Halo Timeline and Chronology

One of the most successful franchises in video game history, the Halo story has expanded more than any other game series before it with its multiple series of books, comics, and more!

What’s on the Halo Timeline?

This list attempts to create a reading order (or in some cases viewing/playing order) for all major pieces of Halo media. This includes primarily all video games, novels, films, and comic books. This list does not attempt to split up any media into individual scenes/pages, but rather focuses on an easy to follow reading/playing/watching list (with a few exceptions). In the event that two works cover the exact same time-frame we first list the first published work. Additionally we base the placement within the timeline on where the work ends rather than where it begins.

This list of Halo media includes:

• The Halo Games: Considered the “core” medium for the Halo franchise. These include the main series of games, as well as a few mobile games such as Spartan Assault.
• Novels/Comics: Halo has more tie-in novels and comics than any other video game franchise. I include them in the timeline.
• Films/Short Films: Though the Halo franchise has never seen a theatrical release, the series does include a few films that were released through other mediums, often online.

There are a few other pieces of media that fit in, such as the Hunt the Truth podcast, and you can find it all in chronological order below. We hope you enjoy!

Where do I start reading the Halo books?

Since this is a franchise based on video games, you should definitely start with those. We recommend the Halo: Master Chief Collection for the best starting experience. However, if you’re looking to start reading the books and/or comics, you should start with The Fall of Reach, which has the richest background information for the game franchise.

As always, if you have questions or comments about this timeline, we recommend you visit our Contact page. We hope you enjoy.

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Chronological	Time	Buy	Title	Type	Author	Released
1	100,000 BC		Evolutions: Soma the Painter +	Short Story	N/A	2009-11-24
2	100,000 BC		Cryptum +	Novel	Greg Bear	2011-01-04
3	100,000 BC		Primordium +	Novel	Greg Bear	2012-01-03
4	100,000 BC		Silentium +	Novel	Greg Bear	2013-03-19
5	100,000 BC		Fractures: Defender of the Storm +	Short Story	John Jackson Miller	2016-09-20
6	100,000 BC		Fractures: Promises to Keep +	Short Story	Christie Golden	2016-09-20
7	100,000 BC		Fractures: Untitled Story +	Short Story	N/A	2016-09-20
8	2142 CE		Legends: The Duel +	Short Film	John Powell	2010-02-16
9	2514 CE		The Fall of Reach: Boot Camp +	Graphic Novel	Brian Reed	2011-04-27
10	2528 CE		Evolutions: Pariah +	Short Story	B. K. Evenson	2009-11-24
11	2525 CE		Contact Harvest +	Novel	Joseph Staten	2007-10-30
12	2525 CE		Collateral Damage +	Graphic Novel	Alex Irvine	2018-12-18
13	2525 CE		The Fall of Reach: Covenant +	Graphic Novel	Brian Reed	2011-12-14
14	2525 CE		The Fall of Reach – The Animated Series +	Short Film	Heath Corson	2015-10-27
15	2526 CE		Silent Storm: A Master Chief Story +	Novel	Troy Denning	2018-09-04
16	2526 CE		Oblivion: A Master Chief Story +	Novel	Troy Denning	2019-09-24
17	2526 CE		Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn +	Film	Aaron Helbing Todd Helbing	2012-11-02
18	2531 CE		Legends: Homecoming +	Short Film	John Powell	2010-02-16
19	2531 CE		Halo Wars: Genesis +	Graphic Novel	Ensemble Studios	2009-03-03
20	2531 CE		Halo Wars +	Game	Ensemble Studios	2009-02-26
21	2532 CE		Legends: Prototype +	Short Film	John Powell	2010-02-16
22	2532 CE		Evolutions: Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian +	Short Story	Frank O’Connor	2009-11-24
23	2535 CE		The Cole Protocol +	Novel	Tobias S. Buckell	2008-11-25
24	2535 CE		Fractures: The Ballad of Hamish Beamish +	Short Story	Frank O’Connor	2016-09-20
25	2537 CE		Tales from Slipspace: Something Has Happened +	Comic Issue	Alex Irvine	2016-10-25
26	2542 CE		Legends: The Babysitter +	Short Film	John Powell	2010-02-16
27	2544 CE		Legends: The Package +	Short Film	John Powell	2010-02-16
28	2548 CE		Battle Born +	Novel	Cassandra Rose Clarke	2019-01-01
29	2548 CE		Meridian Divide +	Novel	Cassandra Rose Clarke	2019-10-01
30	2551 CE		Evolutions: Headhunters +	Short Story	Jonathan Goff	2009-11-24
31	?		Tales from Slipspace: Hunting Party +	Comic Issue	Jonathan Goff	2016-10-25
32	January 2552 CE		Helljumpers +	Graphic Novel	Peter David	2010-03-10
33	July 2552 CE		Evolutions: Blunt Instruments +	Short Story	Fred Van Lente	2009-11-24
34	July 2552 CE		Blood Line +	Graphic Novel	Fred Van Lente	2010-07-28
35	2514-2552 CE		The Fall of Reach +	Novel	Eric Nylund	2001-10-30
36	August 2552 CE		The Fall of Reach: Invasion +	Graphic Novel	Brian Reed	2012-07-18
37	August 2552 CE		Halo: Reach +	Game	Bungie	2010-09-14
38	September 2552 CE		Evolutions: Dirt +	Short Story	Tobias Buckell	2009-11-24
39	September 2552 CE		Halo: Combat Evolved +	Game	Bungie	2001-11-15
40	September 2552 CE		The Flood +	Novel	William C. Dietz	2003-04-01
41	September 2552 CE		Halo: Fireteam Raven +	Game		2018-07-10
42	September 2552 CE		Halo Graphic Novel: Breaking Quarantine +	Comic Issue	Tsutomu Nihei	2006-07-19
43	September 2552 CE		Halo Graphic Novel: The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor +	Comic Issue	Lee Hammock	2006-07-19
44	2552 CE		Evolutions: Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss +	Short Story	Eric Raab	2009-11-24
45	October 2552 CE		First Strike +	Novel	Eric Nylund	2003-12-02
46	October 2552 CE		Halo Graphic Novel: Armor Testing +	Comic Issue	Andrew Robinson Ed Lee Jay Faerber	2006-07-19
47	October 2552 CE		Halo 2 +	Game	Bungie	2004-11-09
48	2552 CE		Broken Circle +	Novel	John Shirley	2014-11-04
49	October 2552 CE		Evolutions: Palace Hotel +	Short Story	Robert McLees	2009-11-24
50	October 2552 CE		Halo Graphic Novel- Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa +	Comic Issue	Jean Giraud	2006-07-19