Halo Infinite Sequel: Master Chief’s Story Continues in New Novel

Nearly four years have passed since players, stepping into the boots of the legendary Master Chief, confronted the Banished on Zeta Halo in the epic open-world campaign of Halo Infinite. While fans eagerly await news on the next video game installment, details have emerged about a different kind of sequel that will continue the Chief’s narrative directly after the events of Infinite: a brand new novel titled Halo: The Edge of Dawn.

Master Chief’s Journey Continues in Print

Confirmed as a direct follow-up to the game’s story, Halo: The Edge of Dawn is penned by prolific Halo author Kelly Gay. The novel focuses on Master Chief, his AI companion The Weapon, and their pilot Fernando Esparza as they press on with the fight against the Banished on Zeta Halo.

The official synopsis provides a glimpse into the continuing conflict:

Following the defeat of War Chief Escharum, the Master Chief, The Weapon, and Esparza navigate the chaos left among the Banished forces.
Their mission involves searching for scattered allied forces on the damaged ringworld.
A young combat medic, held captive for months by the Banished and the mysterious Harbinger, holds crucial secrets about the ancient ring.
Lurking in the shadows is Jega ‘Rdomnai, the deadly Banished blademaster who survived his encounter with Chief and is now seeking vengeance.

Based on this setup, Edge of Dawn promises to delve deeper into the mysteries of Zeta Halo and the ongoing struggle against the Banished, featuring both returning and new characters in key roles.

The structure of Halo: Edge of Dawn is being compared to Eric Nylund’s Halo: First Strike, a novel that bridged the gap between Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. Similarly, Edge of Dawn will explore the immediate aftermath of Halo Infinite‘s campaign while telling its own significant story within the broader Halo canon.

A Self-Contained Narrative with Striking Artwork

The novel’s official cover artwork, illustrated by Chris McGrath (known for his work on other Halo books like Halo: Epitaph), has also been revealed. The evocative image depicts Master Chief protecting The Weapon while the menacing figure of Jega ‘Rdomnai looms large in the background, energy swords at the ready.

Importantly for fans concerned about missing crucial plot points for future games, Halo Studios has stated that Halo: Edge of Dawn is designed as a “self-contained adventure.” This means reading the novel is not expected to be mandatory for understanding the story of the next Halo game, offering fans an optional, yet rich, expansion of the lore.

Navigating the Wider Gaming Landscape

While fans eagerly await updates on potential future Halo games — with teases pointing towards a possible 2026 release, maybe even a Combat Evolved remake utilizing Unreal Engine 5 — the announcement of Edge of Dawn provides a tangible next step for the narrative much sooner.

The gaming world is constantly buzzing with diverse news, from unexpected hits like the simple, free ‘Bongo Cat’ application topping Steam’s concurrent user charts to major community milestones like Final Fantasy XIV finally adding expanded headgear support for its Viera and Hrothgar races after years of requests. Discussions around game pricing are also prevalent, with news like Borderlands 4‘s revealed costs, particularly its controversial collector’s edition that excludes the base game, sparking debate about the future of game purchases.

Amidst this varied landscape, Xbox continues to build its future lineup. Recent presentations have offered deeper looks at highly anticipated RPGs like Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds 2, detailing its expanded scope, character building depth, and player freedom, alongside updates on sequels like Grounded 2 which is adding player-requested features like buggies. Fans also hold out hope for news on other major Xbox titles like the Fable reboot and State of Decay 3, games that have been notably absent from recent showcases, leaving their release windows uncertain.

In contrast to the speculation and long waits for many major game releases, Halo: Edge of Dawn offers Halo fans a concrete date and format to continue Master Chief’s saga without needing to wait potentially years for the next game title.

Release Date and Pre-Order Details

Halo: The Edge of Dawn is set to release on December 16, 2025. For those eager to dive back into the post-Infinite universe, pre-orders are available now. The digital Amazon Kindle version is priced at $13.99, while the paperback variant sells for $19.

It is recommended that fans read Kelly Gay’s previous novel, Halo: The Rubicon Protocol (which details events leading up to Halo Infinite), and play through the Halo Infinite campaign itself (available on Xbox Game Pass) before picking up Edge of Dawn to get the full context. With Kelly Gay’s proven talent for writing compelling Halo stories, Edge of Dawn is poised to be a must-read for fans eager to explore the ongoing conflict on Zeta Halo.

Pre-order Halo: Edge of Dawn:
[Link to Amazon Kindle – Example]
[Link to Amazon Paperback – Example]