A remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved could be coming in the near future. First released in 2001 for the Xbox, Combat Evolved was the original Halo game, and pioneered much of what made the franchise an immediate smash hit and an enduring classic. With an arsenal of unique weapons, a fleet of futuristic vehicles, and a plethora of thrilling story missions, Halo: Combat Evolved is fondly ed by many, as much for its own merits as for what it inspired in the games that followed it.

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by prolific Xbox insider Nick Baker, a Halo: Combat Evolved remaster could be coming out as early as next year, with a release date allegedly set sometime in 2025. Baker, co-founder of the Xbox Era publication with strong connections to Microsoft, has frequently broken major Xbox news before its official release.

Baker initially described the release as the next mainline Halo game on the Xbox Era podcast, but clarified in the post below that he was mistaken. It's actually the Combat Evolved remaster that may be coming out next year, and there's plenty of evidence to these rumors.

A Halo Remake Has Been Leaked Before

Halo: CE Remaster Has Been Rumored Since June

Rumors of a Halo: Combat Evolved remake/remaster have actually been circulating since June, when The Verge published an article claiming that such a project was in the works at Microsoft. While it wasn't clear about whether the Halo: CE re-release would be a remaster or a full-blown remake, it did reveal that the project was in the early stages of development, and suggested it would likely be some time before any kind of official announcement or reveal.

The initial rumors also suggested that the CE remaster could be coming to PlayStation as well as Xbox. Although the latest leaks don't confirm or deny that particular detail, it would mesh well with the recent trend of first-party Microsoft games going multiplatform.

Our Take: A Halo Remake Could Be What The Franchise Needs Most

Halo is In Dire Straits

The Halo franchise needs a shot in the arm, and a Combat Evolved remaster could be the perfect thing. Its latest mainline game, Halo: Infinite, is languishing with a miniscule player count and a sluggish update pace. The Halo game's switch to Unreal Engine 5 is already being blasted as a downgrade from its original proprietary game engine. It seems like Halo just can't win.

A Combat Evolved remaster seems like a contingency plan, the in-case-of-emergency breaking of a big red button emblazoned with "Nostalgia." Players clearly don't like the new Halo, so what if we just gave them more of the old stuff? There's nothing wrong with that approach - the first three or so Halo games are tried and true, and there's a lot that a modern remaster could add to Combat Evolved. Just mix in some multiplayer co-op capabilities, and many old-school Halo fans would be all too happy to jump back into a campaign they know and love.

Speaking as a survivor of many a toxic Halo 3 lobby, none of the recent Halo releases have appealed to me in the slightest. I've barely touched Infinite's multiplayer, never even ed its campaign, and you'd have to pay me to watch the series. I did, however, invest some time in The Master Chief Collection. I enjoyed playing through the classic campaign again, and relished my return to live, lively Halo 3 multiplayer servers.

A Combat Evolved revival could have a similar effect for fans of that game, and could start a more widespread return to the series' roots. A movement away from Infinite's missteps is necessary one way or another, but there's scarcely a better way to start a franchise reboot than with a remaster of Halo: Combat Evolved.

Source: Nick Baker/X, The Verge