Game · in order

Halo Games in Order

By the Bingerun team · How we choose the order →

The Halo saga is 11 campaign games: eight mainline shooters from Combat Evolved (2001) to Infinite (2021), two Halo Wars strategy spinoffs, and Halo: Campaign Evolved (July 28, 2026), the remake that replaces the original as the entry point and brings Halo to PlayStation for the first time.

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  1. Halo: Campaign Evolved 2026

    The UE5 remake and new entry point: July 28, 2026 (early access July 23), first Halo on PS5 ever, Game Pass day one, plus the new Operation: METEORITE missions

  2. Halo: Combat Evolved 2001

    The 2001 original; same story as Campaign Evolved, so play one or the other

  3. Halo 2 2004

    The Arbiter joins the story; what new players continue to after the remake

  4. Halo 3 2007

    Finishes the original trilogy's fight

  5. Halo 3: ODST 2009

    Noir side story running parallel to Halo 2's back half; short and beloved

  6. Halo: Reach 2010

    The prequel tragedy; ends hours before Combat Evolved begins

  7. Halo 4 2012

    343's era begins; the Chief and Cortana's most personal story

  8. Halo 5: Guardians 2015

    The divisive middle chapter; required setup for Infinite

  9. Halo Infinite 2021

    The current mainline endpoint, on Xbox and PC

  10. RTSHalo Wars 2009

    Strategy spinoff set in 2531, chronologically first; optional

  11. RTSHalo Wars 2 2017

    Strategy sequel that introduces the Banished, Infinite's enemies; optional

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Why this order?

Halo's order question just changed shape: Campaign Evolved, the ground-up Unreal Engine 5 remake of the first game's campaign, launches July 28, 2026 (early access July 23) on Xbox, PC, and, for the first time in the franchise's 25 years, PlayStation 5, with Game Pass day one. It retells Combat Evolved with modern handling plus a new three-mission story arc, Operation: METEORITE, which makes it the intended new starting line. Start there, then follow release order: Halo 2, Halo 3, ODST, Reach, then the 343-era trilogy of Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite. The 2001 original remains available (and in the Master Chief Collection) for purists, but you play one version of that story, not both.

Chronology is the rewarding second lens. In-universe the story starts with Halo Wars (2531), then Reach (2552), which ends hours before Combat Evolved begins, then the Chief's trilogy with ODST running parallel to Halo 2's back half, then Halo Wars 2 and the 343 trilogy. Playing Reach first is a beloved veteran recommendation, but its gut-punch ending works best when you already know what the Pillar of Autumn escapes into.

Platform reality check, because the PS5 wave is why half of you are here: Campaign Evolved is the only Halo on PlayStation at launch. The Master Chief Collection (Combat Evolved Anniversary through Halo 4) and Halo Infinite remain Xbox and PC. The Halo Wars games are real-time strategy, story-relevant but mechanically optional, and the twin-stick Spartan Assault and Spartan Strike are skippable entirely. What comes after Campaign Evolved for new fans is simply Halo 2, and if the remake sells, history suggests more remakes will follow it.

Timeline 2001-2026

Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.

  1. 2001 Combat Evolved
  2. 2004 2
  3. 2007 3
  4. 2009 3: ODSTWars
  5. 2010 Reach
  6. 2012 4
  7. 2015 5: Guardians
  8. 2017 Wars 2
  9. 4-year gap
  10. 2021 Infinite
  11. 5-year gap
  12. 2026 Campaign Evolved

Where to play it today

  • Campaign Evolved: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam and PlayStation 5 from July 28, 2026, day one on Game Pass
  • Everything else lives on Xbox and PC: the Master Chief Collection bundles Combat Evolved Anniversary, 2, 3, ODST, Reach and 4; Halo Infinite is free-to-play for multiplayer with a separate campaign

Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Halo.

Frequently asked questions

How many Halo games are there?

Eleven story campaigns: eight mainline shooters (Combat Evolved 2001 through Infinite 2021, including ODST and Reach), two Halo Wars strategy games, and Halo: Campaign Evolved (2026). The Spartan Assault and Spartan Strike twin-stick spinoffs are skippable.

What order should I play the Halo games in?

Start with Campaign Evolved (or the 2001 original it remakes), then release order: Halo 2, Halo 3, ODST, Reach, Halo 4, Halo 5, Halo Infinite, with the Halo Wars games as optional strategy side dishes. Story chronology (Reach first) is on this page too, best saved for a second run.

Is Halo: Campaign Evolved a good starting point?

Yes, it is designed as one: a full Unreal Engine 5 remake of the first campaign with modernized handling, four-player co-op and a new three-mission arc (Operation: METEORITE). It replaces the 2001 original as the natural first step.

Which Halo games are on PS5?

At launch, only Halo: Campaign Evolved (July 28, 2026), the franchise's first PlayStation release ever. The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite remain Xbox and PC; whether more of the saga reaches PS5 is unannounced.

Should I play Halo: Reach first?

Veterans love recommending it, since it is chronologically first among the shooters and ends where Combat Evolved begins. For a first run we side with release order: Reach's ending hits hardest when you already know the story it feeds into.

Do I need to play the Halo Wars games?

No: they are real-time strategy spinoffs. Halo Wars is set decades before the main story, and Halo Wars 2 introduces the Banished, who become Halo Infinite's enemies, so they enrich the lore but are mechanically optional.

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Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, news.xbox.com, halowaypoint.com, Wikidata

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