Microsoft’s Halo: Combat Evolved remake is coming – and yes, it’s also landing on PlayStation 5

Microsoft has revealed Halo: Campaign Evolved, a full remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved (2001), arriving in 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, PC and for the first time ever, PlayStation 5.

The remake is being built by Halo Studios in Unreal Engine 5 and promises updated 4K visuals, three new prequel missions, modern-gameplay refinements such as sprinting and aiming down sights, plus online co-op support for up to four players across platforms.

The bigger shocker, though, isn’t what’s in the game but where it’s launching. For the first time in the series’ history, a mainline Halo title is heading to Sony’s PlayStation 5 – a move that has already stirred plenty of discussion (and outrage) among long-time Xbox loyalists. Microsoft says the decision reflects its plan to make Halo a “multiplatform series going forward”, broadening its audience beyond Xbox and PC.

Reactions online have been split. Some fans welcome the idea of Master Chief finding new players, while others see it as another sign that the old Xbox-versus-PlayStation rivalry is fading fast. Personally, I see this shift impacting gamers in several ways – wider accessibility for PlayStation gamers and broader cross-platform potential (cross your fingers on this one), but also a key moment of cultural change for the Halo brand built on Xbox identity.

Microsoft hasn’t shared much about the release yet, though it confirmed the remake will launch on PC and Xbox Game Pass from day one, and likely on PS5 as a standard purchase. Xbox fans should probably brace themselves – platform exclusivity looks to be a strategy Microsoft is quietly stepping away from, in favour of bringing its once-sacred titles to more systems. Perhaps the only surprise here is that Halo: Campaign Evolved hasn’t (yet) been announced for the Nintendo Switch 2.