Out of nowhere Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is now out on PC

Microsoft today released Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary for PC as part of The Master Chief Collection. The surprise release is now available via Steam and the Microsoft Store for only $9.99. Subscribers of the Xbox Game Pass for PC also get immediate access to it.

A monumental day for fans of first-person shooters as the original Halo game is now – once again – available for PC. The industry-defining console FPS from way back in 2001 changed the landscape of console shooters like very few titles before or after it. Bungie and Microsoft proved to everyone that a controller could indeed be a great way to play shooters. One has to remember that before Halo, FPS games were deeply ingrained with the PC space.

Not only did Halo: Combat Evolved revolutionize the shooting genre, it also gave birth to one of the most memorable gaming mascots of all time with Master Chief. The superhuman Spartan soldier became synonymous with the Xbox brand like no other. Even after half a dozen games and several spin-offs, the Halo franchise is still going strong. In fact, gamers across the world are waiting in anticipation for the next-gen installment Halo: Infinite which is poised to shake up the formula in an unseen way.

What better time to replay and relive the game that started it all. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is a faithful remaster of 2001 original that offers the nifty option of toggling between the original visuals and updated lighting, textures and more on the fly. Xbox users long have been enjoying it but it’s really a special occasion for PC gamers.

The first Halo actually did come out for PCs in 2003 but it never managed to even come close to its console success on desktops. With close to two decades under its belt and no easy way to buy that old version, playing Halo on PC was more than just cumbersome. The arrival of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary in that sense is a gift for FPS fans.