The unthinkable has happened. In a move that officially redefines the “console war,” Xbox Game Studios has announced that its flagship franchise, Halo, will be making its long-awaited debut on PlayStation 5.

The title making the historic jump is Halo: Campaign Evolved, a ground-up, modernized remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved single-player campaign, built on Unreal Engine 5.

The announcement was made by Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) during the recent Halo World Championship event.

Master Chief on PlayStation: A New Era

Release Window: The game is scheduled for a simultaneous global launch on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5 sometime in 2026, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the franchise.
Focus: As the name implies, the game is campaign-only, focusing entirely on a modernized retelling of the original 2001 story. There will be no competitive multiplayer.
Modernizing a Classic: The remake will feature a suite of technical and gameplay enhancements, including:
- Completely Rebuilt Visuals in Unreal Engine 5, with overhauled cinematics and animations.
- Refined Controls and the controversial addition of sprinting (which can be disabled).
- Expanded Arsenal featuring nine new weapons from later Halo titles, such as the Energy Sword and Battle Rifle.
New Content: To entice veterans, the game will include three brand-new prequel missions starring Master Chief and fan-favorite, Sergeant Johnson, set before the events of the original story.
Co-op & Cross-Play: The entire campaign can be played in two-player split-screen co-op (console-only) or with four players online, featuring full cross-play and cross-progression between Xbox, PC, and PS5.

Microsoft’s Shifting Strategy

This cross-platform release is the strongest signal yet of Microsoft’s strategy shift to becoming a software and services publisher across all platforms.

Following the release of titles like Sea of Thieves and Gears of War: Reloaded on the PS5 earlier this year, the arrival of Halo—once the very definition of an Xbox exclusive—marks an unprecedented moment of collaboration in the industry.

“This is a true opportunity to grow the fanbase for the franchise that started it all,” said Damon Conn, Executive Producer at Halo Studios. “We’re bringing the most players to Halo ever. This is a new era—Halo is on PlayStation going forward.”

While the news is being met with shock and excitement from players on both sides, the decision to launch the game without competitive multiplayer has led to speculation that the studio may be preparing a separate, standalone multiplayer title for a later date.

For now, PS5 players can finally look forward to their first official journey into the ring world of Installation 04.