Master Chief Archives

AppWizard

August 13, 2026

The ‘father of Master Chief’ doesn’t like the new Halo’s new halos

Marcus Lehto, the art director of Halo: Combat Evolved, has expressed concerns about the remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved, particularly regarding the portrayal of the Halo rings. He believes the rings appear overly polished and lack the character that comes from centuries of conflict, describing them as resembling "shiny new toys." Lehto criticized the main menu ring as "the most offensive thing we see every time we boot up the game," stating it should convey scale and mystery but instead looks like it was built recently. He emphasized the importance of detail, suggesting the rings should feel like "ancient tombs." Despite his critiques, he acknowledged improvements in gameplay, cinematics, and visuals, praising the lighting and movement mechanics while remaining optimistic about the overall experience.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Steam gamers have spoken: innovative indies like Palworld continue to thrive while traditional triple-A flounders for a foothold

In 2026, the gaming landscape shows a significant shift, with smaller development teams gaining popularity among PC gamers, while established franchises face challenges. Palworld 1.0 has become a major success, attracting over half a million concurrent players daily, trailing only behind CS2, PUBG, and Dota 2. Other notable releases include Meccha Chameleon, Windrose, Slay the Spire 2, Deltarune Chapter Five, and Mewgenics. In contrast, Halo: Campaign Evolved peaked at just over 25,000 concurrent players, significantly lower than The Master Chief Collection's peak of 161,000 in 2019. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced reached 104,000 active players, marking its best performance on Steam. The Summer Game Fest highlighted successful titles like Resident Evil Requiem and Forza Horizon 6, while smaller innovative projects like Vampire Crawlers and Super Battle Golf are also gaining attention.

AppWizard

July 30, 2026

Best in Class: Stream PC Games and Study on the Same Laptop With GeForce NOW

GeForce NOW allows students to balance study and gaming by transforming everyday laptops into powerful gaming machines through cloud gaming. Members can access a library of thousands of supported PC games, including the newly added Halo: Campaign Evolved, which features high-definition visuals and enhanced gameplay. The service enables users to stream games they own from platforms like Steam and Xbox Game Pass without lengthy downloads or installations. The Ultimate membership offers advanced gaming performance with NVIDIA technologies. New titles available this week include Halo: Campaign Evolved, Mistfall Hunter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Sudden Attack Zero Point, The Ranchers, Corsair Cove, Funnel Runners, and Pathogenic.

AppWizard

July 27, 2026

Fit For a Spartan: Win a 1:18 Replica of a Special Halo-Inspired Ride

Halo and Automobili Lamborghini have launched the Lamborghini Urus SE Master Chief 117 Edition to commemorate the global launch of Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28, 2026. The vehicle features gold-tinted windows, visor-inspired headlights, a signature armor-green exterior, and the iconic “117” number on both sides. The Master Chief 117 Edition will be available in Forza Horizon 6 starting July 30, 2026, for download through the in-game Message Center. Limited 1:18-scale collectible replicas will be produced, and fans can enter a sweepstakes to win one by following Xbox on X and using the hashtag #MasterChief117Sweepstakes. Halo: Campaign Evolved launches globally on July 28, 2026, with early access from July 23 for Premium Edition owners, and will be available on multiple platforms, including Xbox Series X|S and PC, with cross-play and cross-progression support. Pre-purchasers will receive the Foundry Armory Pack, which includes classic armor and weapon skins. The game features a complete campaign with high-definition visuals, new cinematics, expanded combat options, and online co-op gameplay for up to four players.