Xbox · 2001
Halo: Combat Evolved Announcement
The Xbox launch title that introduced players to the Master Chief and the fight for the ring world known as Halo.
- Publisher
- Microsoft Game Studios
- Format
- DVD
- Genre
- First-person shooter
- Released
- 2001
01
Overview
Halo: Combat Evolved opened the Xbox library as its launch title, developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Players take on the Master Chief in a first-person campaign that moves across the ring world's varied biomes, from grasslands and forests to the interior of the ancient ring itself. The game pairs a straightforward objective-driven structure with set pieces and multiplayer modes that made the title a fixture in early Xbox households.
02
Why it matters
As the console's launch game, it helped define the Xbox identity at a pivotal moment for Microsoft. It also established the Master Chief as one of the most recognizable figures in gaming media.
03
The physical edition
A typical complete copy includes the game DVD, the Xbox controller, and printed materials such as the instruction booklet, though contents can vary by region and promotional bundle. The game itself is the same across editions, but packaging, manuals, and bundled extras differ.
04
Playing it today
Original Xbox hardware still runs the disc without issue, and the game is also available through backward-compatible means on later Xbox consoles. The campaign remains straightforward to pick up, while the multiplayer modes require a console and the original hardware or compatible setup.