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.
| Chronological | Time | Buy | Title | Type | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 100,000 BC |
| 2009-11-24 | |||
2 | 100,000 BC |
| Cryptum + | 2011-01-04 | ||
3 | 100,000 BC |
| 2012-01-03 | |||
4 | 100,000 BC |
| 2013-03-19 | |||
5 | 100,000 BC |
| 2016-09-20 | |||
6 | 100,000 BC |
| 2016-09-20 | |||
7 | 100,000 BC |
| 2016-09-20 | |||
8 | 2142 CE |
| 2010-02-16 | |||
9 | 2514 CE |
| 2011-04-27 | |||
10 | 2528 CE |
| 2009-11-24 | |||
11 | 2525 CE |
| 2007-10-30 | |||
11.001 | 2525 CE |
| 2015-10-27 | |||
12 | 2525 CE |
| 2018-12-18 | |||
Ties together with Silent Storm. | ||||||
15 | 2526 CE |
| 2018-09-04 | |||
Ties together with Collateral Damage. | ||||||
16 | 2526 CE |
| 2012-11-02 | |||
Bulk of this miniseries goes here. Frame story takes place in 2558 CE. | ||||||
17 | 2526 CE |
| 2019-09-24 | |||
17.001 | 2531 CE |
| 2010-01-01 | |||
Included in the TOR edition of The Fall of Reach. | ||||||
18 | 2531 CE |
| 2010-02-16 | |||
18.001 | 2531 CE |
| 2010-01-01 | |||
Included in the TOR edition of The Fall of Reach. | ||||||
19 | 2531 CE |
| 2009-03-03 | |||
20 | 2531 CE |
| 2009-02-26 | |||
21 | 2532 CE |
| 2010-02-16 | |||
22 | 2532 CE |
| 2009-11-24 | |||
23 | 2535 CE |
| 2008-11-25 | |||
24 | 2535 CE |
| 2016-09-20 | |||
25 | 2537 CE |
| 2016-10-25 | |||
26 | 2542 CE |
| 2010-02-16 | |||
26.001 | 2543 CE |
| 2010-01-01 | |||
Included in the TOR edition of The Fall of Reach. | ||||||
27 | 2544 CE |
| 2010-02-16 | |||
28 | 2548 CE |
| 2019-01-01 | |||
29 | 2548 CE |
| 2019-10-01 | |||
30 | 2551 CE |
| 2009-11-24 | |||
31 | ? |
| 2016-10-25 | |||
32 | January 2552 CE |
| 2010-03-10 | |||
32.001 | 2525 CE |
| 2011-12-14 | |||
33 | July 2552 CE |
| 2009-11-24 | |||
34 | July 2552 CE |
| 2010-07-28 | |||
35 | 2514-2552 CE |
| 2001-10-30 | |||
35.001 | August 2552 CE |
| 2010-01-01 | |||
Included in the TOR edition of The Fall of Reach. | ||||||
36 | August 2552 CE |
| 2012-07-18 | |||
36.001 | August 2552 CE |
| 2010-01-01 | |||
Included in the TOR edition of The Fall of Reach. | ||||||
36.002 | August 2552 CE |
| 2010-01-01 | |||
Included in the TOR edition of The Fall of Reach. | ||||||
37 | August 2552 CE |
| 2010-09-14 | |||
37.001 | August 2552 CE |
| 2010-01-01 | |||
Included in the TOR edition of The Fall of Reach. | ||||||
38 | September 2552 CE |
| 2009-11-24 | |||
39 | September 2552 CE |
| 2001-11-15 | |||
Anniversary remake of the original was released in November 15, 2011. | ||||||
40 | September 2552 CE |
| 2003-04-01 | |||
41 | September 2552 CE |
| 2018-07-10 | |||
42 | September 2552 CE |
| 2006-07-19 | |||
43 | September 2552 CE |
| 2006-07-19 | |||
Jason Hamilton- 12 Comments
- Featured Timelines, Game Timelines, Timelines
- April 23, 2020
I realized that you didn’t add any of the live action trailers and I know that at least some of them are cannon. I don’t know when any of them take place except for Deliver Hope (the halo reach one) which I know takes place in April 2552. I don’t know if you’re still going to be editing the document, but I thought you should look into adding those since they are cannon and pretty good.
The release order is wrong
Nice job on all this hard work, Jason, my dude! Thanks to Abraham for the FoR Adjuncts too; any luck with the First Strike ones too? And as previously commented, I’d love to work the live action trailers into this timeline too (tho I know they’re not all definitively dated). Best to all.
I’ll definitely look into the trailers for my next update.
I am working through this list and just got to Tales from Slipspace: Hunting Party and you put it right after Headhunters because it doesn’t have a specific place it could go but based on what I read it probably makes more sense to go sometime after halo 3 but before halo wars 2. As they mention the death of Tatarus, and the fall of the covenant.
I did find that “The Flood” and “First Strike” had Adjuncts too. Most of the “Flood adjuncts took place at some time During the story so most of this is a guess. Flood adjunct 1: Just after H:CE/The Flood, Flood Adjunct 2: During H:CE/The Flood, Sometime shortly after the FLOOD were released. Flood Adjunct 3: During H:CE again sometime after the flood were released. Flood Adjunct 4: Different parts Throughout H: THE FLOOD. Flood Adjunct 5: While the chief is on the Flood infected Covenant ship looking for what remains of Captain Keyes. Flood adjunct 6: I am guessing “L” stood for “Librarian” so I’m guessing It took place during before Silentium. As for the First Strike Adjuncts: FS Adjunct 1: After Silent Storm, Adjunct 2: Unknown time after Halo 3, Adjunct 3: After between “Armor Testing” and Halo 2. Adjunct 4: Right after Halo 3. Hope this helps.
I have managed to figure out a few of the the Live action trailers. You have Landfall and a guy mention “Deliver hope” which takes place between HellJumpers and FoR: Covenant. There is another called, “Birth of a Spartan.” It is about the Spartan From Reach known as Carter (Noble 1). I can’t say exactly where but knowing his age in Reach and the looking at the age he appears to be in the trailer, I am estimating it takes place sometime between “Cole Protocol,” and “the Babysitter.” Another is called, “Remember Reach,” AKA “THe Day Before” Which I would place just after “Blood Line”. There is another called “The Commissioning”, which begins with them Commissioning the Infinity early in 2557, it visually ends with the ship falling towards Requiem, so you could put it just before Halo 4. Another one called, “The Life, ” or “We are ODST.” Probably takes place just before Halo 2. There one called “Scanned” though I couldn’t tell you when or if that takes place. Could take place in the Middle of Halo 4 while the CHief is being Augmented by the Librarian remnant. There Then there is “All Hail,” and “the Cost,” which introduce us to the duality of Chief and Locke, but I couldn’t tell you when or even IF they took place. “A hero falls,” and the “Believe” campaign will take place after “Infinite.” IF they even take place at all.
I still recommend that you switch “Spartan Assault” and “Nightfall”.
Have you thought about adding Fistful of Arrows to the list? I know it’s /technically/ not cannon, but both Bungie and 343 have acknowledged it and a few years ago they planned to make it cannon but I don’t think that ever went through. It still fits in modern day cannon though. I personally think it should be added to the list but I also fully understand why it shouldn’t be.
I just learned about Halo: Rebirth which is an epilogue to Silentium. It’s on Halo Waypoint but there are several reuploads on youtube. I think you should add that too.
There is also Halo Wars 2: Awakening the nightmare.
I found there is another Live action trailer called “Living Monument.” I believe it takes place right after Halo 3.