The console wars are officially over after Xbox announced it will debut their most popular exclusive game franchise on PlayStation. In what is yet another sign of Microsoft and Sony’s growing relationship, Master Chief will switch allegiances to team blue following the launch of Halo: Campaigns Evolved on PS5.
A full-scale remake of the original Halo single-player campaign, built in Unreal Engine 3, it features all of the missions that made gamers fall in love nearly 25 years ago. But there are a host of new gameplay features on top of the rebuilt visuals that gives this iconic video game a modern twist for new audiences. Gamers will have to wait until sometime in 2026 for release, but they’ll surely be spending most of that time trying to pick their jaws up off the floor — if they still haven’t done so after THAT worrying price leak of Xbox’s next generation console.
“I’ve had the honor of working on Halo for nearly two decades, and I’ve been lucky to share so many incredible moments with players along the way,” said Brian Jarrard, the Community Director at Halo Studios, in a statement posted on Friday. “Today’s announcement is one I’ll never forget: Halo is coming to PlayStation.
“For nearly 25 years, Halo has offered players an epic sci-fi universe to explore, unforgettable characters to meet, and exhilarating gameplay to experience together.
“From large-scale battles to friendships formed over late-night co-op sessions, Halo has always been more than just a game – it’s about the players who’ve made it part of their lives.
“From the beginning, we wanted to build a world with stories and experiences that bring people together. And now, for the first time, PS5 players will get to be part of that journey too.”
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a transformative new business strategy to launch its own franchises on competitor consoles.
Games that have already made the move include Gears of War, Forza Horizon and Hell Blade 2, just to name a few.
But to expand that catalogue with Halo, which is widely considered Microsoft’s crown jewel, is a decision that has shocked gamers everywhere.
One gamer posted on X: “After years and years and years of debate, Xbox well and truly lost,” while another quizzed: “Xbox has finally caved?!”
“Halo came to PlayStation before the release of GTA 6” joked a third, while a user admitted: “That’s wild, I never thought I’d see the day Master Chief traded the Xbox green for a blue logo. Gaming history just glitched into a new timeline.”