Halo: Firefight Officially Announced For Winter 2026

Published Nov 15, 2026, 3:00 AM EST

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Halo: Campaign Evolved, the remake of the franchise's first entry, is getting a big update that introduces a longtime fan favorite: Firefight. The announcement comes as Xbox FanFest celebrations continue, with the multi-city tour marking 25 years since the release of the original Xbox console.

Halo: Campaign Evolved, not to be confused with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, launched to generally positive reviews for its faithfulness to the legendary story. However, while the remake didn't include the original game's competitive multiplayer, it did feature online and split-screen co-op for its campaign. Now, Xbox is looking to bring back another franchise classic: Firefight. The cooperative PvE mode sees players team up in squads of up to four Spartans to take on wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemies.

Firefight originally made its debut in Halo 3: ODST, giving players an entirely new way to experience the franchise outside its traditional multiplayer modes. The mode returned in later entries, including Halo: Reach and Halo 5: Guardians, becoming a fan favorite along the way. While details about its Campaign Evolved debut are still relatively limited, Xbox has confirmed that the free Winter Update will introduce new maps and weapons for players to use as they fight off the Covenant.

Fans attending Xbox FanFest in Seattle were the first to try Firefight, and those heading to Halo Fest on Dec. 12-13 will also have a chance to play it throughout the weekend. The rest of us will have to wait for more information about the winter update and its official release date.

Firefight wasn't the only announcement made during Xbox's 25th anniversary celebrations, either. Players across several of the company's biggest franchises can claim free commemorative items, including an Xbox-themed GR GT livery in Forza Horizon 6, an anniversary weapon skin set in Gears of War: E-Day, and an original Xbox green character item in Minecraft, among other goodies. Halo: Campaign Evolved players can also claim their own Damascus Prototype Armor Style for Master Chief, which is available for free through Halo Waypoint.

The celebrations are a fitting way to mark 25 years of Xbox, and with Firefight returning this winter, Halo: Campaign Evolved players have another reason to jump back into the fight. In the meantime, those who haven't claimed their anniversary armor can do so right now.

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