The question has been bouncing around Halo communities since Operation: METEORITE was revealed: do you play the new recon missions first, or do you let the rebuilt Halo: Combat Evolved campaign set the stage?
With Halo: Campaign Evolved now in Early Access for Premium Edition owners, that question just became very real. Early Access opened July 23 at 8:00 a.m. PDT, and players are already dropping onto Alpha Halo with five days to explore before general launch on July 28.
What Operation: METEORITE actually is
Halo: Campaign Evolved is not just a straight remaster. The package includes the lovingly rebuilt Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, but it also ships with Operation: METEORITE, a set of brand-new recon missions that sit alongside the original story. These are not filler content. Halo Studios built them as a genuine expansion of the Alpha Halo narrative, and they carry their own weight.
The key here is understanding what each part of the package is designed to do. The classic campaign is a complete arc. It begins with the Pillar of Autumn dropping out of slipspace and ends with the Master Chief escaping a collapsing ring. Operation: METEORITE, by contrast, drops you into new scenarios that assume some familiarity with the setting, the Covenant threat, and what Alpha Halo represents.
The case for playing the classic campaign first
Playing the rebuilt Halo: Combat Evolved campaign before touching Operation: METEORITE is the cleaner experience for most players. The original ten missions establish the world, the tone, and the stakes. You learn why the Flood matters. You understand what the Halo rings are built to do. That context makes the new recon missions land harder.
Halo newcomers especially should not skip straight to METEORITE. The bonus missions are designed to reward players who already know the ring, not introduce them to it. Going in cold means missing the weight behind what those missions are referencing.
Where veteran Spartans might flip the order
If you have played Halo: Combat Evolved before, whether through the original Xbox release, the Anniversary edition, or the Master Chief Collection, the argument for starting with Operation: METEORITE becomes more interesting. The new missions offer a fresh angle on Alpha Halo that could make the classic campaign feel slightly different on replay. Some players will prefer that layered experience.
Here's the thing: Halo Studios has not issued a definitive play order recommendation. The mission select structure in Halo: Campaign Evolved treats both the classic campaign and Operation: METEORITE as accessible from the start. That flexibility is intentional.
What most players miss is that the bonus missions were built to complement the classic campaign, not compete with it. Whichever order you choose, playing both is the point.
Co-op, Remix, and the full package
Halo: Campaign Evolved also ships with Campaign Remix, which randomizes enemy placement and loadouts for replayability, plus two-player split-screen co-op on consoles and four-player cross-platform co-op. The cross-platform setup requires linking a Microsoft account, and PlayStation 5 and Steam players will be prompted to connect their platform ID to a Gamertag on first launch.
For players still deciding which version to pick up before the July 28 general launch, the Halo: Campaign Evolved editions and pre-order bonuses guide breaks down every tier, what each includes, and whether the Premium Edition's five-day Early Access window is worth the price difference.
The full Halo: Campaign Evolved guide collection covers everything from account setup to PC optimization as the community works through the ring for the first time.
