. There were periods when I felt depressed, sad, and without the strength to keep going. Days when simply moving forward felt like a lost war. And yet, Halo was always there.

In Halo: Combat Evolved, I learned that waking up alone, without fully understanding what’s happening around you, doesn’t mean you’re lost. Sometimes you just have to take the first step, even if you don’t know where it will lead. In Halo 2, I understood that the world isn’t black and white, and that even “enemies” carry their own stories and pain. With Halo 3, where it all began for me, I learned that even when everything feels like it’s ending, there’s always one last mission, one final attempt, one reason to keep fighting.

Halo 3: ODST stayed with me during silent nights, when loneliness felt heavier than usual. It taught me that you don’t have to be the strongest to endure, and that getting lost in the dark is also part of the journey. In Halo: Reach, I learned about sacrifice that not every story has a happy ending, but that it can still be meaningful. That falling while defending something important is also a kind of victory.

Halo 4 spoke to me about humanity: about what it means to feel, to lose, and to keep going anyway. It reminded me that even the strongest grow tired. In Halo 5: Guardians, I saw inner conflict the struggle between who we are and who others expect us to be, and I learned that questioning yourself doesn’t make you weak. And with Halo Infinite, I learned that even when the world is broken, you can always begin again. That after everything, hope still remains.

Halo taught me how to endure when I had no strength left. To move forward when I felt empty. To understand that being broken doesn’t mean being finished. It wasn’t just a game. It was a refuge, a quiet companion, a voice that told me, “Hold on a little longer.”

Halo is part of who I am because when I couldn’t keep going, the Master Chief kept walking and I walked with him.

Happy 25th Anniversary, Halo.

Manuelsr117

Desde niño jugaba Halo Reach en Xbox 360, y fue un juego que marcó mi infancia hasta la fecha. Ahora que conseguí la Master Chief Collection, no dejo de jugarlo. Para mí y para todos, Halo no es un simple juego: es un recuerdo y un refugio. ¡HALO POR SIEMPRE!

nachitokark327

I remember it was Christmas in 2001 and I was lucky enough to get the Xbox that came with either Halo: Combat Evolved or Brute Force. Since Dad cared for me, he got me Halo.

I remember turning it on and then unleashing bullets in every direction as my little hands tried to fumble with the controller. It turned to night and I go to bed, excited to wake up and play my new game. In the middle of the night, I feel a hand shaking me awake! It was Dad sitting on my bed with an excited look on his face.

“I did it,” he said, all excited. I asked what was he doing in my room and he said, “Shh, watch the MASTER finish the game again.” He then proceeded to play through the last level and show me the ending.

Happily he says, “See! I’m the MASTER of Halo."

Then he said good night and turned off the TV and left the room. One of the first and my favorite memories. Didn’t even care that the ending was spoiled!

TouchMyGoolies

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Williamaftn9650

I never fit in when I was younger. I was always the odd one out, and never really had a purpose or interest. Then I got into video games and creative storytelling with the Halo franchise.

Ever since then, I've learned to adapt and overcome and have made many friends along the way. Thanks, Microsoft, 343, and Bungie. ♥ See you all at HaloFest 2026!

Sybermancer#2575

My favorite Halo memory was going to my best friend’s house during school breaks to play LAN together. He had tons of TVs and Xboxes set up in his game room, which made for so many hours of fun for all of us. LAN parties just hit differently—and having so many buddies together to play Halo was something so fun in the moment and nostalgic to think about today. Pizza, soda, and Halo—just couldn’t beat that. We didn’t know how good we had it back in the day.

Sin shoot2kill

In past and present years, I have been playing Halo in general because it gives me a space where I can find peace and be myself.

Robbygamer7218

Halo me ha encantado desde hace 3 años. Me fascina su diseño; los Spartans tienen un diseño increíble. He pasado un buen rato en el multijugador. Me fascina pasar tiempo jugando las campañas y el multijugador.

Estoy agradecido por semejante obra de arte. Ver a un Spartan de Halo 4 es una imagen genial, y Halo: Reach también es increíble. Este es un pequeño texto escrito con cariño. :3

Atte., Tadeo

BlackStorm07518

I can't remember which Halo this was, but my brother and I were young kids. Always got into fights and always made fun of one another. I'm his youngest sister that was supposed to be younger brother but hey, they got what they got. Anyways.

Despite our fights, Halo is what brought us together. It's what got me to watch him to play games that I was too young to play. It's what got me now to game for fun and enjoy the adventure. My brother and I would spend days after school playing Halo together. We loved campaign mode and took it as if we were in an actual war. Yelling, screaming, but also laughing with one another. We played it for days until we finally beat the campaign.

I cherish this memory since we're grown now. But we find the time to continue to play games with each other to this day.

Mutant

It's less of a memory and more of an ongoing story. I am the Staff Advisor for esports at the University of New Mexico.

Young gamers lead the way and have over 100-plus classmates who are an active part of the competitive teams across 10-plus game titles, including Halo infinite.

Each time I recall a memory from Halo: Combat Evolved on the original Xbox, it's about a LAN party or playing with friends. The one true component to making all of this worthwhile is sharing the human experience with others. It was teaching frienemies certain firing lanes and lineups and tactics for being a better competitor. Without others to play with, none of this is as special.

In the hopes of creating similar feelings and outcomes for many young gamers, I continue to support esports and they will always learn about what a difference it makes to have someone support you and cheer you on even when they don't fully understand the game or why you're so driven by being one of the best at it.

To all of the Spartans who choose to be better and make these spaces more inclusive and welcoming, I salute you.

Thanks for the memories and thanks for the spark that drives me to support K20 Esports in New Mexico to this day. NMAA supports high- and middle school esports now, soon it will be elementary. North America as a region needs this infrastructure to better develop our gaming and esports communities to one day be the best version of such spaces. We can be better and it is up to us, together, to continue that work. Let's go, Lobos!

omni prime

I'm 35, and me and my friend played Halo every day making sure we were ready to play Legendary when the time came. We were and we did.

From there we played Halo 2, Halo 3 and online together. I didn't have an Xbox so it was great that Halo had that option to play split-screen play through and online. We were just kids spending hours fighting the Flood off.

I had a GameCube, and I loved it… But it didn't have Halo. I even wrote a letter in 7th grade asking for Halo on GameCube. I never got a response (lol).

Years later, I was able to get an Xbox One X and finally have the collection for my own. Playing Halo Infinite feels like a step in time while being grounded in the present. It's great. That said, as a PS5 owner I couldn't be more excited to hear about the remastered Halo coming to PS5. In a way it was like my dream of having it come to my system was heard. Here's to Halo and many more years of Master Chief.

BladeRunner#1167

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GangDog917

My favorite memory is beating the Halo: Reach campaign with one of my friends and just playing Halo in general.

EggHead122942

I remember when COVID hit, my friend and I went through every Halo on Legendary (except for Halo 2; it took us an hour to finish the first mission!).

Even though we died so many times while doing that, it was one of the best memories I've had while playing Halo. Also playing Halo 3 for the first time was the best and saddest just watching my favorite character Sgt. Johnson dying.

Dolphin man200

Back when Halo had an E3 FFA tournament, I came first place in the tournament. It was in LA at E3 Fan Fest 2017, and got to meet Frank O'Connor in person and went to E3 for winning two tickets and an awesome Xbox. Core memory.

Shreyas

I'll never forget this. I was probably 11 or 12 when I played Halo: Combat Evolved for the first time at my friend's house sometime in 2011–2012. We were playing campaign and had just made it to the first beacon tower after landing on Halo. My friend goes, "I can't wait for you to see the Flood later."

I replied "What is that, like a flood of water?" He shook his head no. Then I asked, "Is it like waves of enemies?" but he gave no more information.

We slayed through the next few levels and then made it to 343 Guilty Spark, and it was here that my buddy got noticeably more excited. I noticed, but I was now fighting some anxiety because the tonal shift to suspense/horror was noticeable, and I’m not a horror guy.

We advanced down the structure and then came to the legendary helmet cam scene, and by this point, my heart is absolutely pounding in my ears. Suddenly, the creepy music starts, the motion tracker lights up like a flare, and the infection forms came flooding through the room.

I cannot convey the horror I felt at that moment. I don’t remember the specifics after that initial reveal, but I remember fleeing that room, getting lost in that maze of a level, and my heart pounding until we made it to the surface and saw the marines.

It was here that my buddy goes, “That was the Flood.”

Twenty-five years later, that experience is as clear as the day it happened, and Halo became my favorite franchise from that day forth.

Saint Richey

I remember when Halo: Combat Evolved first came out. The box cover itself was so intriguing to me. I was really young and did not have an Xbox at the time. One day a really good friend of mine invited me over to play a game with him, at first I had no clue it was actually Halo: CE.

He told me "Dude, I have this game where we can snipe aliens!" So I got on my bike and went over. The title screen popped up and said, "HALO: Combat Evolved." I was excited to finally play it.

We played for hours. Definitely a fond memory in my life I will never forget. Thanks for being a great friend, Ryan!

ac MACHO MAN

From ages 8-14, I played on my dad's old Xbox 360 while he played on his Xbox One. I am now 15 and I got a new Xbox One (mostly because my Xbox 360 got the Red Ring of Death). The very first game I played was Halo 3. I mostly played the campaign on easy until I was 12 and I was grinding it on Legendary, and let's just say it was so difficult but so fun! I got all of the Skulls and Achievements, and I still love Halo to this day.

Bobby.P.H

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For 25 years you've made countless friendships, memories, and inspirations, not only for me but for millions of others across the globe. Through the good, bad, and the ugly, I've stood by your side and I have no plans on leaving. From the first 25, hopefully for the next 25! Let's make this year a memorable one! Thank You, Halo!

@trashpanda_cosplay

I remember the first time seeing Halo. The astonishment at the world with a hidden history sitting in my friends basement playing Halo 3 on Legendary with be with me every time I see an Xbox.

Thank you, Halo, for those days that will be with me for life.

KazTheCr0w

I remember as a kid I first played the first Halo game when I was sux years old. I remember playing it so many times that I skipped so many breakfasts just so that I could play it.

I have not stopped playing Halo for so many years and I really love the community. Halo has been one of my all-time favorite first-person shooter games on Xbox, and I'm so happy that it is celebrating 25 years!

Bear3658

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I've been playing Halo for many years and it's probably the most played game of my life.

Playing custom games has always been a treat to meet other people and turn the great sessions of Halo into a legendary memory.

I have a few clips I've gathered other the years from Halo: The Master Chief Collection since the PC flight because I could finally start recording clips.

TheFreckledGECKO

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I love chasing people until they notice in Halo 2. Very cool!

jaikoomelhor

For many, Halo is simply a shooter—a tale of super-soldiers and alien covenants. But for me, born in the spring of '97, it is the backdrop of my entire life. I haven’t just played these games; I have walked alongside John-117 since the very first time we stepped onto the ring. My shelf doesn't just hold a complete collection of every title released; it holds the timeline of my own growth.

Growing up with this saga did more than just entertain me; it shaped my future. I was captivated by the sheer scale of the Forerunner architecture—those monolithic, geometric structures that defied time and gravity. Where others saw a battlefield, I saw systems, mechanics, and design. That curiosity, sparked amidst the silver corridors and holographic interfaces, is what led me to become an engineer. Halo taught me that functionality and grandeur are not mutually exclusive, and that complex problems require precise solutions.

And then, there is the soul of the universe: the art and the score. The music—ranging from haunting Gregorian chants to driving tribal percussion—did not just fill the silence of space; it refined my artistic sensibility. It showed me that even in the cold vacuum of a galactic war, there is room for beauty, mystery, and awe.

Looking at my collection today, I feel a deep sense of pride. These aren't just plastic cases; they are milestones. Halo sparked the engineer's mind I use every day and inspired the appreciation for art I carry in my heart. I am proud to have finished the fight, again and again, as I grew from a child into the professional I am today.

elitezealot331

Hola, soy mexicano y les contaré mi historia con Halo. Cuando era niño, yo jugué millones de veces Halo 3 y fue el mejor juego que jugué. Ya ahorita, siendo un adolescente, ya jugué toda la Master Chief Collection y debo decir que son simplemente hermosos. Su narrativa, los personajes, los colores, los vehículos, las armas, los gráficos—todo eso estuvo bien estructurado y no he parado de jugar Halo. ¡Saludos!

EdgarAlejandro117

...by making me cry as a seven-year-old.

Halo was one of the first FPS games I ever played, although I didn't get very far. I was about seven years old, and my uncle got me to sit down and try to play it. He described it to me, and it seemed incredible. I watched him play Combat Evolved, he played through The Pillar of Autumn and I was just loving it.

There is a funny ending in the fact that, when we got to the second level, Halo, he handed me the controller and when I walked out of the escape pod I just… couldn't keep going

I was only seven, so I have no idea why, but something about the enormity of the scenery and the idea of having to fight the Elites myself (they were very particularly intimidating to me) just frightened the hell out of little me. I put the controller down and left.

I didn't see any more of the game until plenty of years later, right about when I was 15 and I saw Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam. I wasn't clueless, but I'd never played any of Halo in the eight years between those days, so I wanted to experience it, and I did.

It's quickly become one of my favorite game series ever, and since then I've played every single Halo game I possibly could (even Fireteam Raven!). I'm so glad my uncle helped imprint that memory right into my brain, even though I wasn't pleased with it at the time. All I can say is that I'm very relieved seven-year-old old me didn't see any of the Flood.

CT-1118

When I was 12 in 2019, I would play Halo: Reach in the afternoon with all my friends (I also finished the LASO of Reach one week ago, and I'm French, by the way).

I love Halo: Reach so much. I start playing when I was seven and it's still my favorite game of all time. I buy all the merch I can, I love it so much!

Terraster

I must begin by saying that Halo has been the video game that has accompanied me throughout my life. I still remember when I was given my original Xbox for the first time. I remember so clearly that it came with Halo: Combat Evolved. That first day, I spent hours trying to complete the first mission, "The Pillar of Autumn." It was fun and even a little terrifying because I felt the pressure of having to escape and save the ship at the same time.

There were so many emotions throughout the game that each mission felt like an epic story, like trying to fight something a thousand times bigger than me. I can say that the mission that marked me the most was "343 Guilty Spark." In that mission, you could feel the tension in every corner, the fear; it's as if something isn't right, and it makes you feel vulnerable. That's what makes it special because for the first time, we're facing something unknown.

Besides this installment, I've also played the successors like Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo 4, Halo Wars, and Halo: Reach. I've played all of these because each new installment is very special to me, even though I'm sometimes criticized.

For me, each installment feels like a masterpiece because you can feel the detail and the effort put into giving this great community a new experience. Even though I haven't been able to try newer installments like Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Infinite, and the upcoming Halo: Campaign Evolved, I still feel that same excitement seeing the detail and effort put into each new release. And I want to thank you all for everything you've given to this community and to me. Thank you!

El360muertes

Seeing large-scale battles between Flood and covenant on Installation 04.

Lightblade47

This is long journey story when I became a Halo fan and still have the love of the game.

When I first started playing Halo was on someone's original Xbox back when I was six years old. I never had a gaming console in my life. I loved shooting things, so I got to learn to play a game and learned how to play Halo. When I first got to the scene of the Flood, the music and enemies scared me. Then I moved to another country to live and become a Canadian citizen.

Then I got to play on the Xbox when I was 11 years old and managed to try playing Halo 3 on the Xbox 360 and it was fun times when I played my first ever Multiplayer match.

I suck at the Multiplayer because it was my first time fighting other people in any first-person shooter. When I reached 12 years old, my dad bought me an Xbox 360, and when I turned 13, I asked my mom to pre-order Halo 4 when it came out on November, and then, at Christmas, my dad bought me Halo 3 so I could finish the playing the game.

I also found my first ever friend in Halo 4, and we became friends for a very long time. I played Halo 4 Forge all the time when I did not have Xbox Live for my Xbox 360. I went for shopping with my parents to buy Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and it was nostalgic and familiar when I finally played it without being stopped because someone wants to play a different game.

When I turned 16, I managed to get a job while in high school and I was going through a lot of stressful life. During the weekend, I went through the mall and there was a GameStop shop where I could get games. I was going through the bins of games being returned and then I found Halo: Reach and Halo Wars being sold at a cheap price. I took the games and bought them with my hard-earned money. I played the Halo: Reach campaign for hours on end and customized my Spartan and Elite.

During high school, I was with my seniors talking about games, anime, and everything in-between. He was a fan of Halo also and lets me borrow his Halo 2 and he had one of those special editions with the hard steel casing. I played all of Halo 2's Campaign—and finishing the game on Legendary took me forever because of Jackal snipers!

Then I played Halo Wars, my very first RTS game. I learned to play the game and loved every scene. After my Xbox Live expired, I couldn't play for three years because I was trying to save to for a new bag (because my bag always falls apart when I have so much in my bag). I graduated high school, I found myself a better job that pays decently, and I can now keep my Xbox Live up every year.

When I hit 20 years old, I sold my Xbox 360 and bought myself a PS5 because it had games from one of my favorite franchises to play, MobileSuit Gundam. At 22 I bought myself a basic gaming PC to play Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam.

When 2020 and the Halo Infinite announcement came around, I saved my money to upgrade my graphics cards and RAM to play Halo Infinite. I managed to find all the upgrade nodes and finished Halo Infinite on Legendary. I always beat every Halo game on Legendary!

I played Halo for the memories that I made with people, the bonds I share. All gone.

I played Halo Wars 2 when I was 24 years old on my PC when I finally manage to get it on Xbox App for PC. I loved playing that game and bought all the DLCs to play different stories and fought waves of Flood in a Firefight in Halo Wars 2. Seeing all the new vehicles and learning new game mechanics made me love every moment of that game.

Until this day in 2026, I still love Halo, then and now.

GN Double O

I first played Halo with my mom when I was five and I was hooked. I started playing through all the games, looking at videos, even started making my own props with what skills and cardboard I had.

I just want to say Halo will always have a place in my heart during the good and even the bad times.

Jhomes117

I was five years old when I first played Halo. My brother and I loved it, we would play split screen all the time and play campaign. It was the best time of my life.

Thirteen years later, I'm still a fan. I'm 17 now and I miss my brother and I play Halo every day, all day.

Kethvoromi

Some of my first and fondest memories with Halo, and any gaming in general, was playing Halo 3 with my father. I still play with him sometimes, and I'm so grateful for the memories I've made with this game.

BALKI

When I was 12, my cousins ​​and I would get together at my house and spend hours and hours playing Halo: Reach on my Xbox 360. We would build and have a lot of fun playing in Forge. I remember playing all night and not sleeping until the next day.

Marcss2012

I love Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer. I have had many memories playing it back in 2016–2017. It was my life, alongside Mortal Kombat X. Playing Warzone, SWAT, Super Fiesta, Infection, and customs with randos and friends was legendary.

I remember losing, getting teabagged, getting my salty run back, Castle Wars, and custom games like Escape From Prison. Crazy how all that was nine or ten years ago!

VMJCV117

Hello Spartans, I wanted to tell the entire community that I love this game. I've been playing Halo since I was a child. I smiled. I had fun. This franchise marked my childhood. Today is a VERY special day for this game that is loved by many Spartans like me, so thank you for everything!

KINGDMAX23

I was about six when Halo 3 released on Xbox 360. My dad brought home the Master Chief green console and we popped in Halo 3 together. It was the first game that we bonded over and got me into the series as a young kid.

To this day, I still have extremely fond memories of this series and the time I spent playing with my dad. I still play almost daily, enjoying every moment over and over.

This series will always have my heart and I am so excited for what the future holds for Master Chief and the Halo series.

KingNothing1140

Every Friday, we fought against everything because we were together and loved our style of gaming. We perfected our use of guns, maps, tactics, playing systems, and communication.

There was no enemy, no clan, even Austrian clans, we were frightened of. Not just because we were friends, but because we were a Clan. We were a clan because we were friends.

We will never forget this time and never regret.

FUG CLAN FOREVER. FOREVER FUG CLAN.

FUG x Nirzer

Halo: Combat Evolved was the first FPS I ever played. It was one day when I stayed over at my cousin's house. He was very young and had just started playing video games; he had no experience at all. This was evident when he asked me to help him right at the beginning of the game, where after a door explodes you have to jump over some pipes to get to the other corridor. Who would have thought that after 25 years I would still remember that moment?

LastPaladinX

Watch on Youtube

Started playing Halo about ten years ago. I am now 16. I've been top three in my country for Halo Ranked. I love almost all the campaigns and characters, and hope Halo keeps going and expanding.

DAEMONKEY2009

All year long, we’ll be inviting Halo fans to share their favorite Halo memories, celebrate Halo's iconic legacy, and vote on community polls to help us tell the whole Halo story.

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