New ‘Halo Campaign Evolved’ Trailer Drops With Official Release Date Reveal

“Halo: Campaign Evolved” now has an official release date. The game will launch globally on July 28, 2026, with early access starting on July 23 for players who purchase the Premium or Collector’s Edition. The announcement was made alongside a new trailer shown at the Xbox Games Showcase, giving fans a first look at new story content added to the remake.

The game will be available on Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox on PC, cloud streaming, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It will also be included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on day one. The game supports cross-play and cross-progression across all platforms, allowing players to continue their progress wherever they play.

According to Halo Studios, this release is more than just a remake of “Halo: Combat Evolved.” While the original campaign is fully included, the new version also introduces a separate story expansion called Operation: METEORITE. This is a three-mission arc that takes place one year before the events of the original game.

Operation: METEORITE features Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson working together on a UNSC mission. The story begins as a covert operation aboard a Covenant research vessel, but it quickly becomes more dangerous than expected. The missions include new enemy types, new weapons, and expanded environments that go beyond the original campaign structure.

In the trailer shown during the showcase, players see UNSC forces engaging Covenant enemies in different locations. The footage also shows the introduction of a new enemy type called the Brute Berserker. The trailer ends with combat scenes that extend into space, suggesting larger-scale battles than in the original game.

The story expansion was developed with help from science fiction author Troy Denning. According to Halo Studios, his involvement helped shape the tone and military science fiction style of the new content. The goal is to stay true to the Halo universe while adding new narrative depth and characters.

Brian Jarrard explained the intent behind the expansion in the official update, saying “Operation: METEORITE gives players a chance to expand their experience with new locations, new enemy variants, more weapons from across the Halo series, and new ways to play within the Halo sandbox.” This new content is included in every edition of the game.

Pre-orders for “Halo: Campaign Evolved” are now available across Xbox, Steam, and PlayStation. Players who pre-order any edition will receive a bonus Foundry Armory Pack, which includes classic-inspired armor and weapon skins based on the original 2001 Halo designs.

The game will launch in three editions. The Standard Edition includes the full game with both the original campaign and the new Operation: METEORITE missions. The Premium Edition adds up to five days of early access, along with bonus cosmetic packs and digital extras such as a story collection and art materials. The Collector’s Edition includes all Premium content along with physical items like a Master Chief statue, an LED Cortana chip, a Steelbook case, concept art prints, and a physical game disc for console versions.

The Collector’s Edition is also the most expensive version and is available through HaloWaypoint. Digital editions are available on all major platforms, with different pricing depending on region and platform.

The development team confirmed that the game will launch globally at 8 AM PDT on July 28, 2026. Early access begins at the same time on July 23 for eligible editions, with some regional differences in timing for Asia-Pacific markets.

Halo Studios also confirmed that this release is designed to bring the franchise to a wider audience. By releasing on Xbox, PC, Steam, and PlayStation, the team is aiming for full cross-platform support. The inclusion of Game Pass at launch also means many players will be able to access the game without additional purchase.

With the addition of Operation: METEORITE and full cross-platform support, “Halo: Campaign Evolved” is positioned as both a remake and an expansion of the original story. The development team has described it as a way to revisit the beginning of the Halo universe while also adding new material for long-time fans.

More gameplay details are expected in future updates leading up to release.

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