Halo: Campaign Evolved July 23 Early Access & PC Specs

Microsoft has confirmed the release schedule for Halo: Campaign Evolved ahead of its late-July launch across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Early access begins July 23, with the game later rolling out worldwide for the standard launch window. Alongside the timing, Microsoft has shared preload details and the PC specifications players will need to run the updated remake.

Early access and global release times

Early access starts on July 23 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 4 PM GMT. For players in Japan, the early window begins at 12 AM JST, while Australia gets access at 1 AM AEST and New Zealand at 3 AM NZST. After the early access period, the full release rolls out worldwide beginning later in the same late-July timeframe.

Access to the five days of early play is tied to specific editions. Players need the $70 Premium edition or the $200 collector’s edition, and the collector’s version is currently sold out. The game is also included with Xbox Game Pass, but subscribers won’t receive it until July 28. For Game Pass members who want early access, Microsoft lists a $20 upgrade option.

Preloading starts July 22

Preloading is scheduled to begin on July 22 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET, letting players start downloading before the early access unlocks. Microsoft’s preload rollout is edition-specific across platforms. On Xbox Series X|S, preloading is set for the Collector’s Edition, Premium Edition, and Standard Edition. On Windows PC, preloading applies to the Premium and Standard editions. On PlayStation 5, preloading includes the Collector’s Edition and Premium Edition, with the Standard Edition also listed separately for PS5.

PC requirements for Halo: Campaign Evolved

Halo Studios also published the minimum PC requirements for Halo: Campaign Evolved. The baseline CPU is an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or an Intel Core i7-10700K. The minimum graphics cards listed are NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super, AMD Radeon RX 6600, or Intel Arc A580, with 8 GB of video memory. System memory is 16 GB RAM, and the game requires 100 GB of SSD storage. The supported operating systems are Windows 10 (22H2, 64-bit) or Windows 11.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a remake of the 2001 original Halo: Combat Evolved, releasing this year for the franchise’s 25th anniversary. It launches on Xbox Series X|S and PC, as well as PlayStation 5—marking the series’ first appearance on PlayStation in more than two decades of Xbox exclusivity. Along with updated visuals and features, the remake includes Operation: Meteorite, described as a set of three prequel missions.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is set to arrive at the end of July, beginning with the July 23 early access window for eligible editions before expanding to its full release later in the rollout.