Halo: Campaign Evolved Firefight is coming for free

Halo: Campaign Evolved Firefight arrives in a free update this winter: four-player co-op PvE, new maps and more details coming at Halo Fest in December.

FireGhost

November 13, 2026, 10:30 AM4 min read

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Halo: Campaign Evolved Firefight arrives this winter as a free update. Halo Studios' Firefight announcement on Xbox Wire confirms that the four-player co-op PvE mode returns with new maps and plenty of weapons.

The news broke on November 12 at Xbox FanFest in Seattle, where attendees went hands-on the same night. The biggest reveal of the evening was that Wolfenstein 3 is officially in production, but Halo fans got their own surprise.

What is Firefight in Halo: Campaign Evolved?

Firefight is Halo's long-running co-op survival mode. It first appeared in Halo 3: ODST in 2009. A squad of four players holds the line against wave after wave of enemies.

Tahir Hasangjekaj, Director of Competitive Engagement at Halo Studios, wrote that the tradition continues this winter. He said the mode will feature new maps and plenty of weapons to help even the odds.

Fans will have to wait a little longer for the full picture. The studio will share more about the update at Halo Fest, which takes place in Seattle on December 12-13. Halo Fest attendees will also be able to play Firefight all weekend.

Master Chief facing a Covenant enemy in Halo: Campaign Evolved — Halo: Campaign Evolved remakes the original Halo campaign (Source: Xbox Game Studios / Steam)

Firefight update at a glance

Game: Halo: Campaign Evolved
Mode: Firefight, four-player co-op PvE
Price: free update
Timing: this winter, no exact date yet
Content: new maps and a wide weapon selection
Next details: Halo Fest, December 12-13, Seattle

What is already in Halo: Campaign Evolved?

The game launched on July 28, 2026. It rebuilds the Halo: Combat Evolved campaign with high-definition visuals. The Halo: Campaign Evolved Steam page also lists a new three-mission adventure starring Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson.

The package adds nine extra weapons from across the series, a drivable Wraith tank and gameplay-changing Skulls. You can play solo, in two-player split-screen on console or with up to four players online, with crossplay and cross-progression.

There is also a gift for Xbox's 25th anniversary. Xbox Wire's 25th anniversary recap says every player can claim the Damascus Prototype Armor Style on Halo Waypoint with the code GWT9-DNBT-7X9S-DJCX-8KH3.

Which Halo games had Firefight before?

The mode has been one of Halo's favourite co-op experiences since day one. After Halo 3: ODST, it came back in a bigger form in Halo: Reach in 2010, where custom waves and rules kept the community busy for years.

Halo 5: Guardians added Warzone Firefight in 2016, a larger version where eight players fought through boss-filled objective rounds. Halo Infinite reworked the idea in 2023 with Firefight: King of the Hill. It is not yet clear which of these the Campaign Evolved version will resemble.

What does it mean for players?

Until now, Campaign Evolved has been a story-only package. Firefight gives it a replayable co-op mode, which is a big plus for groups of friends.

Push Square's Firefight report notes that the game has struggled commercially since its July launch. A free mode is one of the simplest ways to bring players back. Halo fans can also check out Forza Horizon 6's Halo-themed anniversary content.

If you want a trip down memory lane, our Halo Infinite release and features guide is still live. Subscribers can browse the Game Pass anniversary week lineup too. We will update this story once Firefight gets a date.