The Halo Championship Series kind of died a death in 2025 following the end of the Halo World Championship. The team at Halo Studios revealed that Halo Infinite was being pulled from the HCS circuit, sunsetting the competitive scene something fierce and leaving fans in the lurch a bit.
It was the longest run for a single Halo game in terms of esports ever. At the time, the Halo Studios team confirmed that ad hoc tournaments would still surface for Halo Infinite, Halo 5, and MCC, but the HCS itself had lost its foundation, just a few years after Halo Infinite brought it back to life.
Infinite by name only.
Halo Fest Welcomes HCS Invitational
The last HCS-branded esports event landed in October 2025 in Seattle, Washington. It was the final Halo Championship Series event that would use Halo Infinite as a platform, and it saw Shopify Rebellion lift the trophy after a staggering year that also saw the team secure back-to-back Major wins.
Days ago, Halo Studios confirmed that the HCS will return in a sense in December, when Halo Fest lands to celebrate the game’s twenty-fifth anniversary.
Halo Fest will play host to a special concert, VIP meet-and-greets, a full-fledged convention in Seattle, and, of course, esports.
Per a blog post on Halo Waypoint:
Halo Fest will also host the HCS Invitational tournament featuring the best 8 teams in the scene fighting for $150,000 in prize pool.
Invites have already been rolling out and yesterday we confirmed that all 8 invitees have accepted and now are confirmed. Early next week, we’ll be releasing a blog sharing who those invitees are among teams and top players. Roster lock will take place on October 26.
At Halo Fest, there will be an HCS Stage and a smaller featured stage. Every match in group play and bracket stage will be broadcasted so fans in the venue and at home can enjoy the action.
It’s the largest esports prize pool in Halo in almost a year, and it sohuld see the most recognizable teams in the space return to the fold. This year, some minor tournaments have surfaced, the biggest being DreamHack Atlanta in May, and Shopify Rebellion continued a dominant streak, going on to win anything worth winning this year.
The tournament runs from December 12 to 13, and alongside the HCS Invitational that features the top-tier teams, there will also be an open competition featuring a vast run of Halo titles:
- Halo Infinite
- Halo 5
- Halo 3
- Halo 2
- Halo: Combat Evolved
That’s a mix of FFA, teams, and duos, and an additional $50,000 in prizes has been reserved for that run.
Are you looking forward to the brief return of Halo esports? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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