If you want the Halo series in order, there are two valid answers: release order, which starts with Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) and ends with Halo Infinite (2021), and chronological story order, which starts with Halo Wars (set in 2531) and ends with Halo Infinite (2560). First-time players should use release order, because the games were written to be played that way and Halo 2’s cliffhanger only lands if you have played Combat Evolved. Below is every mainline entry, both orders, and exactly which games are bundled in The Master Chief Collection.
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Here is the core Halo library at a glance, plus the platforms each entry is playable on today.
| Game | Platform | Genre | Why It’s Great | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary | PC, Xbox (via MCC) | Sci-Fi FPS | The sandbox that redefined console shooters, with a graphics toggle | 9.5/10 |
| Halo 2: Anniversary | PC, Xbox (via MCC) | Sci-Fi FPS | Dual wielding, the Arbiter, and remastered cutscenes that still look superb | 9.5/10 |
| Halo 3 | PC, Xbox (via MCC) | Sci-Fi FPS | Equipment, Forge, Theater and the best trilogy conclusion in the genre | 9.5/10 |
| Halo 3: ODST | PC, Xbox (via MCC) | Sci-Fi FPS | Noir-tinged open hub city and a jazz score unlike anything else in Halo | 9/10 |
| Halo: Reach | PC, Xbox (via MCC) | Sci-Fi FPS | Armour abilities and the series’ most affecting campaign ending | 9.5/10 |
| Halo 4 | PC, Xbox (via MCC) | Sci-Fi FPS | The Chief and Cortana’s most personal story, with stunning art direction | 8.5/10 |
| Halo 5: Guardians | Xbox One, Xbox Series | Sci-Fi FPS | Best multiplayer movement in the series, and Warzone’s scale is unmatched | 8/10 |
| Halo Infinite | PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One | Open-World FPS | Grappleshot traversal across Zeta Halo, with free-to-play multiplayer | 8.5/10 |
Halo Series in Order of Release
This is the order Bungie and later 343 Industries actually shipped the games, and the order that makes narrative reveals land properly.
The Bungie Era: 2001 to 2010
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) launched the original Xbox and introduced Master Chief, Cortana and the Halo ring itself. Halo 2 (2004) added dual wielding, the Arbiter as a second playable protagonist, and console online multiplayer via Xbox Live, ending on one of gaming’s most infamous cliffhangers. Halo 3 (2007) resolved the Covenant and Flood arcs and shipped Forge and Theater, effectively inventing modern user-generated console content. Halo 3: ODST (2009) stepped away from the Chief entirely for a squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers in occupied New Mombasa. Halo: Reach (2010) was Bungie’s farewell, a prequel about Noble Team’s doomed defence of the planet Reach.
The 343 Industries Era: 2012 Onward
Halo 4 (2012) began the Reclaimer saga, introducing the Prometheans and the Didact while telling a genuinely moving story about Cortana’s rampancy. Halo 5: Guardians (2015) split the campaign between Fireteam Osiris and Blue Team and remains the only mainline entry never released on PC. Halo Wars 2 (2017) continued the real-time strategy spin-off with the Banished and their leader Atriox. Halo Infinite (2021) moved the series to a semi-open world on Zeta Halo with a free-to-play multiplayer component, and it is the most recent mainline entry.
The Master Chief Collection: What Is Actually Included
The Master Chief Collection is the single best way to play the older games and includes Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST’s campaign, Halo 4 and Halo: Reach — six campaigns with all their multiplayer, cross-play and mod support on PC. It does not include Halo 5: Guardians, which remains an Xbox-only title, nor Halo Infinite, which is sold separately. MCC is regularly on Game Pass, making it the cheapest possible entry point. Playing six campaigns back to back rewards a comfortable setup; our gaming headset buying guide covers what makes Halo’s sound design land, and our gaming chair buying guide matters more than you would think across a full trilogy weekend.
Where the Spin-Offs Fit
Halo Wars (2009) and Halo Wars 2 (2017) are real-time strategy games rather than shooters, developed by Ensemble Studios and Creative Assembly respectively. Halo Wars 2 is on PC and Xbox with full cross-play. Halo: Spartan Assault (2013) and Halo: Spartan Strike (2015) are twin-stick top-down shooters, entirely optional but canonical. None of these are required to follow the mainline plot, though Halo Wars 2 introduces Atriox, who matters a great deal to Halo Infinite.
Halo Series in Chronological Story Order
If you have already finished the games once and want a lore-first replay, this is the internal timeline. The dates are the in-universe years.
The Timeline, Entry by Entry
Halo Wars (2531) comes first, twenty-one years before the original game, covering the crew of the Spirit of Fire. Halo: Reach (August 2552) follows, ending hours before Combat Evolved begins. Halo: Combat Evolved (September 2552) picks up directly as the Pillar of Autumn flees Reach. Halo 2 (October–November 2552) continues immediately. Halo 3: ODST (October 2552) runs concurrently with Halo 2’s New Mombasa sequences, which is why playing it in release order feels less confusing than slotting it chronologically. Halo 3 (late 2552 to 2553) closes the Covenant war. Halo 4 (2557) resumes four years later, Halo 5: Guardians (2558) a year after that, Halo Wars 2 (2559) next, and Halo Infinite (2560) last.
Why Release Order Still Wins for Newcomers
Reach spoils Combat Evolved’s opening context, ODST assumes you already know what happened at the end of Halo 2, and Halo 4’s emotional core depends on years of accumulated Chief and Cortana history. Bungie also escalated mechanics deliberately across the trilogy, so playing Reach’s armour abilities before Combat Evolved’s stripped-back sandbox makes the original feel primitive rather than elegant. Play release order first, chronological second. If you are setting up for a full marathon on PC, our gaming monitor buying guide explains why Halo’s 60fps-plus multiplayer benefits from a high refresh panel, and our gaming mouse buying guide covers sensitivity for players moving from controller to mouse.
Halo on PC, Xbox and Beyond
Every mainline Halo except Halo 5: Guardians is playable on PC today through The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite. On Xbox Series consoles, all of them run with backwards compatibility and frame rate improvements. Halo Infinite’s multiplayer is free to play, so you can sample the current sandbox before buying anything. The series has also expanded beyond games with novels — Eric Nylund’s The Fall of Reach is the canonical starting point — plus comics and a live-action television adaptation that follows its own separate continuity rather than the games’. Console players marathoning the collection should see our wireless controller buying guide for pads with the battery life to survive a full campaign night.
The Series in 2026 and What Comes Next
Halo Studios, the renamed 343 Industries, has publicly moved development to Unreal Engine 5 and announced Halo: Campaign Evolved, a full remake of the original Combat Evolved campaign built in the new engine and slated to appear on Xbox, PC and — for the first time in the series’ history — PlayStation 5. For anyone starting Halo now, that makes The Master Chief Collection the safest purchase: it covers six campaigns, it is frequently included with Game Pass, and it will remain the definitive way to play the Bungie era regardless of what the remake changes. If you want to record or share your campaign runs, our capture card buying guide covers the simplest setups for console capture.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Halo Series in Order
What is the correct order to play the Halo series?
For a first playthrough use release order: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, ODST, Reach, Halo 4, Halo 5, Halo Wars 2, then Halo Infinite. The games were designed with that pacing, and playing Reach before Combat Evolved spoils the original’s opening premise.
Which Halo games are in The Master Chief Collection?
The collection contains Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, the Halo 3: ODST campaign, Halo 4 and Halo: Reach, with all their multiplayer suites. Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite are sold separately and are not part of the collection.
Do I need to play Halo Wars to understand the main games?
No, the real-time strategy games are optional side stories. That said, Halo Wars 2 introduces Atriox and the Banished, who become central antagonists in Halo Infinite, so playing it adds useful context before starting the most recent mainline campaign.
Can I play the whole Halo series on PC?
Almost. Every mainline entry except Halo 5: Guardians is available on PC through The Master Chief Collection and the standalone Halo Infinite release. Halo 5 remains exclusive to Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles and has never received a PC port.
