Campaign Evolved is coming to PS5

Last week, Microsoft revealed the long-rumored Halo: Campaign Evolveda remake of the first Halos single player story in Unreal Engine 5. Reactions to the reveal have been mixed to say the least, with many arguing that the original Halo isn't really in need of a remaster; The 2001 version is widely available and has even received a facelift already thanks to Master Chief Collection.

But arguably the most important part of Halo: Campaign Evolved is its cross-platform release strategy: for the first time in franchise history, Halo coming to PlayStation. For anyone who has been aware of gaming news since the days of the original Xbox or Xbox 360, this is an almost unfathomable change, as Halo has always been synonymous with the Xbox brand – Master Chief is as inseparable from Xbox as Mario is to Nintendo. With Halo: Campaign Evolved when we come to PlayStation, it feels like Xbox has really conceded the “console war” as it's usually conceptualized, giving up on the very idea of platform exclusivity. In other words, if even Halo leaving the Microsoft ecosystem, almost every other IP is also fair, which can have a significant impact, for better or for worse.

Halo: Campaign Evolved On PlayStation 5 is a mixed bag

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More players than ever will have the chance to experience Halo

Here's an optimistic view on Halo: Campaign Evolved news: the first Halo is a definitive, standout first-person shooter, and its arrival on PlayStation means it will be able to reach a wider audience than ever before. Halo: Combat Evolved wasn't just successful because of branding or the milder expectations of previous gaming audiences – it gained traction because it redefined what a single-player shooter could be. It was made with an ambitious vision in mind, and perhaps because of this, it still holds up remarkably well.

As the name suggests, Halo: Campaign Evolved will only contain the single player component of the original game. However, it is very likely that Microsoft will bring more Halo game for PlayStation, with its multiplayer modes intact. If this were to happen, it could pave the way for a major revitalization of Halos online community, which would no longer be tied to PC and the shrinking Xbox install base. Everything to bring Halo to the PlayStation would have many consumer-friendly benefits, but it could also have some unfortunate business consequences.

Halo Campaign Evolved Silent Cartographer

This bright side interpretation assumes that Halo: Campaign Evolved is actually well done. If it ends up being wrong, malfunctioning, or distorting the vision of the original, then it's a whole other can of worms.

With Xbox waving the white flag, Strong Exclusives may be a thing of the past

When did PlayStation start “winning” its battle against Xbox? Many gamers would argue that the PlayStation's victory was decided in the early years of the PS4's life, when heavy gamers like Blood borne and Uncharted 4 graced the platform, while others will argue that it was near the end of the PS3's lifespan, thanks to games that InFamous 2 and The last of us. Either way, one constant factor remains at the heart of this discussion: PlayStation's library of exclusives.

A selection of games from PlayStation Studios.

In fact, the PlayStation probably wouldn't have gained as much ground if not for the aforementioned games, but such games probably wouldn't have become the same if not for Xbox's one-time dominance during the Xbox 360 era. It is even possible that system sellers like The last of us and Blood borne wouldn't have existed, at least not as we know them, but Gears of War, Fableand yes, Halo. If these franchises come to PlayStation, what reason will Sony have to invest so aggressively in their own exclusives? With no exclusives on Xbox and countless exclusives on PS5, there's little reason to invest in Microsoft's ecosystem, and less reason for Sony to remain as competitive with its first-party releases.