Halo: Campaign Evolved gets free Firefight co-op update this winter
Halo Studios and Xbox Game Studios announced that Halo: Campaign Evolved will receive the Firefight mode as a free update this winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The companies did not set a release date for the update.
The announcement was made on November 12, 2026, in an official Xbox post. Firefight is a cooperative mode against player-versus-environment enemies, in which players defend their positions against waves of enemies. The update will allow up to four players to play together, and the studio said it is the first time the mode is added to the original Halo game after launch.
Firefight: four-player co-op coming as a free update
In the post, Tahir Hasangjekaj, director of competitive engagement at Halo Studios, said the mode is part of the series’ tradition. “The tradition continues this winter, when we will add the four-player PvE co-op mode to Halo: Campaign Evolved in a free update,” he wrote.
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Firefight first appeared in Halo 3: ODST, in 2009, and returned in other games in the series, such as Halo: Reach. Halo: Campaign Evolved already offers online co-op for up to four players, with crossplay and shared progression between PC and consoles. The Firefight update adds a new mode on top of that existing co-op.
The studio did not include player-versus-player modes in the remake. According to the company, the focus was on the campaign and on cooperative play. Hasangjekaj’s post and the official announcement describe Firefight only as a co-op addition, without listing additional modes.
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Halo Fest in Seattle: first play and new details
Participants of the Xbox FanFest, in Seattle, were the first to try Firefight on the night of November 12, 2026. They played the mode on new maps and with several weapons, according to the coverage of the event.
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More details about the update will be revealed at Halo Fest, in Seattle, on December 12 and 13. Fans attending the event will also be able to play Firefight during the whole weekend.
- November 12, 2026: announcement of the Firefight update and first play at the Xbox FanFest, in Seattle
- December 12: Halo Fest begins in Seattle, with new details about the update
- December 13: second day of Halo Fest, when attendees can play Firefight
Halo: Campaign Evolved release details and price
- Game: Halo: Campaign Evolved
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series
- Launch: July, on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series
- Price on Steam: US$ 49.99
- Firefight update: free for players who already own the game
- Firefight release: this winter in the Northern Hemisphere, with no specific date announced
Players who already own Halo: Campaign Evolved will not pay for the Firefight update, according to the announcement. The game is sold on Steam at US$ 49.99, and the update is listed as free for owners of the title.
Halo: Campaign Evolved: what is still unknown
The companies have not announced an exact release date for the Firefight update. They have also not said how many maps will be added or which weapons will be available. The official post does not say whether the mode will include a progression system or rewards.
The Xbox has not said whether Firefight will have all the same co-op options as the base game, such as split-screen and crossplay. Some coverage also raised the possibility that this will be the last major update for the game, but the company has not confirmed it. Until the Halo Fest presentations on December 12 and 13, the studio has not released any further details about the update.
