Halo: Campaign Evolved players will get Firefight for free this winter, adding a cooperative mode built around four Spartans surviving repeated enemy attacks. The update includes PS5, bringing the returning mode to players of the remake on Sony’s console.
Halo Studios announced the addition on November 12, promising new maps and an array of weapons for players taking on the waves together. Its first playable outing was scheduled for XBOX FanFest that evening, with attendees getting the first opportunity to try this version of Firefight.
Firefight Returns to the Original Campaign
Firefight began with Halo 3: ODST in 2009 and has since returned in several Halo games. This will be its first addition to the original entry through a later update, extending a mode whose history now spans nearly two decades.
The remake launched on July 28, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. It arrived without competitive deathmatch, while its campaign and extra missions supported playing alone or cooperatively with friends. Kotaku reported that fans were hopeful after an October report suggested Firefight was coming.
What Players Already Have
Halo: Campaign Evolved rebuilds the Halo: Combat Evolved campaign with sharper visuals, revised cinematics and changes to controls and level design. Players can already tackle that adventure through two-player split-screen on consoles or online with up to four people, with crossplay and cross-progression supported between console and PC.
The remake also adds Operation: Meteorite, a separate three-mission operation pairing the Master Chief with Sgt. Johnson in new environments against new enemies. Its expanded arsenal includes nine additional weapons drawn from the series, while vehicle changes let players hijack enemy rides and drive a Wraith tank for the first time in Halo: CE.
Optional modifiers called “Skulls” alter missions through randomized weapons, enemies and environments. The presentation changes extend to new animations, a remastered musical score and rebuilt sound effects, alongside the visual work on the original missions.
The original campaign follows the Master Chief after a crash landing on Halo, where he helps surviving humans fight Covenant forces. With Cortana alongside him, he investigates the ringworld’s secrets and battles to prevent the destruction of life across the galaxy.
Halo Studios will share further Firefight details during Halo Fest in Seattle, Washington, on December 12-13. Attendees will also be able to play the mode over that weekend, as the event celebrates 25 years of Halo and XBOX.
