PlayStation 5 owners who want to play Halo: Campaign Evolved will need more than a PS5 console and a copy of the game. Halo Studios has confirmed that every player, regardless of platform, must link a Microsoft account and Xbox Gamertag before they can start the campaign.
The confirmation came in a June community Q&A posted on the official Halo Waypoint website. It marks the first time the Halo franchise has launched on a Sony console, making the account requirement one of the most talked-about details ahead of the game’s release.
Why You Need an Xbox Account on PS5
Halo Studios says the Microsoft account requirement is not new. It already applies to Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite. The studio is bringing the same system to Campaign Evolved to support cross-platform play and progression across Xbox, PlayStation 5, and Steam.
In the Q&A, community manager John Junyszek explained that linking a Microsoft account and Xbox Gamertag is required “regardless of the platform(s) you play on.” This means PS5 players cannot skip the step, even if they only plan to play offline or solo.
What PS5, Xbox, and Steam Players Need
The account rules are not identical across platforms. Each version of Halo: Campaign Evolved has its own setup, and PS5 carries the most requirements.
- PlayStation 5: Anyone playing split-screen on PS5 needs two things for both accounts. Each player must have an active PlayStation Plus subscription, and each PlayStation account must be linked to its own Microsoft account. These same PlayStation Plus subscriptions also cover online co-op.
- Xbox Series X|S: A second player joining split-screen on Xbox needs a separate Microsoft account. Online co-op requires an active Xbox Game Pass subscription.
- Steam: PC players on Steam only need to link their game to a Microsoft account. No PlayStation Plus or Game Pass requirement applies here.
Halo Studios has not said which specific Xbox Game Pass tier is needed for online co-op, only that an active subscription is required.
