Halo Is Coming To Steam, And That's A Big Deal

Back in 2016, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said Microsoft was committed to bringing more of its games to Steam--and with releases like Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break, Ori and the Blind Forest, and others, the company has indeed ramped up.

Microsoft is going even bigger now with the news this week that it's launching Halo on Steam. The Master Chief Collection, a huge package that includes Halo 1-4, along with ODST and Halo: Reach, will be available on Steam beginning later this year.

Microsoft has never released a Halo FPS game on Steam, so this is a big deal (Halo Wars: Definitive Edition is on Steam). Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 were released on PC through Microsoft's own store, while Halo 5: Forge also made its way to PC, but not through Steam. The core of Halo 5 remains unavailable on PC, and Microsoft has yet to announce plans to change that as of yet.

Speaking generally about Steam back in 2016, Spencer said it's a "massive force" in the gaming industry--and a positive one.

"I look at Valve as an important [independent software vendor] for us on Windows. They are a critical part of gaming's success on Windows," he said. "I don't think Valve's hurt by not having our first-party games in their store right now. They're doing incredible well. We will ship games on Steam again."

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is releasing on Steam in a unique way. Microsoft will release each game individually, beginning with Halo: Reach and continuing in chronological order from there. The games will be available for individual purchase as they become available, though specific pricing details have not been announced. We also don't know if a bundle will be available similar to what is available to Xbox One players, who can't purchase the games individually.

The game is also launching on PC through the Microsoft Store.