A gamer with a fondness for nostalgia recently stumbled upon a special-edition Halo Xbox tucked away in their attic, bringing back vivid memories of days spent gaming. The launch of the original Xbox console and Halo: Combat Evolved on November 15, 2001, marked a significant moment in gaming history. Halo didn’t just redefine the FPS genre for consoles—it introduced the world to Master Chief, a character who’s become a legendary icon in gaming. This success firmly established Microsoft as a major player in the console market, a position they maintain today.
Halo served as the perfect flagship for Microsoft’s gaming ventures, leading to several special edition Xbox consoles over the years. The first was a transparent green Xbox with a matching controller, which came bundled with Halo: Combat Evolved in 2004. Just 200,000 units of this edition were sold, and today, finding one in mint condition could set a collector back over $3,000.
Reddit user vault13exile recently discovered their own Halo: Combat Evolved Xbox bundle in the attic, still snug in its original box. Encouraged by their find, they reached out to fellow Reddit users, sparking a wave of shared stories and fond memories of playing Halo’s classic multiplayer matches with friends, and reminiscing about other special Halo-themed consoles.
While gamers enjoy looking back on Halo’s groundbreaking past, the franchise’s future is equally exciting. Late last year, 343 Industries announced a rebranding to Halo Studios, revealing plans to use Unreal Engine 5 for all future Halo projects, departing from the Slipspace Engine of Halo Infinite. Although details remain scarce, speculation is rife about the possibility of a brand-new Halo game or a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved.
At the same time, Microsoft appears to be shifting its strategy away from exclusive consoles, aiming to broaden its software’s reach across multiple platforms. The latest “This is an Xbox” campaign suggests a push to make Xbox Game Pass accessible on PCs and mobile devices. There are even whispers of Halo games making their way to PlayStation 5 or the forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2. While an end to Xbox consoles seems unlikely, the classic Halo: Combat Evolved console feels like a cherished relic from the dawn of the Xbox era.
