Halo: Combat Evolved
News, coverage and analysis tracking Halo: Combat Evolved across the outlets.
Latest coverage
How to throw a LAN party in 2026
This guide offers advice on hosting a successful LAN party in 2026, drawing from a recent personal experience. It covers essential tips such as renting tables and chairs, planning a game list, and ensuring proper power and network setups. The author emphasizes the enhanced social experience of playing games together in person compared to online multiplayer.
The Biggest Gaming Stories That Happened Since GTA 5 Came Out 13 Years Ago
Since Grand Theft Auto 5's release in September 2013, the gaming landscape has seen significant shifts, including the rise of live-service games like Fortnite and the eventual decline of E3. Major events include numerous Skyrim ports, the expansion of the Watch Dogs franchise, Halo appearing on PlayStation, and Grand Theft Auto 5 itself releasing on multiple new platforms. The period also saw the rise of Andrew Wilson at EA, the entire Phil Spencer era at Xbox, the successful launch and dominance of the Nintendo Switch, and a significant increase in console prices.
Give Master Chief a break – I want more Halo games like ODST and Reach
The author argues that while Halo's core FPS gameplay is legendary, its narrative potential, particularly seen in titles like Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach, has been underutilized in recent years. With the rebrand to Halo Studios and the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved, there's an opportunity to draw inspiration from these past successes and explore new storytelling avenues within the Halo universe, rather than solely focusing on Master Chief's main saga.
There isn't an official Lego Xbox, so Mattel just said "fine, I'll do it myself"
Mattel Brick Shop has released a 3,509-piece, 1:1 scale replica of the original Xbox console and its 'Duke' controller to celebrate the console's 25th anniversary. The model features interactive lights and sounds, and opens to reveal dioramas from Halo: Combat Evolved, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and Psychonauts.
The Original Xbox Is Back, And This Time You Have To Build It Yourself
Mattel is releasing a 1:1 scale replica of the original Xbox console, featuring 3,509 pieces, realistic lights and sounds, and a buildable Duke controller. The replica also includes three dioramas themed around Halo: Combat Evolved, Psychonauts, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, with shipping expected in October. This release coincides with Xbox's 25th anniversary amidst a turbulent period for Microsoft's gaming division, marked by layoffs and revenue declines.
Halo co-creator says the remake's lack of PvP is a "misstep" resulting "from lack of oversight and…
Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto has criticized Halo: Campaign Evolved for its lack of PvP multiplayer, calling it a significant misstep due to poor planning and oversight. He believes this omission is a major drawback for fans of the original Halo: Combat Evolved and a key reason for the remake's underperformance compared to other recent releases.
The 'father of Master Chief' doesn't like the new Halo's new halos
Marcus Lehto, the art director for the original Halo: Combat Evolved, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the art style of the upcoming remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved. He criticizes the new halos for appearing too new and shiny, lacking the ancient, worn, and massive feel of the originals. Despite these gripes, Lehto acknowledges enjoying the game's upgrades in movement, cinematics, and visuals.
'Halo Studios Went Too Far in the Wrong Direction' — Co-Creator of Halo Hits Out at the Main Menu Ring in Xbox's New Remake
One of the original creators of Halo has criticized Xbox's remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, specifically pointing out the main menu's ring design and the absence of player-versus-player multiplayer. The co-creator feels the development went in the wrong direction.
Halo Co-Creator Criticizes Art Direction of Campaign Evolved’s Forerunner Tech
Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto has criticized the art direction of Halo: Campaign Evolved, specifically its depiction of Forerunner technology. Lehto stated the remake's Forerunner structures look too modern and lack the ancient, mysterious feel of the original. Despite these criticisms, he acknowledged positive aspects like the Covenant and Flood aesthetics and previously praised the game's upgrades and lighting.
Halo: Campaign Evolved Sales Estimates Put It at a Nearly 50-50 Split Between Xbox and PS5 Buyers
Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, has sold an estimated 1.2 million copies across Xbox, PlayStation 5, and PC. Sales are nearly evenly split between Xbox and PlayStation 5 buyers.
Halo Co-Creator Says Issues With Campaign Evolved Are Taking “A Back Seat to the Fun”
Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto believes criticisms of the Halo: Campaign Evolved remake are overblown, stating that the game's fun factor outweighs its issues. Lehto praised the remake's lighting, animations, cinematics, and movement, while acknowledging minor gripes, including some cringe-worthy cinematics and overly heavy-handed hints for new players. The remake has been released on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, though initial sales on PlayStation 5 were reportedly overshadowed by other releases.
Halo: Campaign Evolved PS5 Launch Was Overshadowed by Black Ops 1 and 2, Says Analyst
Halo: Campaign Evolved saw underwhelming sales on PlayStation 5, selling only 351,000 copies in July, significantly overshadowed by older Call of Duty titles. Analyst Rhys Elliot suggests the $60 price point was too high for a graphical remake of a 2001 game, contrasting it with more successful nostalgic releases and Halo's own past sales trajectory.
Embrace the great Tech Pause
The article advocates for a 'Tech Pause,' encouraging gamers to appreciate existing hardware rather than constantly chasing the latest expensive technology. It highlights the stagnation in GPU improvements and the rising costs of PCs and consoles, suggesting that older hardware is still capable of playing a vast library of games, including many new releases. The piece also celebrates the advancements in emulation and PC handhelds as more accessible and rewarding avenues for gaming.
Halo: Campaign Evolved Reminded Me That Halo Infinite Was Great, Actually
Playing the remake Halo: Campaign Evolved highlights the strengths of Halo Infinite's gameplay, despite its development struggles and narrative issues. The article argues that Infinite modernized the core gameplay loop established in Halo: Combat Evolved, particularly with the addition of the grappling hook, and that the new Halo Studios should learn from both Infinite's innovations and the series' past successes.
Game of the Week – Halo: Campaign Evolved is a legendary FPS reborn for a new generation of players
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a faithful remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, offering a well-paced FPS experience with memorable levels suitable for solo or co-op play. The game features updated visuals using Unreal Engine 5 and introduces new prologue missions, while retaining the spirit of the 2001 classic. It is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, with the main campaign taking approximately 10-14 hours to complete.
Best in Class: Stream PC Games and Study on the Same Laptop With GeForce NOW
NVIDIA's GeForce NOW service is being promoted as a solution for students to play PC games on everyday laptops, turning them into cloud-powered gaming rigs. The service supports streaming titles from platforms like Steam and Xbox PC Game Pass, with Halo: Campaign Evolved being a featured addition. GeForce NOW Ultimate offers RTX-class performance with features like DLSS and ray tracing, accessible across various devices including PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, and handhelds.
Halo: Campaign Evolved's 'death barriers' and ungenerous out-of-bounds restrictions are making the 42 skull grind a real bore
Players are expressing frustration with the restrictive 'death barriers' in Halo: Campaign Evolved, which punish exploration and conflict with the game's collectathon-style skull hunting. Unlike previous Halo titles, the remake's out-of-bounds restrictions are seen as overly harsh, with some suggesting a 'death timer' similar to Halo Reach as a more player-friendly alternative.
Halo on helium has arrived less than a week after modders got their hands on Campaign Evolved, just in case you prefer chipmunked Chief and Cortana
A new mod for Halo: Combat Evolved, titled 'Halo - Chipmunk Edition,' has been released by modder Omniscye, which pitch-shifts the voices of nearly all characters in the game. This mod, which reportedly modifies over 15,000 dialogue files, is believed to be a manual creation rather than using AI, distinguishing it from other recent mods that utilize AI for voice swapping and split-screen co-op activation.
Halo: Campaign Evolved Is Here - What's Actually New in This Remake | Gamedoper
Halo: Campaign Evolved, a modern remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, has launched globally on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam, and for the first time, PlayStation 5. This remake features rebuilt campaign visuals, improved AI, and a new three-mission prequel story arc titled Operation: METEORITE. It also includes expanded weapon and vehicle rosters, new enemy variants, and enhanced replayability through "Skulls" modifiers, with four-player online co-op support.
XBOX @ gamescom 2026
Xbox will host its presence at gamescom 2026 in Cologne, Germany, celebrating 25 years of Xbox with 25 upcoming games playable across 140 stations. The event will feature hands-on demos for titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Gears of War: E-Day, and METRO 2039, alongside community events like Xbox FanFest. For those unable to attend, Xbox will provide live streams on YouTube and Twitch with developer interviews and gameplay reveals.
