The Game Census
Halo Wars: Definitive Edition cover art

Halo Wars: Definitive Edition

Ensemble Studios · Xbox Game Studios · 2017-04-20

SteamMicrosoft Store

Strategy

Franchise: Halo · Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative

Releases: Apr 20, 2017 (PC (Microsoft Windows)), Dec 20, 2016 (Xbox One)

Halo Wars: Definitive Edition is an enhanced version of the real-time strategy classic, Halo Wars, updated to run natively on PC. Halo Wars: Definitive Edition includes improved graphics, new achievements and all of the DLC created for the landmark real-time strategy game.

294
playing now
91%
positive of 9.5k reviews
Very Positive
steam rating
500,000–1,000,000
owners (SteamSpy est.)
78/100
critic score (2 outlets, IGDB)
77/100
IGDB user rating (26 ratings)
platinum
deck/linux tier (ProtonDB)
$19.99
steam price (US)

294 players in-game as of 2026-08-30 02:00 UTC (census sample)

Halo Wars is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 video game console. It was released in Australia on February 26, 2009; in Europe on February 27; and in North America on March 3. The game is set in the science fiction universe of the Halo series in the year 2531, 21 years before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. The player leads human soldiers aboard the warship Spirit of Fire in an effort to stop an ancient fleet of ships from falling into the hands of the genocidal alien Covenant.

Health check

Healthy
  • · 294 players in-game at the last census sample.
  • · 608 reviews in the last 8 weeks (~76/week).
  • · Review velocity up 33% vs the prior 8 weeks.
  • · Top 8% of 5,909 Strategy games in the census by review count.
Estimated sales: 238k–570k copies

Review-multiple estimate from 9,508 total reviews — how this is computed.

Current store prices

lowest across shops (ITAD)$4.99-75%
Microsoft Store$4.99-75%

Deal snapshots via CheapShark, refreshed daily.

All-time low: $4.99 at Microsoft Store (2021-05-11)via IsThereAnyDeal

12-month high $19.99 · on sale 9 of 17 observed days · at its all-time low (census price snapshots)

Review momentum

PositiveNegative
19819820182026Week of 2018-01-01: 44 positiveWeek of 2018-01-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2018-02-01: 45 positiveWeek of 2018-02-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2018-03-01: 31 positiveWeek of 2018-03-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2018-04-01: 35 positiveWeek of 2018-04-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2018-05-01: 23 positiveWeek of 2018-05-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2018-06-01: 42 positiveWeek of 2018-06-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2018-07-01: 35 positiveWeek of 2018-07-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2018-08-01: 21 positiveWeek of 2018-08-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2018-09-01: 21 positiveWeek of 2018-09-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2018-10-01: 81 positiveWeek of 2018-10-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2018-11-01: 103 positiveWeek of 2018-11-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2018-12-01: 30 positiveWeek of 2018-12-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2019-01-01: 45 positiveWeek of 2019-01-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2019-02-01: 24 positiveWeek of 2019-02-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2019-03-01: 30 positiveWeek of 2019-03-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2019-04-01: 26 positiveWeek of 2019-04-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2019-05-01: 19 positiveWeek of 2019-05-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2019-06-01: 166 positiveWeek of 2019-06-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2019-07-01: 198 positiveWeek of 2019-07-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2019-08-01: 28 positiveWeek of 2019-08-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2019-09-01: 27 positiveWeek of 2019-09-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2019-10-01: 22 positiveWeek of 2019-10-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2019-11-01: 111 positiveWeek of 2019-11-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2019-12-01: 131 positiveWeek of 2019-12-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2020-01-01: 96 positiveWeek of 2020-01-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2020-02-01: 57 positiveWeek of 2020-02-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2020-03-01: 66 positiveWeek of 2020-03-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2020-04-01: 103 positiveWeek of 2020-04-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2020-05-01: 85 positiveWeek of 2020-05-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2020-06-01: 73 positiveWeek of 2020-06-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2020-07-01: 137 positiveWeek of 2020-07-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2020-08-01: 89 positiveWeek of 2020-08-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2020-09-01: 53 positiveWeek of 2020-09-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2020-10-01: 57 positiveWeek of 2020-10-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2020-11-01: 61 positiveWeek of 2020-11-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2020-12-01: 97 positiveWeek of 2020-12-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2021-01-01: 95 positiveWeek of 2021-01-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2021-02-01: 70 positiveWeek of 2021-02-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2021-03-01: 64 positiveWeek of 2021-03-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2021-04-01: 88 positiveWeek of 2021-04-01: 16 negativeWeek of 2021-05-01: 78 positiveWeek of 2021-05-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2021-06-01: 75 positiveWeek of 2021-06-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2021-07-01: 95 positiveWeek of 2021-07-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2021-08-01: 59 positiveWeek of 2021-08-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2021-09-01: 52 positiveWeek of 2021-09-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2021-10-01: 54 positiveWeek of 2021-10-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2021-11-01: 88 positiveWeek of 2021-11-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2021-12-01: 122 positiveWeek of 2021-12-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2022-01-01: 102 positiveWeek of 2022-01-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2022-02-01: 71 positiveWeek of 2022-02-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2022-03-01: 49 positiveWeek of 2022-03-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2022-04-01: 89 positiveWeek of 2022-04-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2022-05-01: 48 positiveWeek of 2022-05-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2022-06-01: 65 positiveWeek of 2022-06-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2022-07-01: 126 positiveWeek of 2022-07-01: 25 negativeWeek of 2022-08-01: 60 positiveWeek of 2022-08-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2022-09-01: 79 positiveWeek of 2022-09-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2022-10-01: 62 positiveWeek of 2022-10-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2022-11-01: 49 positiveWeek of 2022-11-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2022-12-01: 52 positiveWeek of 2022-12-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2023-01-01: 82 positiveWeek of 2023-01-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2023-02-01: 47 positiveWeek of 2023-02-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2023-03-01: 51 positiveWeek of 2023-03-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2023-04-01: 74 positiveWeek of 2023-04-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2023-05-01: 57 positiveWeek of 2023-05-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2023-06-01: 64 positiveWeek of 2023-06-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2023-07-01: 66 positiveWeek of 2023-07-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2023-08-01: 41 positiveWeek of 2023-08-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2023-09-01: 58 positiveWeek of 2023-09-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2023-10-01: 63 positiveWeek of 2023-10-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2023-11-01: 57 positiveWeek of 2023-11-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2023-12-01: 68 positiveWeek of 2023-12-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2024-01-01: 73 positiveWeek of 2024-01-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2024-02-01: 112 positiveWeek of 2024-02-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2024-03-01: 98 positiveWeek of 2024-03-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2024-04-01: 55 positiveWeek of 2024-04-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2024-05-01: 47 positiveWeek of 2024-05-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2024-06-01: 77 positiveWeek of 2024-06-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2024-07-01: 71 positiveWeek of 2024-07-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2024-08-01: 52 positiveWeek of 2024-08-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2024-09-01: 51 positiveWeek of 2024-09-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2024-10-01: 44 positiveWeek of 2024-10-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2024-11-01: 43 positiveWeek of 2024-11-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2024-12-01: 55 positiveWeek of 2024-12-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2025-01-01: 84 positiveWeek of 2025-01-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2025-02-01: 53 positiveWeek of 2025-02-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2025-03-01: 59 positiveWeek of 2025-03-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2025-04-01: 44 positiveWeek of 2025-04-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2025-05-01: 56 positiveWeek of 2025-05-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2025-06-01: 43 positiveWeek of 2025-06-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2025-07-01: 63 positiveWeek of 2025-07-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2025-08-01: 54 positiveWeek of 2025-08-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2025-09-01: 33 positiveWeek of 2025-09-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2025-10-01: 61 positiveWeek of 2025-10-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2025-11-01: 63 positiveWeek of 2025-11-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2025-12-01: 75 positiveWeek of 2025-12-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2026-01-01: 76 positiveWeek of 2026-01-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2026-02-01: 37 positiveWeek of 2026-02-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2026-03-01: 77 positiveWeek of 2026-03-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2026-04-01: 88 positiveWeek of 2026-04-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2026-05-01: 58 positiveWeek of 2026-05-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2026-06-01: 76 positiveWeek of 2026-06-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2026-07-01: 80 positiveWeek of 2026-07-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2026-08-01: 54 positiveWeek of 2026-08-01: 7 negative
Weekly review counts (Steam review histogram). Positive above the line, negative below.

Players online

354952026-08-06 22:00 — 234 players2026-08-07 06:00 — 185 players2026-08-07 14:00 — 169 players2026-08-07 22:00 — 253 players2026-08-08 06:00 — 229 players2026-08-08 14:00 — 206 players2026-08-08 22:00 — 302 players2026-08-09 06:00 — 259 players2026-08-09 14:00 — 179 players2026-08-09 22:00 — 337 players2026-08-10 06:00 — 195 players2026-08-10 14:00 — 134 players2026-08-10 22:00 — 251 players2026-08-11 06:00 — 179 players2026-08-11 14:00 — 142 players2026-08-12 22:00 — 208 players2026-08-14 05:00 — 166 players2026-08-15 13:00 — 144 players2026-08-16 21:00 — 313 players2026-08-18 05:00 — 219 players2026-08-19 12:00 — 111 players2026-08-20 20:00 — 224 players2026-08-22 03:00 — 310 players2026-08-23 11:00 — 152 players2026-08-24 18:00 — 199 players2026-08-26 03:00 — 244 players2026-08-27 10:00 — 102 players2026-08-28 18:00 — 193 players2026-08-30 02:00 — 294 players
Concurrent players, hourly average, last 30 days (census samples).

Price history

$19.99$4.992017-04-212026-08-272017-04-21 — best price $19.992017-11-22 — best price $9.992018-02-19 — best price $19.992018-10-18 — best price $9.992018-11-27 — best price $19.992019-01-04 — best price $19.992019-11-26 — best price $7.992020-01-27 — best price $19.992020-08-13 — best price $7.992020-11-25 — best price $7.992021-01-05 — best price $19.992021-02-16 — best price $19.992021-06-10 — best price $4.992021-09-21 — best price $19.992022-01-05 — best price $19.992022-04-08 — best price $4.992022-06-23 — best price $4.992022-08-01 — best price $19.992022-12-15 — best price $4.992023-01-31 — best price $19.992023-05-09 — best price $4.992023-06-20 — best price $19.992023-10-05 — best price $19.992023-12-14 — best price $4.992024-02-13 — best price $19.992024-06-09 — best price $4.992024-08-01 — best price $19.992024-12-03 — best price $19.992025-01-24 — best price $4.992025-04-18 — best price $4.992025-09-29 — best price $4.992025-12-18 — best price $4.992026-04-30 — best price $19.992026-08-25 — best price $4.992026-08-27 — best price $4.99
Lowest recorded price across tracked stores, per day (census snapshots).

Attention

4501542026-05-29 — 163 pageviews2026-06-01 — 160 pageviews2026-06-04 — 173 pageviews2026-06-07 — 279 pageviews2026-06-10 — 254 pageviews2026-06-13 — 258 pageviews2026-06-16 — 264 pageviews2026-06-19 — 225 pageviews2026-06-22 — 238 pageviews2026-06-25 — 243 pageviews2026-06-28 — 216 pageviews2026-07-01 — 201 pageviews2026-07-04 — 215 pageviews2026-07-07 — 212 pageviews2026-07-10 — 154 pageviews2026-07-13 — 208 pageviews2026-07-16 — 189 pageviews2026-07-19 — 266 pageviews2026-07-22 — 229 pageviews2026-07-25 — 364 pageviews2026-07-28 — 411 pageviews2026-07-31 — 378 pageviews2026-08-03 — 417 pageviews2026-08-06 — 372 pageviews2026-08-09 — 366 pageviews2026-08-12 — 281 pageviews2026-08-15 — 287 pageviews2026-08-18 — 255 pageviews2026-08-21 — 220 pageviews2026-08-24 — 240 pageviews2026-08-26 — 252 pageviews
Daily Wikipedia pageviews (attention proxy, census-recorded).

Completion

60+
achievements tracked
70.6%
earned "Meet Sergeant Forge"
11.8%
median achievement earned by

Global achievement rates from Steam.

Details

WindowsFull controller supportSingle-playerMulti-playerPvPOnline PvPCo-opOnline Co-opSteam AchievementsFull controller supportSteam Trading CardsCaptions available

11 supported languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish - Spain, Czech, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian

Console footprint

PlatformPlayers trackedCompletionTrophies/achievements
Xbox One, Windows (Xbox)29,1013%75
Steam (Steam)11,8332%75

Players tracked by Exophase (achievement/trophy trackers) — a sample of the player base, not total sales.

Player tags

RTSWarCo-opActionAliensSci-fiSandboxMilitaryStrategyTactical

Census log

Computed from census-recorded observations only — dates are observation dates.

Players also track

Distant Worlds: UniverseStar Control®: OriginsImagine EarthPlanetbasePolaris SectorSuper Seducer 2 - Advanced Seduction TacticsAge of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition

Similarity via IGDB.

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