Halo: Campaign Evolved Shows Its Split Screen Co-op for the First Time

Halo Studios has revealed the first official look at split screen campaign co-op in Halo: Campaign Evolved, bringing local multiplayer back to the series in a form that closely reflects the original Halo experience.

The footage was shown during an hour-long developer livestream that also covered Skulls, LASO mode and the game’s Machinima tools. The split screen presentation uses a horizontal layout, dividing the display into two equal sections for local cooperative play.

This is a significant return for the franchise. A Halo game has not launched with campaign split screen co-op since Halo 4 in 2012, making the feature one of the most requested additions among long-time players.

The demonstration also showed friendly fire in action, including moments where the two players accidentally hit one another. That helped reinforce the familiar chaos of local Halo co-op, where teamwork often shares space with mistakes and unplanned comedy.

Feature	Confirmed detail
Split screen layout	Horizontal
Local campaign co-op	Confirmed
Online campaign players	Up to four
Friendly fire	Supported
LASO mode	Included
Skulls	Detailed during livestream
Machinima tools	Confirmed
Platforms	Xbox Series X and S, PS5

Split screen restores a major part of Halo’s identity

Local co-op played an important role in Halo’s early success.

The original Halo: Combat Evolved allowed two players to complete the campaign together on one console. For many players, that became the main way to experience the game, whether through repeated missions, higher difficulty settings or improvised challenges.

Later entries continued supporting local campaign play, but the feature disappeared from more recent releases. Its return in Campaign Evolved helps the remake feel connected to the original rather than simply presenting the same missions with modern graphics.

The horizontal format shown in the livestream looks familiar and functional. Each player receives half of the screen, which reduces visibility compared with single-player but preserves the ability to play together without a second console or online connection.

Halo Studios has not yet detailed whether alternative layouts will be available. A vertical option could suit some display sizes, but only the horizontal format has been shown so far.

LASO mode will challenge experienced players

The livestream also provided more information about LASO, which stands for Legendary All Skulls On.

This mode combines the highest campaign difficulty with a collection of modifiers that change combat, enemy behaviour, ammunition and player information. LASO has traditionally been one of the hardest challenges in Halo.

The exact Skull list for Campaign Evolved has now been outlined separately. Early reactions suggest the setup may be more manageable than some previous versions because certain especially restrictive modifiers are not included.

That does not make the mode easy. Legendary difficulty already increases enemy strength and reduces the margin for error, while active Skulls can remove useful information or force players to change familiar tactics.

Split screen LASO could become one of the game’s most demanding cooperative activities. Communication will be essential because one mistake can quickly affect both players.

Machinima tools support player-created Halo stories

Campaign Evolved will also include a Machinima mode designed for players who want to create their own scenes and stories.

Machinima has a long history within the Halo community. Players used multiplayer maps, custom camera work and character movement to produce comedy, drama and fan-made series.

The most famous example is Red vs. Blue, which helped turn Halo into a platform for community storytelling beyond normal matches and campaign missions.

The new mode appears intended to make that process easier. Although complete tools and controls have not been fully explained, the feature should give creators more direct ways to stage scenes and record footage.

This could help a new generation of players experiment with Halo content without relying on complicated workarounds.

Performance remains an important question

Halo Studios has shown how split screen works, but final performance details have not been confirmed.

Running two viewpoints at once creates extra demand on the console because the game must render separate scenes for each player. This can affect resolution, image quality or frame rate.

Xbox Series X is expected to offer the strongest local co-op presentation, while Xbox Series S may require more aggressive visual reductions. The developer has not yet shared exact targets for either system.

A stable frame rate will matter more than maximum resolution during split screen play. Fast combat becomes harder to follow if performance fluctuates, particularly when both players are involved in large encounters.

Halo: Campaign Evolved has already gone gold, meaning the main development build is complete and ready for manufacturing. Updates can still improve performance or fix issues before and after launch.

The return of split screen gives the remake a feature that many players felt had become inseparable from Halo. Combined with online co-op, LASO and Machinima support, Campaign Evolved is being positioned as both a modern remake and a restoration of the social experience that helped define the original game.