For the core campaign story, play Halo Wars, Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3: ODST, Halo 3, Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, then Halo Infinite. The one important wrinkle is ODST: it takes place during Halo 2, but it is simplest to play after finishing that game.
The core Halo games in chronological story order
This is a broad campaign-story sequence, not a mission-by-mission timeline. The years are in-universe dates, not release years. The chronology guide used here places the main events as follows.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Halo: The Master Chief Collection | $79.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Halo: The Master Chief Collection - Xbox One (Renewed) | $49.13 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Microsoft Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Xbox One | $35.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Halo The Master Chief Collection Xbox One Game | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Halo 2 - Xbox | $5.66 | Buy on Amazon |
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- Halo Wars (2531): The earliest core campaign in this sequence, set well before the Master Chief’s first campaign.
- Halo: Reach (2552): A prequel about Noble Team and the fall of Reach. Its events lead into Combat Evolved.
- Halo: Combat Evolved (2552): The Master Chief’s first main campaign.
- Halo 2 (2552): Continues the conflict begun in Combat Evolved.
- Halo 3: ODST (during Halo 2, 2552): Its story overlaps the events of Halo 2. Put it after Halo 2 for a straightforward playthrough rather than switching between campaigns.
- Halo 3 (2552): Follows the events of Halo 2 and ODST, and closes the original trilogy’s central conflict.
- Halo 4 (2557): Continues the Master Chief’s story after the original trilogy.
- Halo 5: Guardians (2558): Follows Halo 4.
- Halo Wars 2 (2559): Continues the Spirit of Fire story and introduces the Banished thread that leads into later events.
- Halo Infinite (2560): Set after Halo Wars 2 in this chronology.
The year assignments and overlap placements are from a specialist Halo chronology guide; the sequence is intended to orient a campaign playthrough, not establish the precise order of every mission.
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Chronological order or release order?
Chronological order follows events inside the Halo universe. Release order follows how players originally encountered the games. Neither is inherently better; the choice depends on whether you value in-world sequence or the original story and gameplay progression.
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- System requirement your device must meet all minimum requirements to open this product OS Xbox One architecture x64
| Approach | Suggested starting sequence | What it prioritizes |
|---|---|---|
| Chronological | Halo Wars → Reach → Combat Evolved | Events in story order, including the RTS prequel. It moves between games released in different eras, so mechanics and presentation will shift. |
| Release order within MCC | Combat Evolved Anniversary → Halo 2 Anniversary → Halo 3 → ODST → Reach → Halo 4 | The original release-era progression and story reveals. Halo Support recommends Combat Evolved Anniversary as the starting point for release order. |
Halo Waypoint describes the MCC campaign journey as beginning with Reach and ending with Halo 4, while Halo Support lists the six campaigns in original release order. Those are different ways to present the collection, not competing claims about the fictional timeline. See Halo Support’s MCC campaign order guidance and the Halo Waypoint MCC page.
Where optional Halo campaigns fit
Halo: Spartan Strike
Spartan Strike overlaps Halo 2 in New Mombasa, with later missions extending beyond that setting. It is optional and is not one of the six MCC campaigns. The broad chronology does not provide a mission-level slot, so it is best treated as a side story rather than interleaved with Halo 2.
Rank #2
- System requirement your device must meet all minimum requirements to open this product OS Xbox One architecture x64
Halo: Spartan Assault
The cited chronology places Spartan Assault between Halo 3 and Halo 4. It is optional and also outside the six MCC campaigns.
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Spartan Ops is episodic co-op story material that follows the Halo 4 campaign. Include it immediately after that campaign if you want the related story content.
Rank #3
- Please NOTE: This game is UK Import Game it may be Arabic and English print on the cover. it is Region Free PAL Game.
- It may say "promotional copy not for resale" on cover but it is legal to sell in worldwide. It was removed from Xbox One Console combo.
Anniversary editions
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo 2: Anniversary are remasters, so use them in the same story slots as the original games. They do not add separate sequel positions to the chronology.
Halo: Campaign Evolved
Xbox announced Halo: Campaign Evolved as a remake of the Combat Evolved campaign with new story content. It belongs in the Combat Evolved slot as an alternate retelling, not after Infinite as a sequel. The announcement said it was coming in 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5; release status and regional availability should be checked on the relevant current store listing. Xbox’s announcement identifies the remake and its announced platforms.
Rank #4
- Region Free Australia
- 100% Compatible With USA Xbox One Console
- 100% Compatible With USA XBOX Live Account
- Work Exactly the Same as LOCAL Copy
- For the first time ever, The Master Chief's entire story is on one console. Featuring a re-mastered Halo 2: Anniversary, along with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 3, and Halo 4, new digital series, Halo: Nightfall.
Which collection covers the main sequence?
Halo: The Master Chief Collection contains six campaigns: Reach, Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4. That covers much of the central story, but it does not include Halo Wars, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, or Halo Infinite. Halo Support lists Xbox and Windows availability; check the current store in your region for platform and edition details.
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Halo Infinite‘s multiplayer and Academy are free-to-play, while its campaign requires purchase or qualifying Game Pass access. Halo Support lists Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series platforms. Subscription entitlements and store availability can change; confirm current terms for your region with Halo Support’s Halo Infinite FAQ.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Master Chief can now wield two weapons at once, board Covenant vehicles and steal Covenant weapons like the incredible double energy sword
- Lead an all-new unit of super-soldiers, the ODST -- tougher, badder and deadlier versions of your old comrades
- New enemies, allies and surprises around every corner - intense combat action with enhanced AI and real-time lighting
- Immense single-player action with maassive landscapes and huge cities to explore and defend - destructible and interactive environments
- Take the action online with your Xbox Live and switch sides, to become a Covenant Elite!
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
