Halo: Campaign Evolved is real, sporting overhauled 4K visuals, four-player campaign co-op support, a multiplatform release and Unreal Engine 5. While Virtuos Studio isn’t confirmed to be involved, the approach is remarkably similar to The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered.
Essentially, Halo: Combat Evolved’s “legacy code” makes up the core while Unreal Engine 5 powers the visuals. “The latter is supported by the team’s pivot to Unreal Engine 5, which, with the foundation of Halo’s legacy code, will support the game’s development.
“It’s not an entirely new ecosystem for Halo Studios – they’ve dabbled quietly with Unreal projects in the past – and that has only reinforced that the tools on offer, combined with original resources, are what Halo needs to future-proof itself for the generations to come,” said game director Greg Hermann to Xbox Wire.
This helps address concerns about the remake being authentic to the original experience. Granted, some liberties are taken with the levels, which are bigger to accommodate more players, but when it comes to gameplay, it should feel like Halo: Combat Evolved.
“For future titles, we will continue to push the boundaries of technology while ensuring the core Halo gameplay for that game can be seen, felt, heard, and evolved where needed,” added Hermann.
Halo: Campaign Evolved is available in 2026 for Xbox Series X/S, PC and PS5. Perhaps the most noticeable omission, if the name didn’t give it away, is the lack of competitive multiplayer. It does add three new missions set before the game’s events, which promise new mechanics, enemies, and levels, and focus on Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson.
