Halo Studios has officially announced that Halo: Campaign Evolved will receive a free update adding Firefight, the franchise’s cooperative wave-based survival mode, this winter. The new mode will support four players battling waves of enemies across new maps, expanding the remake’s multiplayer offerings beyond its existing cooperative campaign experience.
The announcement was published on Xbox Wire on November 12, 2026, by Tahir Hasangjekaj, Director of Competitive Engagement at Halo Studios. The studio confirmed that players will be able to team up against successive waves of enemies, using a selection of weapons to survive increasingly demanding encounters.
Firefight has been part of the Halo franchise for nearly two decades, offering an alternative to traditional competitive multiplayer. Instead of fighting other players, participants work together against computer-controlled enemies, coordinating their positioning, weapons and defensive strategies to withstand repeated attacks.
The upcoming version brings that cooperative PvE experience to Halo: Campaign Evolved, the modern remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved. While the game already supports cooperative campaign play, Firefight introduces a separate survival-focused activity built around holding out against waves of enemies.
Halo Studios has also confirmed that the update will introduce new maps designed for Firefight encounters. However, the announcement does not specify the number of maps, their locations or the complete selection of available weapons. Further details about the mode’s rules, difficulty options and progression systems have not been revealed.
The first playable demonstration is scheduled for November 12 at Xbox FanFest, where attendees will have an opportunity to experience Firefight before its public release. The event will provide the first hands-on look at how the mode operates within Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Additional information will be shared during Halo Fest on December 12–13, 2026, at the Seattle Convention Center in Washington. Attendees will also be able to play Firefight throughout the weekend. The convention forms part of the celebrations marking 25 years of Halo, following the original Halo: Combat Evolved’s debut in 2001.
Halo Studios has not announced an exact release date for the free update beyond the winter window. The official announcement also does not confirm whether Firefight will support cross-platform matchmaking or include additional features beyond the cooperative mode, maps and weapons described.
The announcement comes as cooperative PvE experiences continue to receive new content across major shooters, including Marathon's upcoming Symbiosis update, which introduces a separate PvE activity alongside competitive multiplayer additions.
For Halo: Campaign Evolved players, the confirmed addition means Firefight will be available without an additional purchase once the update launches. More information about its maps, gameplay features and release timing is expected during Halo Fest in December.
