Games

Halo: Campaign Evolved

Later this week, a new generation of UNSC adventurers will exit slipspace over Alpha Halo during Halo: Campaign Evolved’s Early Access launch.



To prep you for storming the sacred ring, we’re issuing mission-critical intel on the Early Access schedule, platform-specific pre-load timelines, and a few pro tips from Halo Support to streamline your first foray into Halo: Campaign Evolved!



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Early Access Launch Schedule</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_Release_Table_Waypoint.jpg" alt="Halo: Campaign Evolved global release schedule. Early Access and Global Launch times are represented as dots over major world cities with localized regional launch times." class="wp-image-170711" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_Release_Table_Waypoint.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_Release_Table_Waypoint-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_Release_Table_Waypoint-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_Release_Table_Waypoint-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_Release_Table_Waypoint-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_Release_Table_Waypoint-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



If you pre-ordered the Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved, you can enjoy Early Access play starting Thursday, July 23 (8:00 a.m. PDT). For quick reference, you can find that time localized to major cities around the world below:



<ul>
<li>Seattle: Thursday, July 23 (8:00 a.m. PDT)</li>



<li>Mexico City: Thursday, July 23 (9:00 a.m. CST)</li>



<li>New York: Thursday, July 23 (11:00 a.m. EDT)</li>



<li>São Paulo: Thursday, July 23 (12:00 p.m. BRT)</li>



<li>London: Thursday, July 23 (4:00 p.m. BST)</li>



<li>Berlin: Thursday, July 23 (5:00 p.m. CEST)</li>



<li>Riyadh: Thursday, July 23 (6:00 p.m. AST)</li>



<li>New Delhi: Thursday, July 23 (8:30 p.m. IST)</li>



<li>Hong Kong: Thursday, July 23 (11:00 p.m. HKT)</li>



<li>Tokyo: Friday, July 24 (12:00 a.m. JST)</li>



<li>Sydney: Friday, July 24 (1:00 a.m. AEST)</li>



<li>Auckland: Friday, July 24 (3:00 a.m. NZST)</li>
</ul>



There’s still time to <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-campaign-evolved/buy">pre-order the Premium Edition</a> to unlock the <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-campaign-evolved-pre-order-bonuses-and-editions">Foundry Armory Pack</a> and enjoy up to five days of Early Access starting July 23. (Pre-order bonuses are available now through July 28, 2026.)



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pre-Load Details</h2>



Early Access players (Premium and Collector’s Editions) will be able to play on all platforms beginning July 23, 8:00 a.m. PDT. 



Here’s a breakdown of the supported pre-load options ahead of Early Access and General Access launch. 



July 22, 8:00 a.m. PDT



<ul>
<li>XBOX Series X|S: Collector’s Edition, Premium Edition, Standard Edition</li>



<li>Windows PC: Premium Edition, Standard Edition</li>



<li>PlayStation®5: Collector’s Edition, Premium Edition</li>
</ul>



July 23, 8:00 a.m. PDT



<ul>
<li>Steam*: Standard Edition</li>
</ul>



July 26, 8:00 a.m. PDT



<ul>
<li>PlayStation®5: Standard Edition</li>
</ul>



*Early Access players on Steam (Premium and Collector’s Edition) will be able to download the game when Early Access begins at 8:00 a.m. PDT on July 23.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Global Launch</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_KeyArt_Horizontal_Waypoint.jpg" alt="Halo: Campaign Evolved key art. The Master Chief John-117 stands ready for action in a beautiful pinelands on Halo." class="wp-image-170767" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_KeyArt_Horizontal_Waypoint.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_KeyArt_Horizontal_Waypoint-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_KeyArt_Horizontal_Waypoint-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_KeyArt_Horizontal_Waypoint-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_KeyArt_Horizontal_Waypoint-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_KeyArt_Horizontal_Waypoint-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Starting July 28 (8:00 a.m. PDT), all editions of Halo: Campaign Evolved will be available to install and play on any supported platform. Day 1 availability for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers begins at the same time.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Microsoft Accounts</h2>



Halo: Campaign Evolved supports shared story checkpoints, collectibles, and customizations across all your preferred platforms. To keep track of your campaign progress, Skulls, and more, Microsoft accounts and Gamertags are required to play Halo: Campaign Evolved.



If you already have an XBOX Gamertag, simply log in with the affiliated Microsoft account when prompted during the first time you play Halo: Campaign Evolved.



Halo newcomers can ensure the smoothest start to their campaign experience by <a href="https://aka.ms/HaloCEAccount">creating a free Microsoft account today</a> online or from a mobile phone. You’ll also get to choose a suitable Gamertag to share with your IRL friends for cross-platform party invites!



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Linking Cross-Platform Accounts</h2>



Upon loading into Halo: Campaign Evolved for the first time, PlayStation®5 and Steam players will be prompted to link their PlayStation® or Steam ID to their Microsoft account. This step is required to access your existing friends lists so you can campaign together.



To get you into the action, Halo Support has prepared a short, step-by-step guide on linking cross-platform accounts to your Microsoft account:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/50854344223508-Account-Linking-Unlinking-in-Halo-Campaign-Evolved">Account Linking and Unlinking in Halo: Campaign Evolved</a></li>
</ul>



Whether you play on XBOX, PlayStation®, or Steam, you’ll find friends playing Halo: Campaign Evolved on the same platform in the “Platform Friends” pane of the “Play Co-Op” menu.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Adding Cross-Platform Allies</h2>



To add friends who play on other platforms, you’ll simply need to know their Gamertag (registrants of new Microsoft accounts will choose one during setup). You can then search for and add your friends’ Gamertags to your XBOX friends list in a variety of ways:



<ul>
<li>Online at XBOX.com</li>



<li>From the XBOX Game Bar (on Windows PC)</li>



<li>In the XBOX mobile app</li>
</ul>



Once successfully added to your XBOX friends list, cross-platform friends will appear in the “Cross-Platform Friends” list of the “Play Co-op” menu whenever they’re online.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Joining a Fireteam</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-MainMenu-XBOX-CoOp_Selected_Waypoint.jpg" alt="Halo: Campaign Evolved main menu. A blinking dot appears beside the "Play Co-op" menu option." class="wp-image-170725" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-MainMenu-XBOX-CoOp_Selected_Waypoint.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-MainMenu-XBOX-CoOp_Selected_Waypoint-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-MainMenu-XBOX-CoOp_Selected_Waypoint-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-MainMenu-XBOX-CoOp_Selected_Waypoint-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-MainMenu-XBOX-CoOp_Selected_Waypoint-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-MainMenu-XBOX-CoOp_Selected_Waypoint-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Whenever friends are online, you’ll see a blinking indicator beside the “Play Co-op” option in the main menu. Find a friend on the “Platform Friends” or “Cross-Platform Friends” lists to join up on their session or invite them to your Fireteam as session host.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PC Specifications</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_PC_Specs_Waypoint.jpg" alt="Halo: Campaign Evolved minimum PC requirements." class="wp-image-170739" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_PC_Specs_Waypoint.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_PC_Specs_Waypoint-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_PC_Specs_Waypoint-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_PC_Specs_Waypoint-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_PC_Specs_Waypoint-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE_PC_Specs_Waypoint-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



To confront the challenges that await you on Alpha Halo, you’ll need at least these minimum PC specs:



<ul>
<li>CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7-10700K</li>



<li>GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super / AMD Radeon RX 6600 / Intel Arc A580</li>



<li>VRAM: 8 GB</li>



<li>RAM: 16 GB</li>



<li>Storage: 100 GB SSD</li>



<li>OS: Windows 10 22H2 64-bit or Windows 11</li>
</ul>



For more info on recommended specs for higher graphics settings and quick links to update NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel drivers, please visit Halo Support’s full <a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/50857308235924-PC-Specifications-Drivers-for-Halo-Campaign-Evolved">PC specifications guide</a>.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PC Optimization</h2>



Bred for combat, built for performance. Turn your rig into the meanest, greenest Covenant-slaying machine possible with the official Halo Support guide to <a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/50838935942292-Optimizing-your-PC-Experience-in-Halo-Campaign-Evolved">advanced PC optimization</a>, featuring pointers on adjusting graphics quality, upscaling, resolution, GPU async, load, frame generation and limits, and more.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Accessibility Settings</h2>



Halo: Campaign Evolved invites heroes to defend humanity on their own terms, with their preferred play configurations. Customize your experience with a wide range of accessibility settings, including input management, aim settings, custom control bindings, audio narration, HUD look and feel, UI language, menu animations, and much more.



Read more: <a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/50814875067028-Accessibility-in-Halo-Campaign-Evolved">Accessibility in Halo: Campaign Evolved</a>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Twitch Drops</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-StreamOfTheCrop-Promo-16x9_Waypoint.jpg" alt="The Stream of the Crop Armor Style Twitch Drops reward." class="wp-image-170753" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-StreamOfTheCrop-Promo-16x9_Waypoint.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-StreamOfTheCrop-Promo-16x9_Waypoint-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-StreamOfTheCrop-Promo-16x9_Waypoint-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-StreamOfTheCrop-Promo-16x9_Waypoint-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-StreamOfTheCrop-Promo-16x9_Waypoint-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/HCE-StreamOfTheCrop-Promo-16x9_Waypoint-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



Speaking of “hot drops,” be on the lookout for a chance to earn the exclusive Stream of the Crop Mark V Armor Style through Twitch Drops. We’ll have more info to share on our <a href="https://linktr.ee/Halo">social channels</a> soon!



In the meantime, it’s a good idea to <a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/4415570792724-How-to-Claim-Halo-Twitch-Drops">link your Twitch account</a> ahead of time, so you can claim your customizations through Halo Waypoint.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Modding Guidelines</h2>



With Halo: Campaign Evolved, our intention from the start was to leave the door open to the modding community. We will not be offering official modding tools, support, or Steam Workshop integration, but the team deliberately avoided putting any blockers in place that would prevent modders from working in and with this content. We look forward to seeing, and playing, modded creations, but we also want to make sure nobody finds themselves in a problematic situation.



If you are interested in modding Halo: Campaign Evolved, please be mindful of the following:



<ul>
<li>Halo Studios and Microsoft do not approve, endorse, nor accept any liability for modded content or experiences.</li>



<li>You may not distribute mods that contain a substantial part of our copyrightable code or content, nor may you distribute modded versions of Halo: Campaign Evolved.</li>



<li>Mods must not circumvent game entitlement checks, account authentication requirements, or otherwise permit access to official locked, unreleased, or premium in-game content.</li>



<li>Only non-commercial mods are permitted for Halo: Campaign Evolved. You may not sell or otherwise monetize Halo content or experiences built with Halo IP or underlying technology.</li>



<li>Microsoft reserves the right to shut down modded experiences that are a conflict of interest.</li>



<li>Do not make inappropriate or offensive content or experiences.</li>



<li>Do not use 3rd party IP without IP holder permission.</li>



<li>Abide by the <a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/developers/rules">XBOX Game Content Usage Rules</a>.</li>
</ul>



We are excited to see the types of creations the Halo modding community comes up but please make sure to follow the rules. Failure to comply with Microsoft, 3rd Party, platform, and legal requirements may result in legal action.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Additional Support</h2>



Follow <a href="https://x.com/HaloSupport">@HaloSupport</a> on X for the latest updates. If you run into issues while playing Halo: Campaign Evolved, <a href="https://support.halowaypoint.com">visit the Halo Support site</a> to browse for more helpful how-to resources or submit a support ticket.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Brace for Impact</h2>



“The object we found. I’m going to try to land the Autumn on it.”



Halo: Campaign Evolved is a legendary adventure 25 years in the making. Whether you’re a battle-hardened Spartan or a Halo newcomer, we’re so excited to fight beside you.



If you’re looking for the latest intel (or something to read while your game installs), check out these recent Halo Waypoint posts for a glimpse at all that awaits on Alpha Halo:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/inside-the-art-of-campaign-evolved">Inside the Art of Halo: Campaign Evolved</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/co-op-remix-laso-livestream-halo-campaign-evolved">Co-op, Remix, and LASO Community Stream</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-campaign-evolved-story-reveal">Halo: Campaign Evolved Official Story Trailer</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-campaign-evolved-new-missions-reveal-trailer">Operation: METEORITE New Missions Reveal Trailer</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-campaign-evolved-pre-order-bonuses-and-editions">Pre-Order Bonuses and Editions</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/silent-cartographer-third-person-gameplay-halo-campaign-evolved">Silent Cartographer Third-Person Gameplay</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/first-look-assault-on-the-control-room-halo-campaign-evolved">First Look: Assault on the Control Room</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved">Halo: Campaign Evolved Achievement List</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/skulls-campaign-remix-halo-campaign-evolved">42 Collectible Skulls and Campaign Remix</a></li>
</ul>



Featuring the timeless and lovingly rebuilt Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, Operation: METEORITE’s riveting new recon missions, 42 Skulltacular collectibles, the endless possibilities of Campaign Remix, two-player split-screen co-op on consoles, four-player cross-platform co-op, and the most humbling LASO challenge yet, Halo: Campaign Evolved is the definitive return trip through one of gaming’s greatest journeys.



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<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-campaign-evolved/buy">Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition</a> of Halo: Campaign Evolved to receive the Foundry Armory Pack and up to five days of Early Access play starting July 23, 2026.

Halo Studios

Early Access begins July 23.

Get Ready for Early Access | Halo: Campaign Evolved

Inside the Art of Campaign Evolved

Community

Today on our recent livestream featuring Halo: Campaign Evolved, we played split-screen co-op, assembled a lobby of 4 players for a lively session of Remix, and debuted the final lineup of Skulls used in the infamous Legendary All Skulls On (aka “LASO”) mode.



If you missed the show, you can watch it here on YouTube! 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Co-Op, Remix, & LASO Livestream | Halo: Campaign Evolved" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s5Ikef1DvY0?start=845&feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halo: Campaign Evolved</a> launches this month on July 28 – or as early as next week on July 23 if you <a href="https://aka.ms/HCEBuyNow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pre-order the Premium Edition</a> to get up to 5 days of Early Access.  



__________________________________________  



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">LASO Skulls</h3>



After you find the Skulls below in-game, you’ll unlock the ability to play through the game using the LASO setting. Completing the entire game on LASO not only earns you tons of respect on the streets of New Mombasa, but it also earns you the<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> “MYTHIC” Achievement</a>.   



Note: If anyone in your Fireteam has Difficulty Modifiers enabled, this Achievement will not unlock. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Skull </td><td>Description </td></tr><tr><td>Iron </td><td>Dying in co-op resets you to your last checkpoint, dying while solo restarts the level </td></tr><tr><td>Black Eye   </td><td>Your shields will only recharge when you melee enemies </td></tr><tr><td>Fog   </td><td>Motion Tracker is disabled </td></tr><tr><td>Famine   </td><td>Weapons dropped by enemies contain half the ammo </td></tr><tr><td>Thunderstorm  </td><td>Upgrades the rank of most enemies </td></tr><tr><td>Mythic    </td><td>Enemies have increased health </td></tr><tr><td>Grint Birthday Party   </td><td>Grunt headshots produce legendary celebrations </td></tr><tr><td>IWHBYD   </td><td>It would have been your dialogue </td></tr><tr><td>Boom   </td><td>Explosion radius is increased by 2x </td></tr><tr><td>Eye Patch   </td><td>All auto-aim is disabled for all weapons </td></tr><tr><td>Grunt Funeral    </td><td>Grunts die in a blaze of plasma </td></tr><tr><td>Malfunction  </td><td>Upon respawn a random element of your HUD no longer appears </td></tr><tr><td>That’s Just Wrong  </td><td>Enemies have increased awareness of the player </td></tr><tr><td>Speed Limit </td><td>Take your time, enjoy the sights! Disables sprint </td></tr><tr><td>Pop   </td><td>Shooting Flood in their weak point causes them to explode </td></tr><tr><td>Temperamental    </td><td>Allies will attack the player more quickly if the player kills a friendly </td></tr><tr><td>Johnny Ammo Seed  </td><td>When reloading you lose the ammo remaining in the discarded clip </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



________________________________________________________________ 



To learn even more about the game, be sure to check out these videos and articles:   



<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/6sUil_Tj_OQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Play Your Way | Skulls, Remix, & Co-Op</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/july-community-qa-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">July Community Q&A</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/june-community-qa-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">June Community Q&A</a>  </li>



<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MxBFXH2a_U" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cinematic Story Trailer</a>  </li>



<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4sUx2nX5EQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Missions Trailer | Operation: Meteorite</a></li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/C6JyOj-7tH8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">28 Minute Gameplay Demo | Assault on the Control Room</a></li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/6FLR_KM_sPA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3rd Person Gameplay | The Silent Cartographer</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Full</a><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Achievement & Trophy List</a></li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/e-tXi1NC_aU" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Developer Round Table Reveal</a></li>



<li><a href="https://gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2026/06/16/cover-reveal-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Game Informer Cover Art Reveal</a></li>
</ul>



<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-campaign-evolved/buy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved</a> and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

Unyshek

Co-Op, Remix, & LASO Livestream | Halo: Campaign Evolved

Canon Fodder

Fiction

Alex Wakeford

Issue 170

Canon Fodder: Lore de Force

Halo25Together

As part of Halo’s <a href="https://www.aka.ms/Halo25Launch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">25th anniversary celebration</a>, we’re inviting Halo fans from around the world to share favorite memories and vote on community polls in our <a href="https://discord.com/channels/471722331820130324/1464409121209188466" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">official Halo Discord server</a>. Follow @Halo on social media to join the fun! 



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Beep beep!



Vehicle use in Halo has two rules:



<ol>
<li>Attempt to bring whatever vehicle you’re in to places it doesn’t belong, via any means necessary</li>



<li>Pack the vehicle full of people (seats optional) and speed off in chase of the ever elusive amazing play (chaos required)</li>
</ol>



Optionally, you can use the vehicle solely as intended but where’s the fun in that? Before you ask, yes, we make the rules for this!



With these carefully curated rules of engagement in mind, we set out to discover what you find to be the most epic vehicle in Halo. Let’s check out the results!



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Looks More Like A Puma</h1>



What in the Sam Hell is a Puma???



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1600" height="1280" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/x16c3bcrk1id1-6a46c60fe2707.png" alt="Pixel art of a Warthog" class="wp-image-170099" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/x16c3bcrk1id1-6a46c60fe2707.png 1600w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/x16c3bcrk1id1-6a46c60fe2707-300x240.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/x16c3bcrk1id1-6a46c60fe2707-1024x819.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/x16c3bcrk1id1-6a46c60fe2707-768x614.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/x16c3bcrk1id1-6a46c60fe2707-1536x1229.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/x16c3bcrk1id1-6a46c60fe2707-1568x1254.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure>



<a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/halo/comments/1epll30/warthog_a_pixel_art_portrait/">Art by /u/TIEChief</a>



The quintessential team vehicle in Halo. You got a driver, a gunner, and a triple kill seat for someone brave enough to ride shotgun. There’s always a mad dash for the Warthog during matches for good reason. And then the beeping starts… Everyone knows you gotta honk the horn to get everyone’s attention and fill up the seats! Or just honk to honk so they hear you coming. Either way… Everyone’s favorite party bus takes home the top spot for the month!



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Tank (Almost) Beats Everything</h1>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Halo - Scorpion Tank - Drawing Timelapse" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EECUtxy-Uz4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Alas, seems the Scorpion beats everything except the Warthog this month. There’s a lot to love about the UNSC’s tank. It’s, well, tank-y and packs a punch, and there’s no better feeling than steamrolling your way across the battlefield.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Walk This Way</h1>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1170" height="1247" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/GmDmqz-WQAABLJb.jpg" alt="Futuristic scene of a Mantis being constructed." class="wp-image-170113" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/GmDmqz-WQAABLJb.jpg 1170w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/GmDmqz-WQAABLJb-281x300.jpg 281w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/GmDmqz-WQAABLJb-961x1024.jpg 961w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/GmDmqz-WQAABLJb-768x819.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px" /></figure>



<a href="https://x.com/Hartwell_Design/status/1900863294090699046">Art by @Hartwell_Design</a>



Taking the bronze (and <s>running</s> walking away with it) is the UNSC’s bipedal Mantis. It doesn’t drive, it arrives. Big, brash, and armed to the teeth, few things feel better than striding into the chaos and letting the missiles do the talking.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Reserve Rides</h1>



Of course, the list is not exhaustive and there’s tons of love for the Covenant’s floating flotillas (Wraiths, Ghosts, and Phantoms – oh my!), war(s) wagons (Jackrabbits, Blisterbacks, Cyclops, etc), and pretty much any vehicle found in a fleet or armada.



Plus Forky. Cannot forget the Forklift.



Raptormanzero: Oh boy, choices, choices. If I had to choose it would be the Warthog and Scorpion tank.



Se ‘Graevum: Seraph from Halo: Reach…now if only you could see your shields while driving one



Wade_Weinhmann: Scorpion, it’s obvious. The way you storming the Control room in Halo CE, going to Prophet of Regret in Halo 2, destroying the Scarab in The Ark mission in Halo 3, helping Spartans 4 to help UNSC infinity in Halo 4(can’t remember the mission name), killing both enemies in Halo 5, Prometheans and Covenant remnants. And finally, Halo Infinite, you are going to House of Reckoning in Scorpion to save pilot from death



Thee Snowman: Vultures!



SPARTAN A128: Tank beats everything



TrainedEye3461: I picked warthog, but it’s so hard to choose. The scorpion is just the best, and I also really like everything around the Blisterback. Its sound effects are so nice, and it being artillery is too fun to use (same with the Kodiak).



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/Fw9BbuAWcAMzgqO.jpg" alt="A Blisterback being carried by a Pelican" class="wp-image-170217" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/Fw9BbuAWcAMzgqO.jpg 1920w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/Fw9BbuAWcAMzgqO-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/Fw9BbuAWcAMzgqO-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/Fw9BbuAWcAMzgqO-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/Fw9BbuAWcAMzgqO-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/Fw9BbuAWcAMzgqO-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



<a href="https://x.com/DerGruneMann/status/1661618832941744128">Art by @DerGruneMann</a>



Reconsparten19: Cobra



Master freak: I’ll always say Warthog even if it’s basic. Like yeah, my warthog is pink. Get in, girls, we’re going shopping!



Wraith0912: ignoring my name, we need more love for the Scarab



Parall4x: Puma



Merchar2: Tank or wasp prob exept the wasp has like no hp 😭



Bobobojack: Cobra Stans where yall at



Irish: Falcon 🔥



S20boominator: We all know that 66 tonne of devine intervention is the way to make the covenant regret coming to earth



HaloBoxStudios: Forklift supremacy, who’s with me



Spy: Hornet gang wya?



#1 Wasp Fan: Wasp* *editor note: not sure what I expected here tbh



Brendan: The Halo Reach and Halo 4 Mongoose. For racing specifically. 🏎️



Killer Orca: The Mantis not only shows what the UNSC can do now but what it could do in the future Hannibal Weapon Systems made something terrifying. What could it lead to in the future…



Spirte: Tank beats Ghost! Tank beats Hunter! TANK BEATS EVERYTHING!



D77 Pelican: PELICAN make it a functional vehicle for campaign and multiplayer, make it an unarmed Uber transport if you have to, I just want to fly it and use the troop bay to ferry troops around…Speaking of I’d love someone to mod halo reach to replace the falcon with a pelican on “New Alexandria”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1707" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/EDJ-PjWwAAdYbE-scaled.jpg" alt="A Pelican created out of MegaConstrux" class="wp-image-170189" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/EDJ-PjWwAAdYbE-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/EDJ-PjWwAAdYbE-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/EDJ-PjWwAAdYbE-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/EDJ-PjWwAAdYbE-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/EDJ-PjWwAAdYbE-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/EDJ-PjWwAAdYbE-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/EDJ-PjWwAAdYbE-1568x1045.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></figure>



<a href="https://x.com/Tom_Jurassic/status/1167134884697182210">Pelican by @Tom_Jurassic</a>



PapyseiTheFloofySkeleton: I quite enjoy the idea of the Mammoth



Autobot117: I gotta go with the Jackrabbit, it’s such a cool design, I’d love to get it in an fps one day



Tibu: I loved the Kodiak in Halo Wars 2. They were defenseless on the move and couldn’t hit air units, but they absolutely made up for it with their massive damage and range once deployed.



TJ Bowcaster: All these vehicles are great but wit bout it where are we? The pelican has delivered us to our destination every day. Every battle every planet/ring. need a vehicle? Pelican has got your back! The Pelican: humanity’s greatest support asset.



Cybercommando317: The Phantom is my favorite vehicle out of all the games, followed by the Banshee and the Cyclops from Halo Wars. There’s a lot of vehicles from Halo Wars that i really like and i hope we can see at least some of them in a mainline Halo game.



The Last Air Gender: gotta go with the Gravity Throne. chief only gets to hitch a ride on one for a short time but it’s still fun



Giuse progamer9: Locust



Bandit: Forklift



HaloFanForLife1: I chose “other”. My other is the Pelican! Absolute favorite vehicle/small ship in all of Halo! I can’t wait for a poll for Capitol class starships! I’d choose the Infinity or Covie CSO.



S904 Jacob: Warthog for most human vehicle, scorpion for best tank. Props for ghost on maneuverability. But Covenant/banished hardware is fragile, just above that of glass.



UNSC México: AC-220 Vulture. Although we can’t control it directly, there’s something about the Vulture that makes it my favorite vehicle. It’s simply imposing, and I’d love to see it return in future Halo games.



HAYDN est1999: Forklift 4 lyfe.



AarontheGeek: Pelican would’ve been my vote



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1097" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/F2dq5zXXUA4HaDA-scaled.jpg" alt="A Pelican with two Spartans standing ready to board." class="wp-image-170203" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/F2dq5zXXUA4HaDA-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/F2dq5zXXUA4HaDA-300x129.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/F2dq5zXXUA4HaDA-1024x439.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/F2dq5zXXUA4HaDA-768x329.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/F2dq5zXXUA4HaDA-1536x658.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/F2dq5zXXUA4HaDA-2048x877.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/07/F2dq5zXXUA4HaDA-1568x672.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></figure>



<a href="https://x.com/BB12_fx/status/1686434132933431297">Art by @BB12_fx</a>



Slay Wilde: Falcon



RvBfollower117: Revenant



RoadDogTV: Forklift should be on the list



KUNAROLOVE: Falcon is my top favorite vehicle but with the driver also having a gun. mega mantis mod in all honesty the mods for vehicles from rejected shotgun are just awesome there are so many usable vehicles and i think personally most of them could be added idk why we are just limited to the original same vehicles be different add vehicles from like halo wars heck even add the pelican or a drivable phantom in all honesty i feel like an all out war would be sick bigger maps bigger teams on each side maybe breakable buildings too could be interesting.



Billy Cobb: Chopper



S-49-49-55: Spirt of Fire



Ani: Spectre



Xoowesor: Tank beats everything.



SeaMagician703: We need the Cyclops in a mainline game alongside the Mantis



Saucy McSauceFace: The Mantis is soooo much fun. Halo AND mechs? C’mon now 🔥



Cheesewizard: What about the gungoose!



Warbrand2: Need more Vulture. Truthfully I think the vulture, grizzly, and  wolverine are the best vehicles in halo. Too bad they only appear in the RTS games.



And with that, the checkered flag waves on June’s survey. June was jam-packed with a lot of Halo: Campaign Evolved content which means we weren’t able to get to quizzing you for your driver’s license but don’t fret… We’ll be back to regularly scheduled programming in July, with focus on your favorite firearms. So start noodling on your preferred tool(s) of destruction!



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. To check out the rest of Halo’s Silver Anniversary celebrations, check out the <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo25together">#Halo25Together hub</a>.



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 <a href="http://aka.ms/Halo25TogetherMemories">official submission form</a>, on social media using hashtag #Halo25Together, in our <a href="https://discord.com/channels/471722331820130324/1464409121209188466">official Discord server</a>, or on <a href="https://reddit.com/r/halo">r/Halo</a> with the #Halo25Together tag.

snickerdoodle

Anniversary Angle: Epic Vehicles

<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halo: Campaign Evolved</a> launches this month on July 28 – or as early as July 23 if you <a href="https://aka.ms/HCEBuyNow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pre-order the Premium Edition</a> to get up to 5 days of Early Access! To help make sure you’ve got all the information you may need about the game, we’re back with another Q&A to answer some the top questions we’ve seen you ask online. If you missed our last one, be sure to check it out our <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/june-community-qa-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">June Community Q&A here on Waypoint.</a> 



We mean to continue this series, so please keep sending your asks our way! 



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Q: If I buy Halo: Campaign Evolved at a retail store, will there be a disc in the box?  A: Yes! Buying the XBOX or PlayStation® version of Halo: Campaign Evolved at your local retailer will result in getting the physical game case and disc so that you have tangible items to add to your collection. 



Q: Will there be a Machinima mode?  A: Yes, Halo: Campaign Evolved will have a Machinima mode! With Machinima mode, you will be able to pop out a freecam, lower your weapons, and even control your Spartan while in freecam mode. Machinima mode is available to all players just by using input combos, and does not need to be unlocked by finding a Skull. If you’re looking to create great content, you can leverage Machinima mode, in combination with the Acrophobia & Blind Skulls, and even various personal settings such as disabling your HUD UI, to capture unique videos and screenshots. 



Q: Can I drop my weapon for teammates without needing to swap it for a gun on the ground?  A: Yes! This functionality, which was first implemented in Halo Infinite, is back and we are happy to have it in Halo: Campaign Evolved as well. If you have two weapons, feel free to drop one of them for your friend anytime you want! 



Q: Has Campaign AI gotten improvements since the preview with creators?  A: Yes! The XBOX Showcase media and creator preview demo earlier this month was a pre-release build tailored to specific timing and scope needs. Over the last few weeks, the development team has been polishing and improving elements of the game, including enemy AI behaviors.  



Q: Is LASO truly ALL skulls or just a subset? When will we find out the final details? A: We touched on this in our June Q&A, but we wanted to expand on this a bit more. For Halo: Campaign Evolved, this way to play and its corresponding Achievement will be a curated assortment of skulls, not all 42 of them. With so many skulls, some of which directly contradict each other or trivialize the experience (Acrophobia flying past all the encounters!), it just wouldn’t work to literally utilize ALL of them. So, this is technically more like “LAASO” (Legendary Almost All Skulls On), and the team has selected skulls that maintain the spirit of this challenge. We’ll share more details and show it in action during a live stream before launch! 







Q: Will the Difficulty Modifier settings be usable for Achievements, such as LASO? A: It depends. While most simpler Achievements can still be earned with Difficulty Modifiers enabled, the Achievements that are meant to be more challenging – such as LASO – will not be unlocked if anyone in your Fireteam is playing with these on. We’ve updated our <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Achievements & Trophies blog</a> here on Waypoint to include this information on a per-Achievement basis! 



Q: How will we obtain the Foundry Armory Pack pre-order skins? A: At participating retailers, eligible purchases include a redemption code printed on your receipt, which can be redeemed through the XBOX or PlayStation® Store. For those who purchased a physical Collector’s Edition, the Foundry Armory Pack code will be included inside the Steelbook to redeem at the XBOX, PlayStation®, or Steam digital stores. If you pre-order digitally before 7:59 AM PDT on July 28, 2026, you will automatically receive the Foundry Armory Pack upon install.



Q: If we have Early Access with the Premium Edition, are we allowed to stream it on Twitch? A: Of course! Players who have purchased the Premium Edition or Collector’s Edition will be able to play – and stream – up to five days before general launch on July 28. All our timings will happen at the same time globally, so everyone can jump into the game at the exact same moment. To help make sure you can be ready to go, here are the exact timings: 



<ul>
<li>Early Access begins July 23 at 8 AM PDT (July 24 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets).</li>



<li>Halo: Campaign Evolved launches globally on July 28, 2026 at 8 AM PDT (July 29 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets).  </li>
</ul>



Q: Will Halo: Campaign Evolved be playable on handheld devices? A: Yes! Halo: Campaign Evolved will have the highest ratings for handheld devices: 



<ul>
<li>Windows Handheld: Handheld Optimized (highest rating)</li>



<li>Steam Deck: Verified (highest rating) </li>
</ul>



Q: Is there friendly fire when playing co-op? A: You get to choose! In Halo: Campaign Evolved, players will have the option to enable or disable friendly fire. When running a co-op session with friends, this setting will be determined by the Fireteam leader.



Q: Are the physics fun? A: Yes! The Halo: Campaign Evolved team retained the original fun physics behaviors that make up the “Halo feel.” A few Halo creators previewed the game in June, and many tried fun physics tricks – like crate and vehicle launches to achieve new heights. 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/EFvdMvudmm0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">General Heed launch on The Silent Cartographer</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hQUOnSCLfes?feature=share" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mint Blitz launch on Assault on the Control Room</a> </li>
</ul>



And, as you can see in the videos above, pairing these launches with Difficulty Modifiers and fun Skulls like Boom, Cowbell, and Bandana can lead to some outrageous outcomes. 







<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



We are excited to continue sharing more information over the next few weeks, and we can’t wait to launch Halo: Campaign Evolved later this month on July 28. To learn even more about the game, be sure to check out these videos and articles:  



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/june-community-qa-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">June Community Q&A</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MxBFXH2a_U" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cinematic Story Trailer</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4sUx2nX5EQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Missions Trailer | Operation: Meteorite</a>  </li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/6sUil_Tj_OQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Play Your Way | Skulls, Remix, & Co-Op</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/C6JyOj-7tH8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">28 Minute Gameplay Demo | Assault on the Control Room</a>  </li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/6FLR_KM_sPA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3rd Person Gameplay | The Silent Cartographer</a>  </li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Full</a><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Achievement & Trophy List</a>  </li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/e-tXi1NC_aU" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Developer Round Table Reveal</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2026/06/16/cover-reveal-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Game Informer Cover Art Reveal</a>  </li>
</ul>



<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-campaign-evolved/buy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved</a> and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

July Community Q&A | Halo: Campaign Evolved

Halo Fest

Welcome back Halo fans! We’re officially less than 6 months away from Halo Fest and the excitement is most certainly in the air! Today we’ve got some more exciting news to share but as usual let’s catch up if you’re new here:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-fest-may">May Update</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-fest-march">March Update</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-fest-february">February Update</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-fest-january">January Update</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-fest-december">December Update</a></li>
</ul>



Let’s jump in!



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">TICKETING UPDATE</h1>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/Chief-Cosplay-Pointing-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-166168" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/Chief-Cosplay-Pointing-1024x576.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/Chief-Cosplay-Pointing-300x169.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/Chief-Cosplay-Pointing-768x432.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/Chief-Cosplay-Pointing-1536x864.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/Chief-Cosplay-Pointing-1568x882.png 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/Chief-Cosplay-Pointing.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



On June 9 we released another wave of tickets for Halo Fest and as you may have seen they sold out on the same day. Outside for the first day that tickets went on sale last year in December, that was the single highest sales day that Halo Fest has had – wow.



At this point we are already well over double the amount of attendees compared to HaloWC 2025 and we have decided to not release anymore tickets. It’s important to us that the experience for fans is as great as they’re expecting and sometimes the number of attendees can create a tipping point where the experiences become “waiting in line simulators”. We are trying to reduce the amount of time people have to wait in lines as much as we can. Attendees will likely still need to wait in line to get merch, or perhaps to get some food but we strongly believe people should not be waiting in lines for multiple hours just for a single experience. This changes how we design experiences, how we design the entire event, as well as how we’re creating functionality (like being able to pick up your badges the day before the convention starts) in order to create a smoother and more seamless experience.



So, for those who have secured your tickets – thank you. And for those who missed out, we hope to see you next time!



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">HALO ARTISTS</h1>



Back in February, we announced that we’re commissioning artists from the community and industry to create new Halo art in celebration of this franchise. Today, we’re honored to reveal the industry artists that will be creating all new Halo art.



Lorraine McLees: Yes, THAT Lorraine McLees. The creator of the original Halo logo, the artist behind the cover art for Halo: CE, and Halo 2, and so much more at Bungie.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Lorraine-McLees-1024x576.png" alt="Halo 2 art by Lorraine McLees" class="wp-image-169056" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Lorraine-McLees-1024x576.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Lorraine-McLees-300x169.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Lorraine-McLees-768x432.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Lorraine-McLees-1536x864.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Lorraine-McLees-1568x882.png 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Lorraine-McLees.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Eddie Smith: If you’ve been a long time Halo fan, you have no doubt seen some of Eddie’s work as it’s among the most iconic and also franchise-defining art from the original trilogy.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="904" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Eddie-Smith-1024x904.png" alt="Halo art by Eddie Smith" class="wp-image-169098" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Eddie-Smith-1024x904.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Eddie-Smith-300x265.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Eddie-Smith-768x678.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Eddie-Smith.png 1224w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Craig Mullins: Like the others, Craig has created some of the most inspiring Halo art to date including one of my personal favorites from Halo 2.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="923" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Craig-Mullens-1024x923.png" alt="" class="wp-image-169084" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Craig-Mullens-1024x923.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Craig-Mullens-300x270.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Craig-Mullens-768x692.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Craig-Mullens.png 1198w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Isaac Hannaford: Isaac was part of the Bungie team and created art you no doubt saw online and in magazines for Halo 3, and Reach. We’ve also worked with Isaac on more recent projects including the covers of the Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3 soundtrack vinyl.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="744" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Isaac-Hannaford-1024x744.png" alt="" class="wp-image-169028" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Isaac-Hannaford-1024x744.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Isaac-Hannaford-300x218.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Isaac-Hannaford-768x558.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Isaac-Hannaford.png 1486w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Jan Urschel: A relative newcomer to Halo but still a powerhouse in his own right, Jan is a master of creating incredible landscapes and transporting players to a distant galaxy. We can’t wait to see his fresh take on the Halo universe.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="410" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Jan-Urschel-1024x410.png" alt="" class="wp-image-169042" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Jan-Urschel-1024x410.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Jan-Urschel-300x120.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Jan-Urschel-768x307.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Jan-Urschel-1536x614.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Jan-Urschel-1568x627.png 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/Jan-Urschel.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">COMMUNITY ARTISTS</h1>



During this time, we’ve also invited more community artists to join the commission program and we can’t wait to see what they all create for the community to enjoy. See full list below:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://x.com/ArtistRyker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ArtistRyker</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/ataboas_3d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ataboas</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/BB12_fx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BB12</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/bentoDRAWS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BentoDraws</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/Crabbosk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Crabbosk</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/entransing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Entransing</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/JackieHernndez6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jackie Hernandez</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/hicox_art" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">H1COX</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/Halo_VFX" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HaloVFX</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/RatDadJoe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RatDadJoe</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/SpylensHalo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spylens</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/TexD41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TexD41</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/WernissageYT" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wernissage</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jafetmeza25?igsh=MXMzNnZuY3RnbjZoZw==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jafet </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jafetmeza25?igsh=MXMzNnZuY3RnbjZoZw==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meza</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://x.com/justin_grosjean" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Justin Grosjean</a></li>
</ul>



You can also see the original announcement here: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-fest-february">Halo Fest – GDQ & Community Artists (February Update)</a>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">SPECIAL GUESTS</h1>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/J-T-16x9-1-1024x576.png" alt="Halo Fest Special Guests, Voice Actors: Jeff Steitzer, Voice of the Multiplayer Announcer, and Tim Dadabo, Voice of 343 Guilty Spark" class="wp-image-170062" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/J-T-16x9-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/J-T-16x9-1-300x169.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/J-T-16x9-1-768x432.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/J-T-16x9-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/J-T-16x9-1-2048x1152.png 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/06/J-T-16x9-1-1568x882.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



You could say we’re on a RAMPAGE with all of the announcements dropping today and honestly I’m just feeling guilty for missing the April blog, so we’re making up for it. Speaking of guilty, we’re excited to announce that none other than Tim Dadabo, the voice of 343 Guilty Spark will be joining us live at Halo Fest! As a very important character in the Halo universe and in the community, we can’t wait for you all to meet Tim!



And speaking of RAMPAGE, the Halo Multiplayer Announcer Jeff Steitzer will also be joining us at Halo Fest. SPECTACULAR! (I know that’s not a real medal, but I hope you heard the announcer in your head as you read that like I did.)



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SIX MONTHS AWAY!</h2>



This year has really flown by so far and I’m sure Halo Fest will be here before we know it! Thank you for all your enthusiasm and support leading up to this point, we can feel your energy. In every meeting we have about Halo Fest, your presence is with the team as we and our partners work to craft a great experience for you.



Thanks,



Tashi

Official HCS

Halo Fest – Featured Artists (June Update)

Your Halo Story: Chapter 7

Earlier this month we pulled the curtain back on <a href="Campaign Evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halo: Campaign Evolved</a> and shared its imminent release date of July 28 – or July 23 if you pre-order the Premium Edition and get up to 5 days of Early Access. While we have been busy sharing <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news?category=games" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lots of news</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4rAVQs2aJOI?feature=share" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highlighting features like split-screen and online co-op</a>, and creating <a href="https://youtu.be/6sUil_Tj_OQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fun videos with Sgt Johnson</a>, we know you all still have plenty of questions. 



Today, we’re setting aside some time to answer some of the most common ones we’ve seen online and in our mentions. We plan on doing this again, so please keep sending your questions our way and we’ll try to answer them in our next Q&A!



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Q: Do you need to find Skulls in-game before you can apply them? A: Yes! In order to apply Skull modifiers in-game, you will need to find and collect them. There are 3 Skulls hidden on each mission in Halo: Campaign Evolved and another 3 that are granted upon unlocking Campaign Remix.



Q: Will there be any additional Collector’s Editions up for sale? A: We are humbled and blown away by the overwhelming excitement for the Collector’s Edition. This was always intended to be a limited edition offering but safe to say demand has far exceeded what was projected and produced. The Collector’s Edition is officially sold out and there are no plans for a restock. With regards to reports of reselling – Our retail partners have audited orders and found no evidence of widespread scalping. Only a tiny percentage of purchases showed suspicious behavior, and in those cases, orders were refunded and units were put back up for sale. As a reminder, some customers may choose to cancel their pre-order, so there’s always a chance a few more units trickle in over the coming weeks. If you’re a fan of awesome Halo statues, we are working with partners to release even more Halo: Campaign Evolved collectibles throughout the year to help celebrate 25 years of Halo. Stay tuned for more info.



Q: Are there any XBOX account requirements to play the game solo or co-op? A: Yes, just as you do today for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite to ensure smooth cross-platform progression, to play Halo: Campaign Evolved you will need a Microsoft account and XBOX Gamertag, regardless of the platform(s) you play on. This enables both cross-platform play and cross-platform progression. A few additional items to keep in mind for launch day include:



<ul>
<li>XBOX Series X|S: If you’re playing splitscreen local co-op on an XBOX console, both players will need a unique Microsoft account. Online network co-op play requires an active XBOX Game Pass subscription.</li>



<li>PlayStation 5®: If you’re playing splitscreen local co-op on PlayStation 5®, both players will need to be signed into PlayStation accounts and be linked to Microsoft accounts. A PlayStation Plus account is NOT required for local splitscreen co-op. Online network co-op play requires an active PlayStation Plus subscription.</li>



<li>Steam: If you’re playing via Steam, you will need to link to a Microsoft account. </li>
</ul>



If you’d like to jump in immediately on July 28, we recommend having an XBOX account created beforehand to help save time once you put the disc in the tray.



 Editor’s Note: This section incorrectly stated that a PlayStation Plus account is required for local co-op play and was updated with a correction on June 20. 



Q: Will there be a Photo Mode or Theater Mode? A: The Blind Skull, which hides your HUD UI, weapons, and hands from view, combined with the Acrophobia Skull, which allows you to fly, should be able to provide some incredible screenshot opportunities, but there are no current plans for a Photo Mode or Theater Mode in Halo: Campaign Evolved.



Q: Can I turn off hitmarkers in-game? A: Yes. We like to start by providing as much feedback to players as possible, so this is enabled by default, but you should feel free to turn this feature off via the in-game settings.



Q: Can I wear the Mark IV armor in the base 10 missions? A: We love the Mark IV armor too, so we understand the desire to wear it everywhere, but it will only be available in the 3 new bonus missions.



Q: How does the new 3rd Person mode work? Is it possible to play this way right from the start? A: The ability to play in 3rd Person is an optional way to experience the game that can be enabled once you’ve found the “Perspective” Skull hidden in one of the game’s 13 missions. To learn more about Skulls and the new Remix feature in Halo: Campaign Evolved, <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/skulls-campaign-remix-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">check out this blog!</a> 



Q: Will the Stanchion be useable in the bonus missions or in the main missions via Campaign Remix?  A: Sgt Johnson’s Stanchion, which was featured in our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4sUx2nX5EQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new missions trailer</a>, is his personal weapon and not one he likes to share. As such, it will not be featured outside his personal use in the prequel missions.   



Q: If I customize my Spartan, will they show up in cutscenes with that armor?  A: To ensure that the narrative remains as faithful to the original game as possible, the personalized customization options you choose will not show up during cutscenes.



Q: Will LASO mean playing the game with truly all Skulls active? A: We’ll have a specific selection of Skulls for LASO. Similar to MCC, it won’t be all Skulls, but it will still be extremely challenging. We’ll share more about the specific LASO selection in the lead up to launch.



Q: How does the game balance enemy encounters for Co-Op? A: If you load up a Co-Op session via split-screen or online play, each mission will scale appropriately depending on how many people you have in your lobby. This will show up in a few different ways: 



<ul>
<li>Number of enemies: You may encounter a higher number of enemies, though this is largely determined by your difficulty selection.</li>



<li>Rank of enemies: Enemies have a chance to upgrade to a higher rank. The more players, and the higher the difficulty, the higher the chance they will upgrade.</li>



<li>Enemy intelligence increases: The enemy AI will avoid grenades more frequently, target and shoot at players more efficiently, and know when to fall back to gain their shields more effectively. </li>
</ul>



And, since not everyone in your Co-Op session will be at the same skill level, we’ve also introduced a new feature – Difficulty Modifiers – to help everyone enjoy their time together. Difficulty Modifiers allow each player to adjust settings for themselves, which can help them have an easier time or a more difficult challenge. These settings are: 



<ul>
<li>Damage Resistance (increase or decrease how much damage you take from enemies)</li>



<li>Shield Recharge Rate (increase or decrease how quickly your shields will begin recharging)</li>



<li>Damage Modifier (increase or decrease how much damage you deal to enemies with weapons and grenades)</li>



<li>Melee Damage Modifier (increase or decrease how much damage your melee deals to enemies)</li>



<li>Ammo (Infinite Ammo, Bottomless Clip, etc.) </li>
</ul>



So, if you have 4 players in your lobby, expect to face more Covenant resistance than if you play solo, but be sure to take advantage of Difficulty Modifiers to ensure everyone in the lobby is having a good time. Note: There are some Achievements that will not be earnable when Difficulty Modifiers are enabled for any members of your Fireteam.



Q: Can you still backpack reload?   A: We loved this button glitch in the original Halo: Combat Evolved, so we wanted to preserve its behavior with the “Stowed Reload” Skull, which allows your weapon to reload while on your back to mimic this behavior. Although it’s no longer a button glitch, its spirit continues to live on. 



Q: Will there be more content or features such as additional story DLC, Firefight, new Skulls, more customization, etc. added after launch?  A: Halo: Campaign Evolved is meant to focus on remaking the original campaign of Halo: Combat Evolved and providing three fun, new prequels missions. There are no plans to expand the game into a live service with continued content or feature additions.



Q: Will there be assassinations? A: No, there aren’t any specific assassination animations, but your traditional backsmacks will continue to provide one-hit kills while helping you avoid detection in stealthier situations. 



Q: Will there be a public demo of Halo: Campaign Evolved ahead of launch? A: There are no plans to release a demo of the game before launch. If you’re excited and want to get your hands on the game as soon as possible, you can pre-order <a href="https://aka.ms/HCEBuyNow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Premium Edition</a> and get up to 5 days of early access beginning July 23, 2026! 



Q: Do I need to play the original missions before I can play the three new missions?  A: You can play the prequel missions as soon as you launch the game. We want everyone to experience this new story, so we’ve decided not to gate it behind any specific tasks, actions, or paywalls. Load up the game, select the new missions, and enjoy another adventure with the Master Chief and Sgt Johnson. For brand new players, we do recommend starting with the original missions as they are designed to help onboard players with tutorials along the way.  



Q: Is it July 28th yet? A: No, but we’ll get there together! 



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



We are excited to continue sharing more information over the next few weeks, and we can’t wait to launch Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28. 



To learn even more about the game, be sure to check out these videos and articles: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MxBFXH2a_U" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cinematic Story Trailer</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4sUx2nX5EQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Missions Trailer | Operation: Meteorite</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/6sUil_Tj_OQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Play Your Way | Skulls, Remix, & Co-Op</a></li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/C6JyOj-7tH8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">28 Minute Gameplay Demo | Assault on the Control Room</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/6FLR_KM_sPA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3rd Person Gameplay | The Silent Cartographer</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Full</a><a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/achievement-list-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Achievement & Trophy List</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://youtu.be/e-tXi1NC_aU" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Developer Round Table Reveal</a></li>



<li><a href="https://gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2026/06/16/cover-reveal-halo-campaign-evolved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Game Informer Cover Art Reveal</a> </li>
</ul>



<a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/halo-campaign-evolved/buy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved</a> and get the Foundry Armor Pack and up to 5 days early-access play starting July 23, 2026.

June Community Q&A | Halo: Campaign Evolved

Community Spotlight

Spotlight: June 18, 2026