Xbox Game Pass Adds Day-One Title That Officially Made PlayStation History

The Xbox Game Pass has expanded to include Halo: Campaign Evolved, which is now available across multiple subscription tiers. The remake of Master Chief’s original adventure is the 13th new Xbox Game Pass addition in July 2026. It also marks a new chapter in PlayStation history as the first Halo game released on a Sony console.

Halo has been one of Xbox’s most recognizable franchises since its 2001 beginnings. Much has changed over the following 25 years, including Microsoft’s decision to start prioritizing profits from its gaming business after a quarter-century of investment. Facing greater pressure to deliver returns, Xbox began shifting toward third-party publishing under the leadership of the now-former CEO Phil Spencer. That strategy, started in 2024, led to the late 2025 announcement of Campaign Evolved as the first-ever Halo game for PlayStation, with Xbox promising a day-and-date release on the PS5.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Debuts on Xbox, Game Pass, and PlayStation

The second remake of the first Halo game officially launched on July 28 at 11 a.m. EDT, simultaneously debuting on the current-gen Xbox and PlayStation consoles after a five-day early access period for Premium Edition buyers. As with its other first-party releases, the shooter also joined Xbox Game Pass on day one. Its arrival is subject to the usual restrictions that limit day-one titles to PC Game Pass and the XGP Ultimate tier. Based on Microsoft’s previously made commitments, Halo: Campaign Evolved is expected to join the lower-cost Xbox Game Pass Premium tier between January and July 2027.

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Unlike the 2011 Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Campaign Evolved is single-player only, hence the name. It is thus estimated to take around 10 hours to beat, based on the length of the 2001 original’s story mode. Executive Producer Damon Conn previously said Halo: Campaign Evolved lacks multiplayer due to a desire to explore new ideas. “We’re not trying to replace what is a masterpiece in the original,” the industry veteran explained, adding that Campaign Evolved is meant to stand side by side with Combat Evolved.

Xbox Game Pass Release Schedule Snapshot: Everything Officially Confirmed as of Today

Two more titles are due to join Xbox Game Pass before the end of the month: Mistfall Hunter and Corsair Cove, scheduled for July 30 and 31, respectively. Mistfall Hunter is billed as a day-one “extraction action RPG,” whereas Corsair Cove is a cozy pirate city builder published by indie strategy specialist Hooded Horse.

Those additions will be followed by July 2026’s final catalog change: the end-of-month removals. The July 31 departure wave will see Xbox Game Pass lose some of its most critically acclaimed titles, Celeste and Crusader Kings 3, as well as six other games.

Released

July 28, 2026

Developer(s)

Halo Studios

Publisher(s)

Microsoft Studios

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op

Cross-Platform Play

Yes – all platforms