Envy Releases Halo Team, Plans HCS Return

The esports group hailing from North America, Envy, has communicated their exit from the Halo competitive landscape.

This withdrawal from the first-person shooter game concludes a half-year period of maintaining a lineup in the Halo Championship Series (HCS).

The announcement, made on November 15th, comes after the HCS’s choice to move on from Halo Infinite when the 2025 season concludes. Over the preceding six months, Envy solidified their standing as one of the leading North American teams within Halo esports, attaining multiple top-three placements in online and in-person tournaments.

The group completed their recent venture in the title with a third-place achievement at the Halo World Championship 2025.

Envy is familiar within the Halo esports world. Since 2015, the team has maintained a presence in the game, and in 2017, they secured the runner-up position against longtime rivals OpTic Gaming at the season-ending World Championship. Envy’s latest triumph occurred in September, as they emerged victorious in the HCS 2025 Charlotte Major NA qualifier.

“I had hoped that Halo esports would present improved opportunities in 2026, given the consistent progress this team displayed throughout the year,” expressed Mike ‘Hastr0‘ Rufail, Founder and CEO of Envy, on social media. “We intend to return when the HCS makes its comeback.”

As the HCS transitions away from Halo Infinite, Halo esports is undergoing a transformation period as it prepares for the era beyond the HCS. In October, Halo Studios collaborated with ESL FACEIT Group to stage an open tournament as part of DreamHack Birmingham in March 2026.

Despite the absence of an official esports structure, Halo Studios is committed to ensuring that players and organizations have a platform to compete within Europe and North America. Furthermore, the HCS has formed partnerships with four organizations with the intention of delivering increased Halo action to the community.