Halo Remake More Popular On Xbox, But Plays Better On PS5
Halo: Campaign Evolved On PS5 Doesn't Have The Cutscene Bug Bothering Xbox Players
Halo: Campaign Evolved could end up being the only Halo game that’s ever released on PlayStation. It will now always have the distinction of hosting a Halo game that played better on its console than the Xbox equivalent, though, as there’s a bug present on Series X|S that doesn’t seem to be an issue on PS5.
Due to the very nature of Halo being a series more synonymous with Xbox than anything else it owns, Digital Foundry’s breakdown of how the remake runs on opposing consoles has been one of the most anticipated from the channel’s fans in recent history. The PlayStation and Xbox versions are more or less the same in terms of quality. However, a stuttering bug on Xbox sets them apart.
Halo's Stuttering Cutscenes On Xbox
Digital Foundry identified a bug that results in cutscenes stuttering when you play Campaign Evolved on Series X|S. No, it’s not a case of looking at one version versus the other and being able to clearly discern which one is which, and which one is better, but there is something that sets them apart. Something that’s going to be annoying for players who encounter it, and, even worse, it’s the version on the console created by the company that publishes the game.
It’s more than that. It’s the latest entry in the series Xbox is built on.
Halo Plays Best On PS5 Pro
The other takeaway from DF’s breakdown was that the best place to play the Halo remake is the PS5 Pro. As frustrating as that might be for Xbox owners playing their new Xbox-published game on an Xbox console, the Pro of it all is, unfortunately for them unavoidable. The Pro is the PS5’s mid-gen refresh, something Xbox hasn’t bothered with for the Series X|S. It’s a newer and therefore more powerful console and, barring a big Pro-specific problem, it should run every new game released on both platforms better than it runs on any other console.
Despite that, and despite the sheer number of PS5s out there compared to Series X|S consoles, people still seem to want to play Campaign Evolved on Xbox. Circana’s Mat Piscatella noted that 8% of active Xbox users played the Halo remake on release day, compared to just 1% on PS5. I’m sure it being on Game Pass had a lot to do with that, and that there’s likely not as big a difference as there seems between 8% of active Series X|S and 1% of active PS5 users. It’s something, though, and if that’s the trend, unlike Forza Horizon 5 which sold millions on PS5, Master Chief’s foray onto PlayStation may begin and end at this one game.