Microsoft has published a new Halo: Campaign Evolved cinematic story trailer that, oddly, is labelled as having been captured on PS5 Pro.
The eye-catching footage is available to watch now below, and is clearly labelled as showing the game’s PlayStation version from the start. Why has Microsoft done this? Sure, PS5 Pro is the most powerful console hardware available at present, but it’s hardly a good look for Xbox to have its flagship franchise running on Sony’s machine. Why not capture it on a super high-end PC, if Microsoft really wanted to show the game at its best?
Discussing the trailer on social media, The Verge’s Tom Warren has hinted that the clip “would have made more sense if it was originally supposed to be part of Sony’s State of Play” — a suggestion that makes a lot of sense.
The question then is why, if this was intended as a State of Play reveal, it never made the cut.
Did Sony ditch the trailer after hearing that Xbox had U-turned on a PS5 port for Gears of War: E-Day? Or did Microsoft pull the trailer from Sony’s show itself, in the knowledge it wanted to lean into the concept of Xbox game exclusivity in its own show? IGN has contacted Microsoft for comment, and will update if we hear more.
Of course, Halo: Campaign Evolved is still coming to PS5, alongside PC and Xbox, when it launches on July 28. Microsoft has said it will not pull the PS5 versions of any games previously-confirmed for Sony’s machine — which would be a tricky thing to do anyway, with pre-orders already available.
Speaking last night, Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty said that any further Xbox exclusives beyond Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution would be decided on a “case-by-case basis” and confirmed at the same time a game was given a public release date.
That said, Booty cautioned that multiplayer and live-service games would all remain multiplatform, as would anything announced for PS5 previously. And, of course, everything will still also come to PC. How many games will actually become Xbox exclusives? It remains to be seen, though Microsoft confirmed more games for PS5 last night (State of Decay 3, Spyro: A Realm Reborn and Senua) than the two it ruled out.
For all of Microsoft’s announcements, be sure to catch up with everything announced at the Xbox Showcase 2026, including our best look yet at Fable and more.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
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