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Campaign guides

How to Get Started With the Halo Games: A Beginner’s Guide to the Main Campaigns

Start with Combat Evolved Anniversary, play the first six campaigns in The Master Chief Collection, then continue with Halo 5 and Halo Infinite. Here’s how the 2026 remake and platform access fit in.

By VGSources Team 4 min read

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For a first story playthrough, follow release order: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, then Halo Infinite. The first six campaigns are in Halo: The Master Chief Collection (MCC); the last two are separate games. Halo Support recommends starting with a campaign and names Combat Evolved Anniversary as the release-order starting point. If you want the 2026 remake of that opening story instead, Halo: Campaign Evolved is an alternative starting experience, not a new sequel after Infinite.

What order should I play the Halo games in?

Use release order for a first full campaign run. It lets you encounter the main entries in the sequence they were introduced, rather than beginning with a prequel. The order below follows Halo Support’s release-order recommendation for the six MCC campaigns, followed by the two later standalone campaign games.

  1. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
  2. Halo 2 Anniversary
  3. Halo 3
  4. Halo 3: ODST
  5. Halo: Reach
  6. Halo 4
  7. Halo 5: Guardians
  8. Halo Infinite

Halo Support’s Quick Start Guide for Halo: The Master Chief Collection advises newcomers to start with a campaign and recommends Combat Evolved Anniversary for release-order play.

The six campaigns in The Master Chief Collection

MCC groups the first six campaigns in the list: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4. ODST is its own campaign, not an add-on chapter of Halo 3. The collection’s menu includes Campaign, Multiplayer, and Firefight; choose Campaign for a story-first run. Halo Support lists the six-game lineup and access details on its MCC quick-start page.

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The two later standalone campaigns

Halo 5: Guardians is outside MCC; Xbox describes its campaign as continuing the Master Chief saga. Halo Infinite is also separate from MCC, so completing the collection does not include either game’s campaign.

Should I play the original opening or Halo: Campaign Evolved?

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a remake of the original Combat Evolved campaign, with additional content. Xbox Wire announced a global launch date of July 28, 2026 (July 29 in Japan and select Asia-Pacific markets); that date has passed. It is best treated as another way to experience the beginning, rather than an entry to play after Infinite.

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If you want… Choose… What that means
The classic progression and release history Combat Evolved Anniversary in MCC It is Halo Support’s recommended first campaign for release-order play.
A rebuilt version of the opening campaign Halo: Campaign Evolved It retells the original campaign as a remake and adds content; it is an alternative starting point.

Xbox Wire announced Campaign Evolved for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, and PS5, with cross-play and cross-progression, and announced day-one availability through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Current availability, subscription catalogs, prices, and physical stock can change; check the live listing for your region. The announcement is at Xbox Wire.

How do I get the games on my platform?

The practical distinction is that MCC supplies six campaigns in one collection, while Halo 5 and Infinite require separate access. Store listings, subscription catalogs, and cloud eligibility vary by region and can change; check the live store before buying or subscribing.

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Game or collection Platform/access information in the reviewed official listings What to check
Halo: The Master Chief Collection Xbox and Windows; the Xbox Store listing names Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows 10/11. Available by direct purchase or through some Xbox Game Pass memberships. Current price and whether it is included in a subscription in your region.
Halo 5: Guardians The reviewed Xbox Store listing names Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Regional cloud eligibility and current catalog status. The reviewed listing does not establish a native Windows PC campaign version.
Halo Infinite Xbox and PC. Multiplayer and Academy are free; campaign is a separate purchase or is available through some Game Pass memberships. Campaign ownership or subscription access. Free multiplayer access does not include the campaign.

Official listings: MCC in the Xbox Store, Halo 5 in the Xbox Store, and Halo Infinite installation and access guidance.

Install the Infinite campaign separately

On PC, Halo Support documents installation through the Xbox app or Steam; on Xbox consoles, use the Store or Game Pass app. Manage the campaign installation separately from the free multiplayer component. The support guide says an Xbox Play Anywhere purchase through Xbox or the specified Microsoft PC storefronts carries over between those platforms; a Steam campaign purchase stays on Steam. See Halo Support’s installation instructions for current steps.

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How should a new player start in MCC?

  1. Open MCC and select Campaigns.
  2. Choose Halo: CE Anniversary (the menu abbreviation for Combat Evolved Anniversary).
  3. If you are new, use Quick Start to begin with Halo Support’s suggested setup.
  4. Choose Easy or Normal as a starting difficulty if you are unsure; Halo Support recommends these as starting points for newcomers.

These are first-party starting suggestions, not a rule about what difficulty every player should use. The MCC Quick Start Guide covers the current menu route.

Can I play the campaigns with friends?

MCC supports campaign co-op, but the options differ by platform. Halo Support’s MCC guide says campaign co-op works in split-screen on the same Xbox; PC campaign co-op is online and does not offer split-screen. Campaign and Campaign Playlists currently cannot use cross-play, even though online play with friends is supported. Xbox split-screen supports up to four players, but more than two players in split-screen is available for Multiplayer only. Check the MCC support guide if your group’s platform setup matters.

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Halo Infinite multiplayer supports cross-play and cross-progression according to Halo Support. Those multiplayer features do not change how you access its separate campaign; see Halo Infinite multiplayer guidance.

Are spin-offs required for the main campaign path?

No. This guide uses “main series” to mean the campaign route from Combat Evolved through Infinite. Halo Wars and other spin-offs are optional universe entries, not prerequisites for the recommended campaign sequence. This is a practical beginner route, not a claim that every Halo story product is included.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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