Halo: Campaign Evolved game was cracked just four days before its official release. A group of hackers claims that their version runs smoothly on Windows without needing a Microsoft or Steam account. The game, developed by Halo Studios under Xbox Game Studios, was protected by Microsoft's DRM software, but hackers still managed to crack it. With no Denuvo DRM, the crack was released quickly. The official launch is scheduled for July 28, but those who pre-purchased the game on Steam have early access. To play, users must link their Microsoft account and sign in to their Steam account, even for solo gameplay. However, those running a cracked version don't have to deal with linking the Microsoft account and the slew of problems that are now arising. Importantly, those with broken Microsoft account linking can only enjoy the cracked version, as Microsoft DRM on the regular game is preventing them from even starting the gameplay.

Early reviews, however, are not promising. Many users are leaving negative feedback, with only 68% of reviews being positive at the time of writing. The main issues include login failures, overloaded servers, and connectivity problems when the email address used on Steam differs from the one linked to the Microsoft account. Some players have been stuck on the Digital Artbook menu, which only disappears after uninstalling the Artbook DLC, allowing the game to boot normally. For a $49.99 games can get Standard Edition when the game launches in four days, but those who purchased the $69.99 Premium Edition can get early game access since this morning. Microsoft's server are already showing signs of trouble, so it might be smarter to wait until these issues are ironed out.