Halo: Combat Evolved remake quietly confirmed for Xbox's 25th anniversary

It looks like Halo: Combat Evolved could be getting a remake as part of Xbox’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

When it comes to iconic FPS games of its genre, it doesn't get much more iconic than Halo: Combat Evolved. Before the arrival of John-117, aka the Master Chief, super-slick FPS gameplay was only possible on PC with its keyboard and mouse combo.

Sure, the original Xbox controller still couldn't rival the responsiveness of a keyboard and mouse, but for console gamers at least, when Halo: Combat Evolved launched with the Xbox in 2001, it was quite literally a game changer.

As part of its 10th anniversary, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was released in 2011 on Xbox 360. This glorious remaster was faithful to its source material and allowed gamers to switch between the new visuals and the original.

Now, it seems, Halo: Combat Evolved is getting another release, but this time, rather than being a remaster, it could be a full remake built from the ground up and is expected to release in 2026 as part of the Xbox and Master Chief’s 25th anniversary.

In October last year, current Halo developers 343 Industries rebranded as Halo Studios and announced a partnership with Unreal. So it’s not outside the realm of possibility that the rumoured Halo: Combat Evolved remake will be powered by Unreal Engine 5.

As spotted by Kotaku (via Tom Warren), during last night’s Xbox Games Showcase, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, teased that not only is a new Forza arriving next year but also a “return of a classic.”

“As we think about bringing a new generation of players to these iconic franchises, I’m excited to share that players will get to celebrate 25 years of Xbox with a new Fable, the next Forza, Gears of War: E-Day, and the return of a classic that’s been with us since the beginning,” said Spencer.

While Halo: Combat Evolved wasn't mentioned directly, it literally has been with us since the very beginning, as an original Xbox launch title.

As always, we’ll keep you posted if further information drops on the rumoured remake of Halo: Combat Evolved. In the meantime, you can play the entire Halo series with Xbox Game Pass.