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For a broad chronological playthrough, start with Halo Wars, then play Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3: ODST, Halo 3, Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, and Halo Infinite. The list is a beginner-friendly game-by-game guide, not a mission-by-mission timeline: ODST overlaps Halo 2, but placing it after that game keeps the main playthrough straightforward.
Halo campaigns in chronological order
- Halo Wars — Start with this real-time strategy campaign, which depicts an earlier conflict in the Covenant war.
- Halo: Reach — This prequel follows the Covenant attack on Reach shortly before Halo: Combat Evolved. Microsoft’s Xbox Wire primer describes it as a prequel set just before Combat Evolved.
- Halo: Combat Evolved — The original Master Chief campaign begins the central first-person story.
- Halo 2 — Continue the central story. Events in Halo 3: ODST overlap this game.
- Halo 3: ODST — Its story focuses on the battle in New Mombasa during Halo 2. Playing it after the full Halo 2 campaign is a convenient way to avoid interrupting that game; it does not mean every ODST event happens afterward.
- Halo 3 — This continues the original trilogy’s main arc.
- Halo 4 — Move on to the next chapter of the Master Chief story.
- Halo 5: Guardians — Continue the mainline campaign sequence.
- Halo Wars 2 — This strategy campaign broadens the conflict and provides useful context for the Banished.
- Halo Infinite — Finish with the latest mainline story in this sequence.
This ordering is a practical synthesis for newcomers, not a claim that one official list resolves every overlap. The Xbox Wire primer specifically notes that ODST focuses on the New Mombasa battle in Halo 2, while Reach precedes Combat Evolved.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Halo: The Master Chief Collection | $79.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Microsoft Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Xbox One | $35.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Halo The Master Chief Collection Xbox One Game | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Third Party - Halo : Master Chief Collection Occasion [ Xbox One ] - 0885370863949](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41o0m2P4tFL._SL160_.jpg)
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Third Party - Halo : Master Chief Collection Occasion [ Xbox One ] - 0885370863949 | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Halo Encyclopedia | $46.98 | Buy on Amazon |
Chronological order or release order?
Choose chronological order if you want to move through the fictional eras, including the earlier Halo Wars and Reach campaigns. Choose release order if you would rather experience the story in the sequence audiences originally encountered it, preserving the franchise’s original presentation and reveals. Either is a reasonable starting point for a new player; the list above uses chronology, with ODST placed after Halo 2 for an uninterrupted playthrough.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhich campaigns are in The Master Chief Collection?
Halo: The Master Chief Collection includes six campaigns from this sequence: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo 4, and Halo: Reach. Microsoft’s franchise overview lists the collection’s contents. It does not include Halo Wars, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, or Halo Infinite, so it is not a single-package route through every campaign above. Platform compatibility and current availability can vary; check the relevant official store listing before choosing a version.
#1 Best Overall
- System requirement your device must meet all minimum requirements to open this product OS Xbox One architecture x64
What about Halo: Campaign Evolved?
In an October 2025 announcement, Xbox Wire described Halo: Campaign Evolved as a remake of the Combat Evolved campaign planned for 2026. It is an alternate way to experience that campaign, not an additional story chapter; place it at the Combat Evolved point if it is available when you play. Because the announcement gave a future release window, check Xbox Wire’s announcement or an official storefront for current release status before treating it as playable.
Quick Recap
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Rank #3
- 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.
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- 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.
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