The unthinkable actually happened; Microsoft has gone ahead to officially announce that Halo has now become a multiplatform franchise, extending its wings to PlayStation consoles. This monumental strategic pivot was confirmed by the director of community from the Halo studios, who at the Halo World Championships stated that the saga was “on PlayStation going forward.” While quite ingenious, this strategic decision is arguably the most shocking lockdown in console exclusivity of this generation and indeed a wildcard for the industry. For over two decades, notwithstanding the purple-dressed adult, anything that extended the notion of Master Chief’s adventures appearing outside the Xbox ecosystem was deemed heretical.
This single decision is, however, an integral part of this paradigm shift that Microsoft is embracing-mostly against the grain-like some less than supportive second-greatest step towards ending the earlier monopoly of the rapidly declining superstition of platform exclusivity. Quite a few recent developments have suggested lessening walls of commitment to the platform, with this very sentiment being formally asserted earlier on this month by none else than Xbox president Sarah Bond, who deemed set exclusives to be “antiquated for most people.” Following reported sales successes of other high-profile Xbox properties, such as Forza Horizon 5 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, on rival hardware, moving Halo is clearly driven by maximizing the franchise potential for profit and audience reach, putting its health above its historical role as a console-selling exclusive.
Halo: Campaign Evolved, an ambitious remake of the original 2001 Halo: Combat Evolved, will be the first title to truly herald this new cross-platform era. It’s going to be released in 2026 on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC. The game has plenty to offer including significant functionality and content changes, full crossplay support, 4-player co-op extensions, and 3 all-new prequel missions enhancing the core storytelling experience. Internal development strife has already surfaced; original level designers publicly chastised current studio leadership for making fundamental changes to classic level layouts/core design philosophy, meaning this new era is set for considerable debate internally, as well as, within the dedicated player base.
Regardless of the polarizing response from the original fanbase and some internal disagreements regarding the remake’s vision, this move changes the face of first-party intellectual property fundamentally. For the first time, one of gaming’s most honored sci-fi shooters will be open for everybody, allowing a brand-new generation of players on rival hardware to experience the series that made an entire console generation. The strategic change constitutes a landmark within the industry, driving the venerated franchise toward an unprecedented route of maximized availability and impact on the global gaming market.
