Halo: Campaign Evolved Sidelines the Series’ Most Interesting Spin-Off

With Halo: Campaign Evolved expected to release in 2026, the Halo series seems to be looking to the past for a new direction, but this comes with some pros and cons. While games like Combat Evolved are iconic for a reason, the beloved FPS franchise may stop trying to take creative risks by simply re-releasing polished versions of older games. And while fans will always enjoy Halo‘s greatest hits, focusing too much on remakes could prevent spin-off projects from ever coming back.

The biggest part of the Halo series to suffer from constant remakes is the Halo Wars games – the real-time strategy titles that were far different from the standard first-person shooting. Halo Wars and Halo Wars 2 both are highly rated and reviewed by fans, providing a Starcraft-like experience set in the rich sci-fi setting that Halo is known for. If series developers only try to remake the FPS games from the past, it’s very possible that Halo Wars will get left behind.

Halo Wars 3 Would Be Far More Interesting Than Halo: Campaign Evolved

Combat Evolved is already a game that has been remastered in the past, specifically with Combat Evolved Anniversary in 2011. While Campaign Evolved seems to take things a step further with a full remake, it almost seems like a step back rather than forward for the series. Many fans consider the original Combat Evolved perfect, so the remake has created controversies simply by existing rather than a sequel to Halo Infinite or Halo Wars 2.

A hypothetical Halo Wars 3 might pick up where Halo Infinite left off, especially since Halo Wars 2 introduced the Banished faction that were the main enemies of Infinite. The continuation of that story might excite fans more than retreading old ground, especially when gameplay changes to Combat Evolved might alienate die-hard Halo enthusiasts.

The original Halo Wars was released in 2009, with Halo Wars 2 coming out eight years later in 2017. Given the space between each game, having Halo Wars 3 be Halo‘s next big game in 2026 would match the time frame between each title. However, with Campaign Evolved, the spin-off is unlikely to return in any way, despite the very positive reviews of the first two real-time strategy titles.

Multiplayer Real-Time Strategy Gives Halo’s Developers More Creative Freedom

The real-time strategy of the Halo Wars games was simple, but highly effective and vastly different from the main FPS titles. The ability to choose different, deep factions with lots of unique units and tools added a lot to the gameplay of Halo Wars, with “hero” characters adding something interesting to large-scale battles too. With engaging battlefields that change how you build and deploy your armies, creativity is encouraged to make every match different.

Developers getting to craft new maps from scratch, re-design new or returning factions, or add more content to a Halo Wars 3 is a completely different avenue than just re-polishing Combat Evolved again. The pressure behind remaking Combat Evolved also comes with its own restrictions, as fan expectations are going to be astronomically high. With Campaign Evolved not including multiplayer either, there’s only so much that title can deliver when it eventually releases.

By comparison, one of the most exciting parts of Halo Wars 2 was its robust multiplayer. Multiple maps were available for 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3 matches, giving players multiple options to choose the scale of their RTS battles. With Skirmish modes to fight AI opponents, as well as alternative rule settings to customize win conditions, the level of design detail in a new Halo Wars could be more exciting to make rather than being restricted to what existed in the past.

Stories From Halo Infinite & Halo Wars 2 Are Better Than Retreading Old Ground

Halo Wars 2‘s introduction of the Banished faction is still one of the most interesting concepts in Halo‘s history, enough to inspire a mainline game with Master Chief in Halo Infinite. The idea of a splinter group of Brutes from the Covenant still holds narrative weight in the series’ story, as the UNSC were soundly defeated by the Banished’s leader Atriox at the very start of Infinite‘s story.

More stories involving the Banished are far more interesting than a re-telling of Combat Evolved again, despite that FPS consistently standing the test of time. Furthermore, there are additional plot threads from Halo Wars 2 that leave some questions unanswered, with no Halo Infinite DLC also leaving that chapter of Master Chief’s journey left unfinished.

Continuing remakes of Halo games might serve to tap at nostalgia, but do little to advance the series in a fresh direction. For example, the Awakening the Nightmare expansion of Halo Wars 2 reintroduced the Flood to Halo‘s story, having been awakened again as a returning threat. Rather than telling older stories involving the parasite that fans have been eager to see again, a new one in a Halo Wars or Infinite sequel could offer some new experiences.

While not everyone may be asking for the spin-off Halo Wars series to return, the ideas it might present are a step forward rather than backwards. Although Halo: Campaign Evolved will undoubtedly provide a great remaster of an FPS classic, its existence could create a trend that prevents intriguing departures from the series’ formula that expanded the setting into something more.

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