Halo: Combat Evolved has been rebuilt as an unofficial browser project, bringing the original Xbox version to the web with split-screen co-op and multiplayer for up to 128 players.
Original Xbox Halo, now playable in a browser
Software developer Mitchell Hynes created the browser version and is hosting it on a Cloudflare-powered website. The port is based on the original Xbox release of Combat Evolved, rather than Gearbox’s poorly received PC version.
Hynes shared that the project supports split-screen co-op as well as online multiplayer for as many as 128 players. He also reported that 20,000 people played the browser version during its first five hours online.
The project was shared during a wider burst of unusual game modifications online, including crossovers that place Call of Duty operators in skateboarding sequences, Black Ops 1’s zombie mode inside Skyrim and Miles Morales swinging through Gotham.
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How the unofficial port became possible
Hynes’ browser project follows the recent decompilation of Halo: Combat Evolved. Decompilation reconstructs a game’s source code, making it easier to adapt older software for modern platforms such as web browsers.
The project’s GitHub page does not confirm whether artificial intelligence was used in the decompilation. However, references to Claude appear throughout its Discord channel.
Other recent game mash-ups have used large language models such as Claude Opus 5.5 alongside a universal-modder tool. Its description claims that Claude can assist with game reconnaissance, reverse engineering, generated art, 3D assets, audio, testing and showcase videos.
Technical and legal questions remain
Rapid, AI-assisted modding can produce impressive demonstrations, but it also brings practical problems. Projects created through so-called vibe coding may contain more bugs than software developed through conventional engineering and testing. One community member has also compiled human-led decompilation projects as an alternative reference.
Copyright and licensing are further complications. Publishers may object to their games being decompiled or placed into unofficial mash-ups, even when users legally own the original software. AI-assisted development also raises familiar questions about environmental impact, ethics and the use of creative work in training data.
These projects can make entertaining short clips, but they are still technical experiments rather than fully authored replacements for the games that inspired them. The browser version of Halo: Combat Evolved was still playable at the time of publication, although Microsoft may eventually take action against the unauthorised port.
Halo’s official modern versions
Microsoft has already released Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, a remaster of the original game, and later included the title on PC through Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Earlier in 2026, Xbox also released Halo: Campaign Evolved, a full remake of the original story campaign with additional missions.
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