The highly anticipated arrival of Halo: Campaign Evolved on PlayStation 5 has generated considerable excitement among fans of both major console ecosystems, promising to deliver Master Chief’s original saga in both solo and cooperative formats. However, that enthusiasm has been tempered in recent days by the revelation of several access requirements that have sparked frustration among prospective PS5 players.

According to details published by Halo Studios, Sony console owners will be required to possess an active XBOX account and a corresponding gamertag simply to launch the game. Moreover, players will also need an active PlayStation Plus subscription, not only for online functionality but also for local split-screen cooperative play.

Halo PlayStation

Split-Screen Requirements For Halo: Campaign Evolved a Major Point of Contention for PS5 Players

In a dedicated blog post addressing the most pressing community questions ahead of the title’s July 28 launch, Halo Studios outlined the technical prerequisites for split-screen enjoyment, and one condition, in particular, drew sharp criticism.

All players, regardless of platform, must have an active XBOX account and gamertag to participate, as these credentials are essential for cross-platform progression, a system already in place for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite. For PC users via Steam, the process remains relatively simple, requiring only a one-time account link between Valve and Microsoft.

The most contentious stipulation, however, applies exclusively to the PlayStation 5 version. While XBOX users can engage in local split-screen matches using only their standard accounts, PS5 owners must also maintain a valid PlayStation Plus subscription for both participating profiles, with each account linked to a Microsoft account.

“If you’re playing splitscreen local co-op on PlayStation 5®, both players will need to be signed into PlayStation accounts and be linked to Microsoft accounts. A PlayStation Plus account is required for local splitscreen co-op.”

This decision has prompted widespread backlash from the player community, with many decrying the requirement to pay for an online service merely to enjoy offline, local multiplayer. Others have voiced frustration over the necessity of creating and managing an account from a competing ecosystem simply to experience the title on their preferred hardware.

Halo: Campaign Evolved PS5

Halo’s Arrival Could Herald Success for XBOX

Despite these hurdles, the commercial prospects for Halo: Campaign Evolved on PlayStation remain remarkably strong. The game currently ranks among the top pre-ordered titles on the PlayStation Store across key markets, including the United States and the United Kingdom, where it is competing directly with heavyweights such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and Marvel’s Wolverine.

So far, it remains uncertain whether XBOX will extend future installments or remakes of the Halo franchise to Sony’s platform, particularly given Microsoft’s renewed strategic emphasis on securing exclusive content for its Series X|S consoles.

Industry speculation suggests that the arrival of Halo: Campaign Evolved on PS5 may be driven by existing contractual obligations, leaving the door open for a possible return to exclusive availability on XBOX in subsequent releases.

For ongoing updates and further coverage on the Halo franchise, click here.