LASO is a separate setting and enables no fewer than 17 Skulls. These include such wonderful modifiers as no motion tracker, increased enemy health, dropped weapons from enemies only having half the ammo, auto-aim disabled on all weapons (have fun with the Needler), double the explosion radius – and so on. You can check out the full list here, but suffice to say that if you’re looking for a challenge, this is where you’ll find it.

If you succeed, then the “MYTHIC” Achievement is unlocked. There’s otherwise no other reason to attempt LASO besides bragging rights, so keep that in mind. Those seeking something less stressful could always play around the Campaign Remix feature or try out the numerous other Skulls for a fun experience.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on June 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It’s recently gone gold, but expect a day-one patch for any lingering issues. Just don’t expect any long-term support or new content like Firefight Mode in the future.

If you purchased the Premium Edition, even more good news: Advanced access is on track to begin July 23rd. You’ll also receive access to the mostly snazzy, partly atrocious skins in the Alpha Armory Pack alongside some weapon skins and digital goods like a manual, artbook and even the Halo: Hungry Buzzards short story.

Pre-purchasing either edition nets the classic Mark V armor and Gilded Onyx armor alongside their respective skins for the Assault Rifle. And in case this announcement makes you think Halo Studios will possibly drop the game early, it already replied to a tweet asking the same with a hard “No.” In a GIF with Sgt Johnson, so you know it’s serious.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is available on July 28th for everyone else, including on day one for Game Pass. It marks the series’ debut on PlayStation consoles, and despite the lack of PvP, there’s four-player co-op, dozens of Skulls (including one that adds a third-person perspective) and a Campaign Remix feature to spice things up. Head here to learn more.

“[Hintze] mistreats employees, his decisions are destroying the Halo franchise, and everyone I’ve spoken to says he is not a qualified leader,” says the video. “He constantly berates the development teams. So much so that they don’t even want to share their work for fear of him blowing up at them. A memo was delivered from the engineering team regarding work-life balance, and Pierre responded, ‘I don’t give a f***.’ And he often downplays employees’ questions about becoming full-time or getting better opportunities.”

The video goes on to show a message sent by “someone who recently left Halo Studios and worked closely with leadership.” This message alleges that Hintze had verbally blasted the employee, and they express disbelief at the fact that Microsoft’s HR and legal teams “did not give me the time of day. Pierre literally told me to get the f*** out of the studio. It traumatized me.”

Former Halo Studios head of production and Halo: Campaign Evolved’s executive producer, Michael Fahrny, has also noted that Hintze displayed quite a bit of cruelty towards him during the upcoming title’s development, leading to the former getting demoted before taking medical leave. He was ultimately let go during the same.

“Pierre verbally abused the entire Campaign Evolved team because they were very far behind on the project. Campaign Evolved was in rough shape due to Pierre’s severe mismanagement, but he blamed the developers. It was poorly planned and managed because of him. He did nothing to work on a roadmap, did not plan things out correctly, and constantly changed priorities for the development team,” alleges the video.

Hintze doesn’t seem to be the only problem suffered by Halo Studios. The report also calls out other leaders – studio art director Chris Matthews, COO Elizabeth Van Wyck, and Xbox Game Studios executive Craig Duncan.

Matthews is accused of hiring his friends over more qualified candidates and making inappropriate comments to co-workers to the point that HR had to intervene. Van Wyck has been criticized for not focusing on her responsibilities to the studio and instead focusing on personal activities like vacations. Duncan (who has since departed from Xbox) has been called out for supporting Hintze’s promotion to studio head.

This is far from the first time that complaints and allegations have been leveled against the studio. Back in April, former art director Glenn Israel had accused the company’s leadership of “numerous unethical and/or unlawful acts” that involved, among other things, “blacklisting, rampant favoritism/cronyism, and multiple harassment campaigns designed to provoke the constructive discharge of ‘unwanted’ employees otherwise in good standing.”

From beloved franchises and characters taking to the stage, to ambitious new concepts and studios looking to make a mark for themselves, there’s a lot to look forward to on the horizon if gaming is your jam. Here are a few titles that we think come with a lot of expectations, but are more than capable of delivering on what they promise. The list starts with:

1. Grand Theft Auto 6

We thought it best to give this one its due right up top, since it carries the biggest weight of expectations that other games in the current console generation simply can’t match up to. Rockstar’s going to have to prove it still has what it takes to deliver generational leaps between its titles, beyond just nailing a title whose franchise formula is enough to make it a hit without even trying.

It’s going to have to justify a decade of waiting, most of it quite agonizing, a much-discussed delay very close to its 2025 release, and earn the aura of being the biggest game ever. It’s one of the potential benchmarks against which all open worlds that follow it will be measured, if its predecessor is any indication, and is going to be talked about well beyond its November 19, 2026, release on the PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

How much of that conversation is good remains to be seen, but we’re quite optimistic about this one’s chances.

2. Marvel’s Wolverine

Insomniac’s done pretty well with Spider-Man, capturing the tone and vibe of the comics and films, while building a narrative around Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and the rest of the franchise’s popular cast in ways that stay true to its narrative roots. But can it repeat the same with a character like Wolverine, who brings a literal polar opposite to all the things that made its last superhero effort a hit?

Logan fights differently, feels different, and is different to Peter in so many ways, it’s going to be an uphill task to avoid making him feel like Spidey with claws. But the limited glimpses we’ve been given of what’s on offer in this one show a perfect balance of the character’s near-immortality and a combat system that works well against enemies who are designed to take a beating from him.

The little bit of story that we know of is similarly well-executed, making us believe that the studio has another PS5-exclusive hit on its hands when this one hits the shelves on September 15, 2026.

3. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

Black Flag is Assassin’s Creed at its finest, no doubt about it. Edward Kenway was the perfect vehicle for bold changes to the gameplay loop, with a pirate-themed formula that worked very well to present his character arc. There’s a reason it’s among the most beloved titles in the franchise, and was a logical choice for a pretty ambitious effort at modernising it from the developer.

But a new combat system, rebuilt visuals, and quality-of-life touches run the risk of sanding away at the very soul of an experience that could make it feel out of place. We’re quite positive about it being the same freewheeling pirate adventure that we know and love, but is it going to be too different by being less messy than what we’re used to? We don’t have too long to wait to find out, as this one’s out on July 9, 2026 for the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

4. Halo: Campaign Evolved

Although everything we’ve seen of this one has been impressive, there’s still the nagging suspicion that it might not be enough to alleviate thoughts that the Halo franchise is relying on its past success when it finds itself at a creative slump. Like you, we’re hoping that isn’t the case, and that this one used Master Chief and Combat Evolved’s legacy well enough to ensure that the franchise has a future beyond the glory days of its Bungie era.

It’s a road that’s as risky as it is safe for the Halo brand, but we’re sure that this one’s a solid effort from Halo Studios. It drops on July 28, 2026, as listed by Xbox and is included with Game Pass.

5. Beast of Reincarnation

A single-player Sekiro like game with a very unique premise and a combat system that’s looking more sublime with every showcase it gets are obvious reasons to think that Game Freak might be flying too close to the sun with this one. Can a studio that’s used to making great Pokémon games suddenly take on a challenge like this one?

Turns out that this one might just have everything it needs to prove anyone who doubts it wrong, and do it with style in the process. That goes beyond the scope to specific aspects like the tech, visuals, action design, and the evident high performance requirements it’s going to bring to current-gen hardware given how its experience is set up.

The swordswoman/dog-dependent combat system is going to have to be more than just a gimmick when this one gets out on August 4, 2026, on PS5.

6. Fable

This is a franchise that Xbox should have returned to a long time ago in our opinion. But it’s better late than never, right? Well, not quite. It’s still a risky venture, considering that this modern reboot of a beloved IP has to prove that the franchise’s signature humor is still capable of drawing laughs, and that Albion feels alive enough to make the player feel like they’re indeed at the center of a much grander adventure.

Playground needs to nail down a shift from its Forza-focused approach to a full-blown RPG that’s going to live or die based on how layered it is, and how those layers balance each other out. Xbox is going to be hoping its 1000+ NPCs can make you keep coming back for more when this one drops on February 23, 2027, with Game Pass on day one.

7. The Blood of Dawnwalker

Rebel Wolves might have some really seasoned hands among its ranks, but it still needs to prove itself as a new studio. Weigh those expectations against what The Blood of Dawnwalker has to offer, and you’ve got a title that screams of ambition and innovation in a post-Clair Obscur world. That’s an uphill climb even for the rarest of talent, but Coen looks like he’s the perfect vampire-human hybrid to give this one some forward momentum.

The time-as-a-currency mechanic looks like it’s going to test his abilities quite well, just as well as it supports the story’s choice-based direction, the combat, and the emotional payoff of the consequences to all the choices you made, which are touted to extend beyond this one in a line of planned sequels to it. That’s a lot of pressure for the potential start of a brand-new saga that begins on September 3, 2026, being playable on the PC via Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

8. Phantom Blade Zero

We weren’t afraid to bet big on this one as early as last year, and what we’ve seen of it so far hasn’t changed that opinion in the slightest. But that doesn’t change the fact that those very expectations might be the biggest challenge for its versatile protagonist to beat. Can all the style, obvious substance, and slick combat and traversal mechanics manage to impress us all beyond the first few hours?

If there ever was a game that seems too good to be true, this one’s it. But we’re quite positive that it’s got enough depth and challenge that will work well with great level and enemy design and a combat rhythm that’s quite impressive when it drops on October 29, 2026, bringing its wuxia-inspired experience to the PS5.

9. Silent Hill: Townfall

Following up a very impressive last outing with Silent Hill f, Townfall has two big shoes to fill: it needs to match or exceed the quality of its predecessor, and manage to be an excellent Silent Hill game in the process. More than that, it needs to show us that the franchise has enough meat on its bones to have a future beyond remakes and banking on the nostalgia it brings to those of us lucky enough to witness its rise to fame and prominence.

It needs to show us new horror instead of repackaged trauma, which is saying something considering all the places this franchise has taken us to. But with a full-length, self-contained experience based in Scotland, and a healthy balance between its exploration, new mechanics, and puzzles, we don’t see why this one can’t succeed when it drops on September 24, 2026.

10. Onimusha: The Way of the Sword

The team behind Resident Evil has had quite a good year, but it still needs to prove that it has managed to make this one a modern action franchise that weaves in Soulslikes elements while retaining what made it special over the years. It needs to show us how the classic Onimusha franchise formula can still manage to capture an audience in 2026, with measured swordplay, counter attacks, soul absorption, and everything else that puts it on the map shines through well enough to make it stand out.

It’s releasing right beside The Blood of Dawnwalker, which means it could face some stiff competition from a rival it never saw coming, but we think it’s sure to find its takers, and anyone choosing the other title is bound to visit this one at a later time.

And that’s it for this one. We can’t wait to see if each of the games we’ve talked about here manages to achieve the lofty goals that it’s tackling. But with all the talent that’s backing up the experience they offer, we’re certain that they’re going to be very enjoyable anyway.

And that’s good news for a lot of us, as we’re going to be pretty spoiled for choice in the coming few months.

In its July Q&A, it confirmed that, “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.” When used with the Acrophobia and Blind Skulls – not to mention switching off the HUD – you can effectively mimic the old-school Red vs. Blue videos of yore.

Campaign Evolved is also confirmed to sneak in a feature from Halo Infinite, where you can drop a weapon for your friend to pick up. And for those concerned about recent gameplay and the level of AI enemies, the developer confirmed that this was from a pre-release build. “Over the last few weeks, the development team has been polishing and improving elements of the game, including enemy AI behaviors.”

Finally, the big question: Does LASO (Legendary All Skulls On) for the Campaign feature all the Skulls? Since there are 42 in total, it might make for a level of chaos the game can’t handle. However, this isn’t the case. Instead, LASO features a “curated” range of Skills that “maintain the spirit of this challenge.” You can expect more details, including a pre-launch livestream, on the same, so stay tuned.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on July 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC (with physical copies including a disc in the box). Premium Edition owners can start playing five days earlier and receive the Alpha Halo Armory Pack with numerous outfits for Master Chief.

The presence of the disc is the first fact addressed by the Q&A itself. “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 collections,” it says.

The timing for this confirmation by Xbox and Halo Studios also comes shortly after Rockstar Games started facing some controversy for its decision to not include a disc with the physical release of Grand Theft Auto 6. While there were some rumors that a disc launch is planned for later, more recent reports indicate that there are no such plans in place.

Despite the criticism from fans, however, Circana’s Mat Piscatella even expressed the belief that the lack of an included disc won’t ultimately have any major effect on sales figures for the highly anticipated title. Among other factors, he pointed to the popularity of consoles without disc drives – the PS5 Digital Edition and the Xbox Series S.

The rest of the Q&A goes into detail about various other features of Halo: Campaign Evolved, like the Machinima mode. The mode will essentially allow players to start a free-floating camera that can then be controlled. In this mode, players can also lower their weapons to make it look like a real cutscene, while also maintaining full control of their character regardless of the camera’s position.

“Machinima mode is available to all players just by using input combos and does not need to be unlocked by finding a Skull,” explained Halo Studios. “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.”

Interestingly, it looks like this Machinima mode is slated to be a replacement for what would have otherwise been a Photo mode. Halo Studios had previously confirmed that, rather than including a Photo mode by itself, such a mode’s features would instead be spread across the game through various skulls. The Blind Skull, for instance, can hide the HUD and UI. The Acrophobia skull, on the other hand, allows players to take flight.

The developer has also confirmed that Halo: Campaign Evolved will have full support for handheld systems. Halo Studios has noted that the title has the Handheld Optimized rating on Windows and the Verified rating on Steam Deck, both of which are the highest ratings on the respective operating systems and hardware.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on July 28th.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

The tale of Edward Kenway, seemingly lost to time (or at least 2013), is reborn at long last. Launching on July 9th, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a remake of the original, maintaining the same story and characters while expanding on everything else. Overhauled visuals, a denser world map, faster combat, expanded naval battles, a deeper end-game – the list goes on and on. Sure, some parts like the modern-day Abstergo segments and equipping the Hidden Blade in combat are absent (alongside the DLC and multiplayer). But it’s otherwise a faithful retelling of our favorite assassin/pirate’s legend with so much more to offer.

EA Sports College Football 27

College Football’s resurgence and success means a new yearly sports franchise for EA, for better or worse. But at least College Football 27 is trying a few new things when it launches on July 9th, starting with a PC debut for the series. Long-time fans can expect Dynasty improvements, new customization options in Road to Glory, and more. Perhaps the most intriguing new addition is Mascot Mashup, where teams of mascots can clash in games.

Echoes of Aincrad

Somehow, Sword Art Online returned, but instead of playing as well-known characters like Kirito or Asuna, you’ll experience the first season’s death game as an original character. Customize their appearance, learn unique skills, venture through dungeons, and try not to die. But for those who want that authentic experience, there’s Death Game Mode, where your save is deleted upon death. Echoes of Aincrad looks the part visually, so we’ll give it a shot, but a revamp of the tutorial certainly wouldn’t hurt before its July 10th launch.

Palworld 1.0

Pocketpair’s creature-collecting, open-world, survival crafting title exploded when early access debuted in 2024, and it’s come a long way since. While storming the World Tree is the end-game, 1.0 is going all out in terms of new gameplay features. A Wing Pack for flying around on your lonesome; a Pal that transforms into a two-handed sword with a unique move-set; and those mysterious floating islands that developers seem to be fans of. Touted as the biggest update for Palworld yet, we can’t wait to see how 1.0 changes the game when it goes live on July 10th.

The Alters: Last Variable

Remember when you left Jan Scientist behind at the end of The Alters? If the answer is, “I didn’t play The Alters,” well…don’t worry about it. All you need to know is that cloning yourself is back on the menu, as you explore new regions, expand a new base underground and learn the truth about something called the Oasis. With cryo-sleep enabling longer-term consequences, Last Variable could feed into the survival drama that helped the base game thrive when it launches on July 13th.

Moss: The Forgotten Relic

PlayStation VR titles have been less common over the years, but thankfully, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2 players will have a chance to experience Polyarc’s Moss series without the need for a headset. Alongside both games and DLC, it promises a new Smart Follow camera and the option to skip combat. There are also new cutscenes to go with the improved performance. So if you’ve never experienced the journey of Quill, a mouse who ventures through the ruins of a kingdom, there’s no better day than July 16th when Moss: The Forgotten Relic launches.

Gothic Classic (PlayStation and Xbox)

With how well-received Gothic 1 Remake has been, PlayStation and Xbox players will finally get the chance to experience the 2001 original on July 28th. And it’s about as untainted as you’d expect, preserving the unforgiving challenge and janky gameplay that made the original such a treat.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game

A good Avatar video game is about as rare as an enjoyable live-action adaptation, but Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game could fill those shoes. It’s 1v1, featuring hand-drawn animation and packs 12 playable characters, from Aang and Korra to Azula and Kyoshi. Along with Training and Spectator modes, you have the requisite Versus with rollback netcode and cross-play support. Best of all, single-player fans have Story Mode, which offers an original tale, and Arcade Mode. Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game lands on July 23rd for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC.

Splatoon Raiders

Instead of competitive modes like its predecessors, Splatoon Raiders leans fully into single-player but with a fresh gameplay loop. As the Mechanic, you’ll explore the Spirhalite Islands with Deep Cut, unearthing relics and fighting the Salmonids. By mining Spirhalite Shards, you can develop Gadgets for additional combat options. With optional local and online co-op, it looks intriguing, if nothing else, and arrives on July 23rd for Nintendo Switch 2.

Halo: Campaign Evolved

The campaign that started it all, but evolved. Halo Studios may not have the most sterling reputation, but we have to admit that its remake of Halo 1 has looked good in recent showings, whether it’s the visuals or revamping levels to facilitate four-player co-op. The prospect of over 40 Skulls, including one that adds a third-person perspective, and a Campaign Remix option means heaps of replay value. Just try not to focus too much on the lack of Theater Mode or post-launch content plans when Halo: Campaign Evolved arrives on July 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Mistfall Hunter

We’ve already seen a Souls-like battle royale-style game in Nightreign, so why not an extraction title in the same vein? Announced in October 2024, Mistfall Hunter will finally launch this month on Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, offering six playable Gyldhunters who venture into the titular mist to take on various monstrosities. And while there’s a very “end of the world” style scenario, it’s still all about finding loot, either solo or in teams of three, and surviving against enemies and other players long enough to extract it. Enjoyable or tedious? We’ll find out on July 29th.

The Relic: First Guardian

Of course, if we’re talking about Souls-likes that have been a long time coming, The Relic: First Guardian is out on July 31st for PS5 and PC after first being announced five years ago. Suffice to say that the setting and prospect of venturing into the ruined world of Arsiltus to help save it is enticing. The fact that you don’t lose stamina from attacking also means a more aggressive playstyle, and while we’ll need to wait and see how the bosses pan out, The Relic could make for a nice diversion.

The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu

If you’re not in the Souls-like mood and just want a more co-op-focused experience with plenty of the same oppression, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu may be worth playing. The premise is simple – you and up to three other players venture into a jungle in the hopes of finding the Mound. However, there’s the Madness system, similar to the Sanity system from Eternal Darkness, which can mess with your senses in a variety of ways, from making allies appear hostile to creating truly horrific sights. In other words, a fun ol’ time with friends when it launches on July 15th.

Backyard Baseball

The original Backyard Baseball is a classic in many ways, but for those who wanted a more contemporary version, there’s good news. Mega Cat Studios is reimagining it for consoles and PC with completely revamped visuals. The Backyard roster returns in full force with 30 choices, and you can duke it out across 11 stadiums and six modes. With a range of options for both casual and competitive players, it promises to capture the magic of the original – with some modern quality of life – when it launches on July 9th.

Dinoblade

So there’s one more game to look forward to in July, and yes, it’s another Souls-like. The twist? Dinosaurs. In a post-cataclysm, you take up a Great Sword as a Spinosaurus and embark on a journey for…something, taking on all kinds of hostile dinos. These include Alphas who may have their own weapons and skills. As ridiculous as it sounds, there’s no denying how cool it looks. Dinoblade launches on July 23rd for PC.

This wouldn’t be the first time Project Ekur has changed directions. According to the leaker, it was originally being developed as a battle royale game under the codename Tatanka. This got cancelled when Halo Studios decided to transition its development efforts to Unreal Engine 5. At the time, this transition involved giving Certain Affinity the task of creating prototypes to see whether the assets made for the Slipspace and Blam engines used for Halo Infinite could be imported over into Unreal Engine 5, and to see whether the resulting game could maintain the “feel” of Halo.

Citing sources, Rebs Gaming claims that these goals were originally accomplished in June 2023, with prototypes of Project Ekur being developed that involved AI opponents. This led to the exploration of a Halo-based extraction shooter. Among the concepts explored was the idea of players teaming up with AI squad members to explore a large map and scavenge for resources, often taking on other teams of players and their AI squads. While there were still some elements of the extraction shooter genre in this concept, the studio was reportedly going for something more in line with Halo 5: Guardians’ Warzone game mode.

While Halo Studios hasn’t officially confirmed the development of Project Ekur so far, such a game being made wouldn’t be too surprising, since the next big entry in the franchise is going to be the campaign and co-op-only title Halo: Campaign Evolved. A remake of the original Halo, the game will not feature any competitive game modes. Rather, Halo Studios has decided to focus strictly on single-player and co-op content. To that end, an accompanying game that focuses purely on PvP could be seen as a smart idea, since the Halo franchise as a whole is also beloved for its multiplayer.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on July 28th. This will mark the first time that a Halo game is playable on a PlayStation console since the franchise’s inception all the way back in 2001.

Executive producer Damon Conn and creative director Max Szlagor have previously spoken about how Halo Studios wants to honor the entire franchise and its fans, while also bringing it to a new generation of gamers.

“We hope to bring along the series veterans who have been with us for the past 25 years and have them play with an entirely new generation,” said Conn. “There are people who have never been exposed to Halo. Maybe they’ve always been on Sony products, switched consoles at a certain point, or just missed it at the time. We want to bring players back together.”

While you wait for Halo: Campaign Evolved, check out the 10 major differences between it and the original Halo: Combat Evolved.

Unfortunately, no. “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,” it said on Halo Waypoint. Furthermore, regardless of whatever customizations your version of Master Chief is sporting, they won’t appear in cutscenes. This is to “ensure that the narrative remains as faithful to the original game as possible.”

And in case you were wondering, the M99 Stanchion, a special rifle used by Sgt Johnson in the Prologue missions, won’t be usable. It won’t show up in Campaign Remix either, which offers randomized weapons, different enemy placements, and so on. “Sgt Johnson’s Stanchion, which was featured in our new missions trailer, 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.”

It’s not all bad news though. The famous backpack reload glitch from the original hasn’t been recreated, but you can enable a similar kind of behavior with the Stowed Reload Skull, causing weapons stowed on Chief’s back to reload.

LASO, the infamous challenge undertaken by campaign runners throughout the series, also returns. However, it’s more akin to The Master Chief Collection, meaning not all Skulls but still “extremely challenging.” More details will follow before Halo: Campaign Evolved’s launch on July 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, so stay tuned.

In an extensive Q&A on Halo Waypoint, the developer said, “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.”

“Current” plans could mean something changes down the line. But at present, the development team isn’t looking to add any more content post-launch, be it story DLC, more Skulls, customization options or even Firefight. “Halo: Campaign Evolved is meant to focus on remaking the original campaign of Halo: Combat Evolved and providing three fun, new prequel missions. There are no plans to expand the game into a live service with continued content or feature additions.”

And no, there won’t be a demo either. While this has never really been a thing for the franchise, pre- and post-Bungie, Halo Studios’ objective seems pretty clear: “If you’re excited and want to get your hands on the game as soon as possible, you can pre-order the Premium Edition and get up to 5 days of early access beginning July 23, 2026!” Long story short, if you want to play early, then prepare to pay.

For what it’s worth, though, the Premium Edition costs $70 and also offers other bonuses like additional skins and the digital story and art collection. Those not keen on advanced access can fork over $50 for the Standard Edition, which is pretty reasonable. As for the lack of Theater Mode and plans to support the title after launch, well, we’ll let you be the judge.

Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on July 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It will also be available on day one for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.