Halo: Campaign Evolved’s Split-Screen Requirements Spark Controversy and Prompt Correction

Halo Studios released a detailed Q&A on Halo Waypoint outlining the account setup needed for the upcoming remake *Halo: Campaign Evolved* (launch July 28, 2026). The post states that every player, regardless of platform, must sign in with a Microsoft account and an Xbox Gamertag to enable cross-platform play and progression. For PlayStation 5 split-screen, the Q&A added that “both accounts will need to have PlayStation Plus and be linked to a Microsoft account” to access local co-op.

Halo Clears Up PlayStation Plus Confusion With Simple SolutionHalo: Campaign Evolved PS5 players will require an Xbox account and gamertag to play – as well as PS Plus to play split-screen co-opIGN EntertainmentHalo: Campaign Evolved Account Requirements ExplainedPS5 Players Require Both an XBOX Account and PS Plus to Play Halo: Campaign Evolved on Split-Screen"Both accounts need PlayStation Plus" — Halo Campaign Evolved’s split-screen requirement is bafflingHalo: Campaign Evolved Has Some Weird Xbox Account Requirements For Local Co-Op

• Xbox Series X|S – The second player in split-screen must have a unique Microsoft account. Online co-op additionally requires an active Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Account Requirements ExplainedHalo: Campaign Evolved Has Some Weird Xbox Account Requirements For Local Co-OpIGN EntertainmentHalo: Campaign Evolved PS5 players will require an Xbox account and gamertag to play – as well as PS Plus to play split-screen co-opPS5 Players Require Both an XBOX Account and PS Plus to Play Halo: Campaign Evolved on Split-ScreenHalo Clears Up PlayStation Plus Confusion With Simple Solution"Both accounts need PlayStation Plus" — Halo Campaign Evolved’s split-screen requirement is baffling

• PlayStation 5 – Both participants must hold PlayStation Plus subscriptions and each account must be linked to its own Microsoft account. The same PlayStation Plus status also unlocks online co-op.

Halo Clears Up PlayStation Plus Confusion With Simple Solution

• Steam (PC) – Players only need to link the game to a Microsoft account; no PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass is required.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Account Requirements Explained

The PS5 requirement generated immediate criticism. Users described the policy as “absolutely beyond stupid” and “next-level insanity” for forcing a paid online service on a purely offline couch experience. One commentator wrote, “Player 2 on your couch needs PS Plus and a Microsoft account,” while another lamented, “I was gonna play with my wife, but it’s not worth paying for another subscription to do that.” The sentiment was echoed across social platforms, with many calling the decision “completely at odds with what couch co-op is supposed to be.”

IGN Entertainment

Following the outcry, Halo Studios issued a correction on X (formerly Twitter) on June 21, 2026:

Halo Clears Up PlayStation Plus Confusion With Simple Solution

> “We incorrectly stated that PlayStation Plus is required for local co-op splitscreen play. Local splitscreen co-op requires a PlayStation account for each player but does not require a PlayStation Plus account.”

Halo Clears Up PlayStation Plus Confusion With Simple Solution

The studio reaffirmed that a Microsoft account and Xbox Gamertag remain mandatory for all platforms, and that PlayStation Plus (or Xbox Game Pass) is still needed only for online co-op.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Account Requirements ExplainedHalo: Campaign Evolved Has Some Weird Xbox Account Requirements For Local Co-OpHalo: Campaign Evolved PS5 players will require an Xbox account and gamertag to play – as well as PS Plus to play split-screen co-opIGN EntertainmentPS5 Players Require Both an XBOX Account and PS Plus to Play Halo: Campaign Evolved on Split-ScreenHalo Clears Up PlayStation Plus Confusion With Simple Solution

The controversy highlights the tension between cross-platform integration and platform-specific subscription models. Requiring two paid services for a local feature may affect consumer perception of the game’s value, especially as *Halo: Campaign Evolved* marks the franchise’s first release on PlayStation. The issue also raises questions about how Microsoft’s account ecosystem will be enforced on rival hardware and whether similar policies could appear in future titles.

PS5 Players Require Both an XBOX Account and PS Plus to Play Halo: Campaign Evolved on Split-Screen

• “If you’re playing split-screen on PlayStation 5, both accounts will need to have PlayStation Plus and be linked to a Microsoft account,” — Halo Studios (Q&A)

IGN Entertainment

• “Needing to buy online to play local split screen is some next level insanity,” — X/Twitter user (cited by IGN)

IGN Entertainment

• “Player 2 on your couch needs PS Plus and a Microsoft account,” — X/Twitter user (cited by IGN)

IGN Entertainment

• “That's absolutely beyond stupid, no?” — Windows Central commentator (cited by Windows Central)

"Both accounts need PlayStation Plus" — Halo Campaign Evolved’s split-screen requirement is baffling

• “We incorrectly stated that PlayStation Plus is required for local co-op splitscreen play. Local splitscreen co-op requires a PlayStation account for each player but does not require a PlayStation Plus account,” — Halo official X post

Halo Clears Up PlayStation Plus Confusion With Simple Solution

The initial Q&A asserted that PlayStation Plus was mandatory for PS5 split-screen, a claim later retracted by the studio’s correction. Both statements agree that a Microsoft account and Xbox Gamertag are required across all platforms, but they diverge on whether a PlayStation Plus subscription is needed for offline co-op. No further clarification has been provided regarding which Xbox Game Pass tiers qualify for online co-op, leaving that detail ambiguous.

Halo Clears Up PlayStation Plus Confusion With Simple SolutionHalo: Campaign Evolved Account Requirements ExplainedHalo: Campaign Evolved Has Some Weird Xbox Account Requirements For Local Co-OpIGN EntertainmentPS5 Players Require Both an XBOX Account and PS Plus to Play Halo: Campaign Evolved on Split-ScreenHalo: Campaign Evolved PS5 players will require an Xbox account and gamertag to play – as well as PS Plus to play split-screen co-op