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July 26, 2026Sources cited
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Entertainment • Video Games

Halo

Halo is a military science fiction video game franchise that began with *Halo: Combat Evolved* in 2001.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Halo is a military science fiction video game franchise that began with *Halo: Combat Evolved* in 2001. It centres on humanity’s conflict with alien factions in the 26th century, especially the Master Chief and his AI companion Cortana. The franchise includes mainline shooters, spin-offs, novels, and other media.

Premise

The franchise is set in a far-future military science fiction universe where humanity fights alien powers, especially the Covenant. A major mystery across the series is the purpose of the Halo ringworlds and the ancient Forerunner civilisation that created them.

Games and releases

The core series began with *Halo: Combat Evolved* and continued through *Halo 2*, *Halo 3*, *Halo 4*, *Halo 5: Guardians*, and *Halo Infinite*. Spin-offs and related titles include *Halo 3: ODST*, *Halo: Reach*, and the *Halo Wars* strategy games.

Characters

The best-known character is Master Chief John-117, a Spartan supersoldier. He is commonly paired with the AI Cortana, and the early main games focus heavily on their missions against the Covenant and other threats.

Reception and significance

*Halo* helped establish Xbox as a major gaming platform and became one of the most recognisable console franchises. Its influence extends beyond games into novels, comics, animation, and other media.

Key facts

  • The franchise began in 2001 with *Halo: Combat Evolved* for the original Xbox.
  • The story follows an interstellar war between humanity and the Covenant, an alien alliance.
  • The title refers to the Halo Array, giant ring-shaped superweapons created by the Forerunners.
  • Master Chief John-117 is the central protagonist of the mainline games.
  • The series expanded into spin-offs such as *Halo Wars*, *Halo 3: ODST*, and *Halo: Reach*.
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Canadian context

Halo has a substantial Canadian fan base and is widely played on Xbox and PC in Canada, but the franchise itself has no specific Canada-only origin or setting in the provided sources.

Frequently asked questions

What is Halo about?
*Halo* is about humanity’s war against alien forces in a science-fiction future, with the story centred on the mystery of the Halo ringworlds and the fight to survive powerful threats like the Covenant and the Flood.
Who is Master Chief?
Master Chief is John-117, a cybernetically enhanced Spartan supersoldier and the main protagonist of the core *Halo* games. He often works with the AI Cortana.
What order should I play Halo games?
A common order is the release order: *Combat Evolved*, *Halo 2*, *Halo 3*, *Halo 3: ODST*, *Halo: Reach*, *Halo 4*, *Halo 5: Guardians*, and *Halo Infinite*. Spin-offs like *Halo Wars* can be played separately.
Is Halo coming to PlayStation?
The provided sources do not confirm a broad PlayStation release for the main *Halo* franchise. One source notes a 2026 remake, *Halo: Campaign Evolved*, for PlayStation 5, but that does not indicate the entire series is coming to PlayStation.
How many Halo games are there?
The total depends on what counts as a game. The provided sources list at least 13 major entries and spin-offs such as the main shooters, *Halo Wars* titles, and several side games, so the franchise has more than a dozen games overall.

References

  1. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halo-electronic-game
    Supports: Original 2001 release, Master Chief premise, Covenant antagonists, significance of Halo 3 and Halo: Reach.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(franchise)
    Supports: Franchise overview, original developer, current management, first release, latest major installment.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Halo_media
    Supports: Central games and broader media franchise context, Master Chief and Cortana focus.
  4. Bungie Wiki - Fandom — https://bungie.fandom.com/wiki/Halo_(series)
    Supports: Series setting, Halo Array, Master Chief and Cortana, mainline and spin-off game lists.
  5. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV8MWjpuVDE
    Supports: Story timeline and major plot beats across the Halo series.