Start with Halo 3: ODST. Halo: New Covenant is described as a fan-made campaign mod built on ODST, not as a new, standalone official Halo game. That makes ODST the essential purchase or install for anyone who wants to play the project itself. After that, choose another Halo campaign according to the experience you want: Halo 3 for the story immediately before the mod’s advertised setting, Reach for a darker prequel, or a different mainline entry for a change of tone.
The project description published on January 21, 2025, said three missions were complete, a fourth was being developed, and the campaign was intended for solo play and co-op for up to four people. It also advertised Steam Workshop availability from January 31, 2025. Those are historical project claims, so verify the current distribution page, mission count, platform support and co-op behavior before downloading or buying anything.
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What Halo: New Covenant actually is
The name can sound like a newly released sequel, but the project description identifies Halo: New Covenant as a fan-made campaign mod for Halo 3: ODST. Its story was presented as taking place after Halo 3 and moving the setting in a new direction. That placement belongs to the mod’s premise; it does not make the project official Halo canon.
This distinction changes the answer to “what should I play next?” If you want to experience New Covenant, you do not begin with a separate sequel. You begin with the named base game, ODST, and then obtain the mod through whatever distribution method the creators currently support.
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What the dated project description claimed
- Three missions were complete when the description was published on January 21, 2025.
- A fourth mission was described as in development.
- The intended modes were single-player and co-op for as many as four players.
- Steam Workshop availability was advertised beginning January 31, 2025.
None of those statements confirms the project’s status in 2026. A mod can change hosts, require a different game edition, add or remove missions, or alter its multiplayer support. Treat the January 2025 description as a snapshot of the plan, not as a current compatibility guarantee.
The first game to play: Halo 3: ODST
Halo 3: ODST is the strongest recommendation because it is the project’s stated foundation. Playing it gives you the original engine, combat rhythm, weapons and urban-survival atmosphere that New Covenant was designed to extend. It also lets you understand what the mod is modifying instead of approaching it as an unrelated campaign.
Why ODST is the practical starting point
- It is the required context. The mod is described as an ODST campaign, so the base game is more relevant than any other Halo title.
- Its tone is a useful match. The game’s city setting, separated encounters and emphasis on exploration provide a natural bridge to a fan campaign that wants to move beyond Halo 3.
- It prevents a common mistake. Buying a different official Halo campaign will not substitute for the base game named by the mod project.
- It helps with troubleshooting. Running the unmodified campaign first gives you a baseline for controls, graphics settings, file locations and performance before adding custom content.
What to verify before installing
Current installation instructions, storefront availability and edition requirements were not established by the dated description. Before spending money or troubleshooting files, check the project’s current official page and the current listing for Halo 3: ODST. Confirm all of the following on those pages:
- Which PC or console version is supported.
- Whether the mod is still distributed through Steam Workshop or another host.
- Whether a particular collection, executable or update is required.
- How many missions are currently playable.
- Whether co-op works now, and whether its player limit is still four.
- Whether every player in a co-op session needs the same files, edition and update.
- Whether the creator recommends a clean installation, a separate mod profile or a backup of original files.
Do not assume that a Workshop listing, if one exists, has the same requirements described in January 2025. Mods can be updated independently of the base game, and a platform migration can invalidate old instructions. If the page supplies a version number or changelog, match that version to the installation guide rather than combining instructions from old videos and newer files.
Buying, installing and budgeting for the mod
The evidence supports Halo 3: ODST as the relevant product, but it does not establish a current price, edition, retailer inventory or subscription listing. A physical or digital store page can change its package contents, region restrictions and compatibility. If you use an Amazon or other retailer link, inspect the exact edition, platform and seller instead of assuming every listing contains the same release.
Budget for the base game first; the mod’s own distribution terms may be free, may require a platform account, or may change as the creators move hosts. Do not pay a third party for a file merely because an old project description mentioned Steam Workshop. Use the current project page to determine whether the creator still distributes it there and whether any optional donations are separate from access.
Game Pass should not be treated as a confirmed way to obtain ODST or New Covenant from the information available here. The cited Xbox announcement discusses Game Pass for Halo: Campaign Evolved, not this mod or its base game. Check the live catalog in your region if a subscription is part of your plan.
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Best follow-up games, by what you want next
Once you have ODST in place, the best next game depends on whether you want continuity, historical context or a different style of Halo campaign. The choices below are editorial recommendations; they are not claims that the New Covenant team has declared an official play order.
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Choose Halo 3 for the immediate story lead-in
The project description places its new direction after Halo 3, making Halo 3 the clearest official campaign to revisit for narrative continuity. It supplies the preceding conflict and the broad status quo from which a post-Halo 3 fan story can diverge.
Play Halo 3 first if you care most about recognizing the events and stakes that the mod’s premise assumes. You do not need to treat the mod as canon to appreciate that it is responding to the end point established by the official trilogy. If you already know the trilogy, a replay also refreshes the characters, locations and unresolved atmosphere that make a fan continuation easier to follow.
Choose Halo: Reach for a darker prequel perspective
Reach moves earlier in the fictional timeline and follows a doomed military campaign. It is not a sequel to New Covenant, but it is a strong companion when you want more grounded squad drama and a more tragic tone before returning to later-era stories. Its placement before Combat Evolved makes it useful for players who prefer chronological world-building rather than release order.
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Choose Halo: Combat Evolved for the original campaign formula
The first Halo campaign is the right detour if you want to reset your expectations: wider wilderness spaces, a simpler faction setup and the foundational combat loop. It offers historical context rather than direct continuity with the mod. It is also the source campaign being remade by Halo: Campaign Evolved, so playing it now provides a baseline for judging that separate project when it arrives.
Choose Halo 2 for faction and perspective shifts
Halo 2 expands the series’ political and character perspectives and introduces a more complex campaign structure. It is useful when your interest in New Covenant is really an interest in how fan projects reinterpret the wider conflict, rather than in matching the mod’s exact setting. It works especially well between Combat Evolved and Halo 3 if you want the complete original-trilogy arc before trying a fan-made continuation.
Choose Halo 4 for a post-trilogy continuation
Halo 4 is the official campaign to pick when you want to see how the series continued after the original trilogy. Its setting and character focus differ from the premise described for New Covenant, so regard it as an alternate official direction, not as a bridge to the mod. It is the best comparison point for readers who want to see how an official sequel handles the question of what follows Halo 3.
Choose Halo 5: Guardians or Halo Infinite for later-era campaigns
These later entries are appropriate if you want the modern end of the mainline timeline, larger environments or a different approach to campaign progression. They are progressively farther from the mod’s stated ODST-based design, so they work best as separate Halo experiences after you have finished the project and its immediate context. Pick them for contemporary systems and pacing, not because either one is a canonical continuation of the fan campaign.
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There is no official order connecting a fan-made mod to the mainline games, but this sequence minimizes confusion while preserving the relevant context:
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- Halo 3: ODST: learn the base game that New Covenant is built on. If you plan to install the mod, complete at least enough of the campaign to understand its controls and atmosphere.
- Halo 3: revisit the official campaign immediately preceding the mod’s described setting.
- Halo: New Covenant: play the fan campaign if the current project page confirms that your installation and version are supported.
- Halo: Reach or Halo 4: choose Reach for a prequel and darker military story, or Halo 4 for the official post-trilogy direction.
- Any remaining mainline campaign: use Combat Evolved and Halo 2 for series history, or Halo 5: Guardians and Infinite for later-era gameplay.
If you have no interest in the mod itself, skip directly to the official game that matches your preferred tone. The mod’s existence does not create a required new canon order. Release order remains a sensible default for newcomers, while chronological order is a preference rather than a rule.
Quick comparison of the most relevant options
| Option | Why it belongs on this list | What is established | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halo 3: ODST | Direct access to the fan project | New Covenant is described as an ODST campaign mod | Current edition, store availability and mod requirements must be checked |
| Halo 3 | Story continuity | The project description says its story follows Halo 3 and takes the story in a new direction | The mod is not presented as official canon |
| Halo: Reach | Darker prequel campaign | Editorial fit for readers who want earlier timeline context and military drama | It is not a direct lead-in to the mod |
| Halo 4 | Official post-trilogy alternative | Editorial fit for readers seeking the mainline story after Halo 3 | It follows a different official direction from the fan project |
| Halo: Campaign Evolved | Separate official campaign option | Xbox Wire described it as a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, planned for 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, PlayStation 5 and Game Pass | It is not described as a sequel to New Covenant; release timing and availability can change |
Where Halo: Campaign Evolved fits
Xbox Wire’s 2025 announcement gives players another official campaign to watch: Halo: Campaign Evolved, a full remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved campaign. The announcement listed Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, PlayStation 5 and Game Pass, with release plans for 2026.
That makes it relevant as a future or newly available way to play the original story, not as the next chapter after New Covenant. Check the current Xbox Wire listing and platform stores for the latest release date and catalog status before treating those plans as present availability. A remake announcement also does not imply that the fan mod will be updated for it; the two projects have separate creators, engines and distribution paths.
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Halo Waypoint’s description of Foundry says it is neither a game nor a technology demo. It is research and reflection about building Halo in Unreal, so it should not be placed in a “games to play next” list or presented as a downloadable campaign.
Likewise, do not treat the project’s dated mission count as a review score or completion statistic. “Three missions complete, fourth on the way” described the creators’ status at that time; it does not tell you how long the finished campaign is or how much content is available now. A mission count also says nothing by itself about difficulty, replay value or co-op stability.
Common pitfalls when choosing your next Halo game
Assuming New Covenant is an official standalone release
This leads readers to search for a nonexistent separate product or to buy the wrong game. Start from Halo 3: ODST, then verify the mod’s current host and requirements.
Confusing narrative placement with canon
A fan project can describe events after Halo 3 without changing the official timeline. Use Halo 3 for context, but keep the mod’s story in the fan-work category.
Treating old platform information as a promise
The January 2025 Steam Workshop announcement and the planned four-player co-op mode may have changed. Confirm them on the current project page instead of relying on archived descriptions or videos.
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Mixing editions or updates
An older guide may target a different executable, collection or patch. Match the mod’s stated version to your copy of ODST, and do not overwrite original files unless the current instructions explicitly tell you to do so.
Buying a future announcement as if it were available
Campaign Evolved was announced for 2026 platforms and Game Pass, but an announcement is not proof of a current release. Verify the date, edition and catalog listing in your region.
Assuming co-op is automatically drop-in
The project description expressed an intention to support solo play and up to four-player co-op. It did not establish matchmaking, save behavior, cross-platform play or whether all missions support the full group. Confirm those details before organizing a session.
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Is Halo: New Covenant an official Halo game?
No. The project description identifies it as a fan-made campaign mod for Halo 3: ODST. Its post-Halo 3 setting is the creators’ premise, not an addition to official canon.
What game do I need to play New Covenant?
You need the supported version of Halo 3: ODST, because that is the base game named by the project. Confirm the exact edition, platform and update on the current project page before installing anything.
Was the mod released with four-player co-op?
The January 21, 2025 description said the campaign was intended for solo play and co-op for up to four people. That is a dated plan, not proof that the current build supports four players or that every mission works in co-op.
How many missions does New Covenant have?
The dated description reported three completed missions and a fourth in development. The current count was not established, so use the project’s live page or changelog rather than assuming that number remains accurate.
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Steam Workshop availability was advertised from January 31, 2025, but hosting can change. Check the creators’ current official distribution page and follow its instructions for the supported version of ODST.
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Should I play Halo 3 before the mod?
Halo 3 is the clearest official story lead-in because the project is described as taking place after it. It is recommended for context, but it is not a technical requirement for launching the mod.
Is Halo: Campaign Evolved a sequel to New Covenant?
No. Xbox Wire described Campaign Evolved as a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, with 2026 plans for Xbox, PC, Steam, PlayStation 5 and Game Pass. It is a separate official project, not a continuation of the fan mod.
Can I count Foundry as another Halo campaign?
No. Halo Waypoint describes Foundry as research and reflection on building Halo in Unreal, neither a game nor a technology demo. It is not a playable campaign recommendation.
Bottom line for different players
- You want to play the mod: get Halo 3: ODST first and check the project’s current installation information.
- You want the closest official story context: play Halo 3.
- You want a different but connected-era campaign: choose Reach for a prequel or Halo 4 for the official post-trilogy path.
- You want the newest announced remake: follow the current status of Halo: Campaign Evolved, while remembering that it is separate from the mod.
- You are looking for a playable Unreal project: do not select Foundry; it is described as research, not a game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Halo: New Covenant official canon?
No. It is described as a fan-made Halo 3: ODST campaign mod. Its post-Halo 3 premise does not alter the official timeline.
Which game is the direct prerequisite?
Halo 3: ODST, subject to the edition and platform requirements listed on the current project page.
Can four people play it together?
The January 21, 2025 description intended solo and up-to-four-player co-op, but current support must be confirmed from the project’s live instructions.
How many missions are available now?
The dated description listed three complete missions and a fourth in development. That historical count should not be treated as current.
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Is Halo: Campaign Evolved connected to New Covenant?
No. It is an official remake of Halo: Combat Evolved and a separate project.
The Bottom Line
Start with Halo 3: ODST if you want Halo: New Covenant. Add Halo 3 for the closest official story context, choose Reach or Halo 4 for different campaign directions, and verify every current mod, platform and release detail before you install or buy.
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