All articles tagged with #halo
Microsoft’s Designed for Xbox 25th Anniversary collection brings Halo-green, translucent accessories across partners like Razer (mouse, keyboard, earbuds), 8BitDo and GameSir, plus a non-green Backbone Pro edition and a black PowerA sling bag, all available for pre-order to commemorate Halo’s milestone.
Mattel's Brick Shop line is releasing a 1:1-scale Microsoft Xbox Building Set, a 3,509-piece replica of the original Xbox and the Duke controller, with illuminated dioramas of Halo, Psychonauts, and Morrowind inside. Pre-orders are live ahead of a October 16, 2026 launch, priced at USD 329.99.
Mattel is releasing a 1:1-scale, 3,509-piece interactive building-brick set of the original Xbox, featuring three removable diorama modules referencing Halo, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and Psychonauts; the chunky controller activates lighting effects and a game soundtrack on the modules, with a hidden lighting sequence, and pre-orders are open at Amazon, Best Buy, and Mattel Creations for $330.
Mattel is taking preorders for a 1:1, Lego-style replica of the original Xbox. The 3,509-piece build results in a life-sized console with realistic lights and sounds, a working Duke controller, and three dioramas themed around Halo: Combat Evolved, Psychonauts, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Shipping starts in October for $330 as part of Xbox’s 25th anniversary, alongside the company’s broader consolidation efforts.
Halo: Campaign Evolved’s August 17 update blocks the LASO and Mix Master achievement glitches by ensuring progress is not awarded incorrectly when restricted Skulls or difficulty modifiers are used, effectively killing the solo-glitch route. However, early reports suggest online co-op may still allow the LASO Mythic achievement to unlock for non-host players, meaning the loophole could persist in that mode. The patch also adds options to disable chromatic aberration and film grain, improves PC upscaling, and fixes a slew of issues (Sgt. Johnson in Boarding Action, weapon behavior, Active Camo, and more), plus a new Recompilation Armor skin via Halo Waypoint.
A new report claims Sledgehammer Games was asked to develop a Halo multiplayer prototype, but the early build was canceled. Microsoft is reportedly still weighing Halo collaborations with Activision Blizzard as Xbox revisits its strategy amid ongoing industry realignments.
Rumors from RebsGaming claim Halo Studios outsourced Campaign Evolved to 15 studios and plan to rely more on external development, while Microsoft reportedly weighs Activision's Sledgehammer Games to help build future Halo titles; a prototype for an Activision Halo pitch was canceled, and no official confirmation has been given. The report highlights potential benefits of faster content creation but raises concerns about pipeline oversight and consistency across partners.
Northrop Grumman is repurposing HALO-era hardware from NASA’s Gateway program to test how lunar systems cope with the Moon’s extreme cold and shadow near the south pole ahead of a targeted early 2028 Artemis IV landing. The tests focus on assemblies and interfaces under deep cold (down to about -203°C), where batteries, lubricants, and solder joints can fail, informing whether Gateway-derived assets can reduce cost, time, or risk for a future surface habitat rather than implying a flight-ready Moon base.
Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto slammed the Halo: Campaign Evolved remake’s ring as damn ugly, saying its shiny, new look lacks the epic scale and ancient tomb feel of the original Halo ring, though he praised the remake’s Flood and Covenant designs and called for future tweaks to recapture the ring’s mystery.
Paragon Space Development Corp. laid off about 70 employees after NASA halted work on the HALO life-support module for the lunar Gateway and Northrop Grumman terminated Paragon’s HALO contract; Paragon will retain IP rights and pursue other NASA and commercial opportunities for its life-support technologies.
Halo: Campaign Evolved sold about 1.2M copies in two weeks across Steam, PS5 and Xbox, with roughly 2.1M players on Game Pass; its lack of multiplayer and a higher price compared with the multiplayer-enabled Master Chief Collection helped the Call of Duty: Black Ops ports outsell it by a large margin (roughly 16-to-1), and analysts say a PS5 MCC-style release with multiplayer could have driven far stronger sales.
Halo: Campaign Evolved has sold about 1.2 million copies (~$67M) across PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 with around 2.1 million players on Game Pass, but sales are lukewarm. The biggest competition on PC is Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which offers more content for less money ( MCC at $40 vs Campaign Evolved at $50). Sales split roughly 42% Xbox, 41% PS5, and 17% Steam. Analysts say nostalgia-driven PS5 interest and a waning Halo brand cache contribute to the weaker performance, suggesting a future Halo remake or MCC on PS5 could boost appeal. Halo Studios is pursuing new projects after Halo Infinite’s 2025 updates.
Northrop Grumman will reuse HALO hardware from NASA’s Gateway for three Lunar Infrastructure Demo landers to test surface power, data and communications for a future Moon base, while Canada’s Canadarm3 robotics work is being repurposed for lunar applications and potential use on commercial stations; NASA funding for the payloads is being arranged under CLPS with Phase One targets through 2029, though many specifics remain to be finalized.
NASA and Northrop Grumman will repurpose the HALO module from Gateway into three Lunar Infrastructure Demos (LID-1 to LID-3) to mature lunar surface power, thermal management, autonomy, communications and hosted-payload services capable of surviving the Moon’s night near the South Pole, with Moon Base Phase One development running through 2029; the move follows Gateway delays and corrosion issues and aims to accelerate a sustainable Moon Base architecture.
After Halo Campaign Evolved shipped, some contractors reportedly lost work, but Xbox says there were no layoffs among Halo Studios’ internal staff; contractor staffing shifts after a launch are common as Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) continues the Halo: Combat Evolved remake on Unreal Engine 5.