GameTimeline

Release & story order

Halo timeline

Halo from Combat Evolved through Infinite—US release dates, in-universe chronology from the Human-Covenant War to Zeta Halo, and how ODST, Reach, novels, and Spartan Ops fit around the numbered games.

Updated June 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When each game shipped on Xbox/PC. Combat Evolved launched in 2001; Reach and ODST came later but take place earlier in the story. The Master Chief Collection bundles the classic FPS entries on modern platforms.

  • Classic path → Halo: Combat Evolved → 2 → 3 → ODST → Reach → 4 → 5 → Infinite
  • Story-first path → switch to Story order (Reach before CE; ODST after Halo 2)
  • One purchase → The Master Chief Collection covers CE through Reach + ODST + 4 (Halo 5 and Infinite sold separately)
  • Skip Halo Wars unless you want RTS prequel context (2531)
Story order tips

When events happen in fiction, from the early Human-Covenant War through the conflict on Zeta Halo. Most of 2552 is packed into Reach → Combat Evolved → Halo 2 → ODST → Halo 3—see Story order for exact placement.

  • Core arc: Wars (2531, optional) → Reach → CE → H2 → ODST → H3 → 4 → 5 → Wars 2 (2559, optional) → Infinite
  • Novel Fall of Reach predates CE on the calendar but most fans play CE first—explained in the questions below; the Reach game overrides book details where they clash
  • Between Halo 4 and 5: Spartan Ops (10 episodes), Forward Unto Dawn, and novels like Silentium—optional; Infinite follows Shadows of Reach / Memory Agent in expanded lore
  • Spartan Assault (2554) and Spartan Strike are optional—not on Story order; see the questions below
  • On Story order, some entries are hidden to avoid spoilers—click to reveal them, or turn on Show all spoilers

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Halo: Combat Evolved

    Halo: Combat Evolved

    XboxPCFPSMainline

    Master Chief and Cortana on Installation 04—the franchise begins.

    Overview
    Bungie's console FPS proved Xbox could carry a blockbuster campaign—vehicles, dual-wielding (later), and the ringworld mystery.
    In-game setting
    Story late 2552: Pillar of Autumn escapes Reach and crash-lands on Halo. Chief fights Covenant and accidentally releases the Flood.
    Should you play it?
    Still the iconic starting point for gameplay. Story fans often play Reach first instead—see Story order.
    Release date
    US Xbox launch November 15, 2001. PC port September 30, 2003; Anniversary edition 2011; included in MCC.
  2. Halo 2

    Halo 2

    XboxPCFPSMainline

    Dual campaigns—Master Chief on Earth and the Arbiter in Covenant space.

    Overview
    Xbox Live multiplayer phenomenon; playable Arbiter storyline reveals Covenant politics.
    In-game setting
    Story 2552: Earth defense at New Mombasa, Delta Halo, and the cliffhanger ending into Halo 3.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Combat Evolved in both orders. ODST slots in after the Metropolis mission—explained in the questions below.
    Release date
    US Xbox launch November 9, 2004. Anniversary in MCC; PC via MCC 2020.
  3. Halo 3

    Halo 3

    Xbox 360PCFPSMainline

    Trilogy finale on Earth and the Ark—Flood and Covenant war climax.

    Overview
    Four-player co-op campaign, Forge, and the conclusion of Bungie's Chief trilogy.
    In-game setting
    Story late 2552 into early 2553: Master Chief returns to Earth, stops the Flood on the Ark, and drifts away in space.
    Should you play it?
    Finish Halo 2 and ODST first in story order. Essential before Halo 4's wake-up.
    Release date
    US Xbox 360 launch September 25, 2007. PC via MCC.
  4. Halo Wars
    Optional

    Halo Wars

    Xbox 360PCRTSOptionalSpin-off

    Real-time strategy prequel—UNSC vs Covenant on Harvest and Arcadia.

    Overview
    Ensemble Studios' console RTS—base building and hero units in the Halo universe.
    In-game setting
    Story 2531—earliest mainline-adjacent campaign on this page, decades before Reach.
    Should you play it?
    Optional lore primer. Not required for Master Chief's FPS arc.
    Release date
    US Xbox 360 launch February 28, 2009. Definitive Edition on PC/Steam.
  5. Halo 3: ODST

    Halo 3: ODST

    Xbox 360PCFPSMainline

    Orbital Drop Shock Troopers in New Mombasa—parallel to Halo 2.

    Overview
    Noir tone, open-city hub, and ordinary soldiers instead of Spartans.
    In-game setting
    Story 2552: begins after Halo 2 mission Metropolis when the Covenant carrier jumps from New Mombasa.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Halo 2 (ideally after Metropolis) or after finishing Halo 2 entirely—explained in the questions below.
    Release date
    US Xbox 360 launch September 22, 2009. Included in MCC.
  6. Halo: Reach

    Halo: Reach

    Xbox 360PCFPSMainlinePrequel

    Noble Team's last stand—the fall of Reach before Combat Evolved.

    Overview
    Bungie's farewell—loadout choices, armor abilities, and a known tragic ending.
    In-game setting
    Story summer–fall 2552: Noble Six helps Cortana and the Pillar of Autumn escape the Covenant siege.
    Should you play it?
    Best story-order entry point. Release order places it after ODST.
    Release date
    US Xbox 360 launch September 14, 2010. PC via MCC 2019.
  7. Halo 4

    Halo 4

    Xbox 360PCFPSMainline

    343 Industries—Chief wakes on Requiem and meets the Didact.

    Overview
    Emphasis on Chief–Cortana relationship; Promethean enemies and Forerunner lore expansion.
    In-game setting
    Story July 2557: Chief and Cortana drift from Halo 3's ending until they land on Requiem.
    Should you play it?
    Requires Halo 3 context. Spartan Ops episodic content is optional post-campaign.
    Release date
    US Xbox 360 launch November 6, 2012. PC via MCC.
  8. Halo 5: Guardians

    Halo 5: Guardians

    Xbox OnePCFPSMainline

    Dual protagonists—Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris hunt the Chief.

    Overview
    First numbered entry without split-screen co-op campaign; larger multiplayer focus.
    In-game setting
    Story October 2558: Chief goes AWOL; Locke pursues him to Genesis and the Created uprising begins.
    Should you play it?
    Polarizing campaign but sets up Infinite. Play after Halo 4.
    Release date
    US Xbox One launch October 27, 2015. PC via Microsoft Store / Game Pass—not on Steam.
  9. Halo Wars 2
    Optional

    Halo Wars 2

    Xbox OnePCRTSOptionalSpin-off

    RTS sequel—Banished faction on the Ark after Halo 3.

    Overview
    Blitz mode and a story bridge toward Halo Infinite's Banished antagonists.
    In-game setting
    Story 2559 on the Ark—between Halo 5 and Infinite in the calendar.
    Should you play it?
    Optional before Infinite for Banished context. Awakening the Nightmare DLC is side lore.
    Release date
    US launch February 21, 2017 (Xbox One and Windows Store). Steam app 459220.
  10. Halo Infinite

    Halo Infinite

    Xbox Series X|SPCFPSMainlineOpen world

    Open-ring campaign on Zeta Halo—Chief vs the Banished and the Harbinger.

    Overview
    Semi-open world regions on the ring; free multiplayer separate from campaign purchase.
    In-game setting
    Story 2560: months after Halo 5, Chief fights Escharum on Zeta Halo with new Spartan ally Fernando Esparza.
    Should you play it?
    Latest mainline chapter as of June 2026. Multiplayer seasons are live-service—not listed as story rows.
    Release date
    Campaign US launch December 8, 2021. Multiplayer free-to-play November 15, 2021. Steam app 1240440.

FAQ

Three ways to follow Halo (release, story, full transmedia), MCC bundles, ODST placement, Fall of Reach vs Reach, and optional books or live-service content.

Release order

Release order is how Bungie and 343 shipped the games (2001–2021). Story order jumps—Reach and Wars are prequels, ODST overlaps Halo 2. Use Release order for nostalgia and tech evolution; use Story order to follow Master Chief and the war.

For gameplay feel: Halo: Combat Evolved (or MCC). For lore from the beginning: Story order starting with Reach, then CE. Buy The Master Chief Collection for CE through Halo 4 plus Reach and ODST; add Halo 5 (Xbox/PC store) and Infinite separately.

Story & 2552

Story-wise it begins right after the Halo 2 level Metropolis when the Covenant carrier jumps out of New Mombasa. Play ODST after that mission for a perfect fit, or after finishing all of Halo 2—both are common. It ends before Halo 3.

The Fall of Reach novel (2552, weeks before CE) was written before the game and sets up Master Chief and the Pillar of Autumn. Many readers enjoy CE first for the mystery of the ring, then the book for backstory. Story order on this page starts with the Reach game (planet fall) then CE—see Reach or CE first.

Optional & spin-offs

TV, books & EU

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.