In a potentially surprising move, depending on who you ask, user @GeneralKidd on X, formerly Twitter, has spotted that Microsoft has pulled one of its Halo games from the Microsoft Store, with no remaining way to access the title.
The game in question is Halo: Recruit, a short virtual reality experience that launched in 2017 for Windows Mixed Reality. At the time, it was designed to showcase Microsoft’s push into virtual and augmented reality rather than act as a full Halo release.
However, in what now feels like a familiar Satya… I mean, Microsoft pattern; Windows Mixed Reality itself was discontinued in 2023. With the platform gone, Halo: Recruit appears to have quietly vanished alongside it a coupleof years later.
What exactly was Halo: Recruit?
Whilst only a short, standalone release designed to showcase the capabilities of Windows Mixed Reality, Halo: Recruit was not received particularly poorly. It functioned far more as a technical demo than a complete game, offering a brief glimpse of the Halo universe in VR rather than a substantial experience.
Its removal from the Microsoft Store appears to have gone largely unnoticed, and it is currently unclear how long the title has been delisted. Microsoft has not provided any explanation, leaving its disappearance easy to miss unless you were actively searching for it.
It seems like Halo Recruit has been delisted from the Microsoft Store. Can anyone else who doesn't already own it confirm if they're still able to claim this game? #Halo https://t.co/fweC62dfaN pic.twitter.com/b1K2NXmpqRDecember 19, 2025
Interestingly, GeneralKidd also highlighted another obscure Halo project, though this was one never officially released. This was a Pokémon Go-style concept tied to Halo 4, with ties to 7-Eleven, Doritos, and Mountain Dew?
The project, titled Halo 4 King of the Hill, reportedly revolved around scanning Mountain Dew and Doritos codes to level up your character, with 7-Eleven stores acting as real-world locations similar to gyms. The idea never progressed beyond the concept stage, but it remains one of the more unusual Halo experiments that surfaced during that era.
Here's a few examples of what it looked like and how it worked. It was basically the gym battle concept later used in Pokemon Go except the gyms are 7-11 stores. pic.twitter.com/PWOYl9Gif0December 19, 2025
A frustrating trend for some games
Despite being a relatively unknown entry in the Halo franchise, it is still a shame to see it delisted without any word from Microsoft. It feels unnecessary, especially when leaving these titles listed would seemingly cause no harm.
It is a small frustration I have with situations like this. We have seen similar cases with Halo: Spartan Strike and Halo: Spartan Assault no longer being accessible on specific platforms, and it leaves a sour taste.
As a lifelong Halo fan, seeing parts of the franchise quietly disappear like this is always disappointing.
Do you think Microsoft should be more transparent about removals like this, or is it just part of the digital era we live in? Share your thoughts below — how do you feel about losing access to games you thought were safe in your library?
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