Microsoft Is 'Building Plans' For 25th Anniversary Of Xbox And Halo
Image: Damien McFerran / Pure Xbox

By the time 2026 rolls around, the original Xbox and its seminal debut of Halo will be 25 years old, and just like 2021 — where the pair hit 20 years of age — Microsoft has big plans for the upcoming anniversary.

Speaking in a new interview with License Global, head of Xbox gaming consumer products John Friend talked about some of the team's biggest franchises, and how plans are already being built for when the OG Xbox and Halo hit the ripe old age of 25.

Here's what Friend had to say on the upcoming occasion:

"We have these massive, fantastic franchises ranging from ‘World of Warcraft’ –celebrating its 20th anniversary this year – to ‘Halo,’ ‘Call of Duty,’ to ‘StarCraft’ and much more,

We’re building plans for the 25th anniversary of ‘Halo’ and Xbox—we have such a rich heritage and history, and these communities have been active for so long, you have to celebrate that."

If these celebrations are anything like those that went down for the 20th anniversary of Xbox, we should be in for a real treat. That year, Microsoft shadow dropped Halo Infinite multiplayer, we got new hardware in the form of a Halo Infinite console / controller, a new Xbox anniversary pad, fresh additions to backwards compatibility / FPS Boost and loads more besides!

Now, we're by no means saying that Xbox will be as busy in 2026, but you just never know. We've even heard rumours that a next-gen Xbox console could arrive that year - imagine if the team tied that launch into a massive anniversary celebration? We'll keep our expectations in check for now, but roll on fall 2026 either way.

What are we expecting from these 2026 celebrations? Tell us what you'd do down below!

[source licenseglobal.com]