Halo: Campaign Evolved Won't Save the Xbox 25th Anniversary Console

Spending $899 for nostalgia and a green shell is an absurd ask for existing Series X owners.

Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition console with a green transparent design and matching controller, featuring a promotion for Halo and a note that pre-orders begin today.

Published: Aug 27, 2026, 2:41 pm Updated: Aug 27, 2026, 2:41 pm

Primary Subject: Xbox 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Collection (Series X25 / $899.99 MSRP)
Key Update: An opinion piece argues that bundling a digital copy of Halo: Campaign Evolved fails to justify the premium price tag of Xbox's translucent green 25th Anniversary console.
Status: Confirmed / Opinion
Last Verified: August 27, 2026
Quick Answer: Pre-orders for Xbox's $899.99 25th Anniversary Edition console are live, but bundling Halo: Campaign Evolved could fail to persuade fans to buy.

I'll admit, when Xbox first announced they were releasing a limited-edition console to celebrate their 25th anniversary, I was intrigued. I thought it looked cool - a piece that could make my living room stand out as I gamed.

That is, until I discovered it's $100 more than the regular console, and the only difference would be a translucent, plastic green shell. Then I was uninterested.

Recently, Xbox announced that pre-orders have gone live for the limited-edition console and controller, and that those who purchase it will get a free copy of Halo: Campaign Evolved. Well, if that's what they call sweetening the deal, then I'm afraid they've got it all wrong.

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A Free Copy of Halo Can't Save Xbox's $899 Console

Let's be honest - you have to be a die-hard Xbox fan to pay $899.99 for the limited-edition console. And even then, why would you? If you already have an Xbox Series X/S at home, would you really cough up that amount for the green shell? Sure, nostalgia is a powerful tool, and it's being marketed as an homage to Xbox's OG green.

An Xbox console and controller illuminated in green light.

But at this point, nostalgia just isn't enough to justify the outrageous price - especially when that's the only upgrade the console has.

Throwing Halo: Campaign Evolved into the mix is clearly meant to sweeten the deal for gamers, but it won't work. Most people who love Halo either already bought Campaign Evolved or heard the reviews and stuck with Combat Evolved. Adding the game doesn't suddenly make the collection feel like a steal - it's more like a slap in the face.

A character in green armor holds a futuristic weapon, set against a sci-fi background with dramatic lighting.

If you’re going to ask players to fork over their hard-earned money for an anniversary edition, then Xbox has to give us something better. It's baffling that they didn't go with Gears of War: E-Day - a game that is launching just a month before the collection goes live and is something people are actually hyped to play.

Releasing the pricey limited-edition console with a highly anticipated entry would actually turn heads and make people consider purchasing it, especially since the Deluxe Edition of Gears of War: E-Day is already $99.99. Adding in Halo: Campaign Evolved, a game that's been out for over a month, just feels cheap (which sucks, because the console definitely isn't).

Xbox is banking on the combined weight of nostalgia and Halo to make the 25th Anniversary Edition a sell-out success. It won't. Unless they somehow find a way to make this worth people's while, everyday gamers will likely keep their wallets closed and stick with the consoles they have at home.

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