A remake of the originalHalo: Combat Evolvedcould be coming in the near future. First released in 2001 for the Xbox,Combat Evolvedwas the originalHalogame, and pioneered much of what made the franchise an immediate smash hit and an enduring classic. With an arsenal of unique weapons, a fleet of futuristic vehicles, and a plethora of thrilling story missions,Halo: Combat Evolvedis fondly remembered by many, as much for its own merits as for what it inspired in the games that followed it.
According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by prolific Xbox insiderNick Baker,aHalo: Combat Evolvedremaster could be coming out as early as next year, with a release date allegedly set sometime in 2025. Baker, co-founder of theXbox Erapublication with strong connections to Microsoft, has frequently broken major Xbox news before its official release.
Baker initially described the upcoming release asthe next mainlineHalogameon theXbox Erapodcast, but clarified in the post below that he was mistaken. It’s actually theCombat Evolvedremaster that may be coming out next year, andthere’s plenty of evidence to support these rumors.
A Halo Remake Has Been Leaked Before
Halo: CE Remaster Has Been Rumored Since June
Rumors of aHalo: Combat Evolvedremake/remaster have actually been circulating since June, whenThe Vergepublished an article claiming that such a project was in the works at Microsoft. While it wasn’t clear about whether theHalo: CEre-release would be a remaster or a full-blown remake, it did reveal that the project was in the early stages of development, and suggested it would likely be some time before any kind of official announcement or reveal.
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The initial rumors also suggested thattheCEremaster could be coming to PlayStation as well as Xbox. Although the latest leaks don’t confirm or deny that particular detail, it would mesh well with the recent trend offirst-party Microsoft games going multiplatform.
Our Take: A Halo Remake Could Be What The Franchise Needs Most
Halo is In Dire Straits
TheHalofranchise needs a shot in the arm, andaCombat Evolvedremaster could be the perfect thing.Its latest mainline game,Halo: Infinite, is languishing with a miniscule player count and a sluggish update pace. Thetie-inHaloTV seriesmet with near-universally negative reception prior to its official cancelation this past July. The next bigHalogame’s switch to Unreal Engine 5is already being blasted as a downgrade from its original proprietary game engine. It seems likeHalojust can’t win.
ACombat Evolvedremaster seems like a contingency plan, the in-case-of-emergency breaking of a big red button emblazoned with “Nostalgia.” Players clearly don’t like the newHalo, so what if we just gave them more of the old stuff? There’s nothing wrong with that approach - the first three or soHalogames are tried and true, and there’s a lot that a modern remaster could add toCombat Evolved. Just mix in some multiplayer co-op capabilities, and many old-schoolHalofans would be all too happy to jump back into a campaign they know and love.
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Speaking as a survivor of many a toxicHalo 3lobby,none of the recentHaloreleases have appealed to me in the slightest. I’ve barely touchedInfinite’s multiplayer, never even downloaded its campaign, and you’d have to pay me to watch the series. I did, however, invest some time inThe Master Chief Collection. I enjoyed playing through the classic campaign again, and relished my return to live, livelyHalo 3multiplayer servers.
ACombat Evolvedrevival could have a similar effect for fans of that game, and could start a more widespread return to the series' roots. A movement away fromInfinite’s missteps is necessary one way or another, but there’s scarcely a better way to start a franchise reboot than with a remaster ofHalo: Combat Evolved.
