Halo Fest Details Speedrunning Showcase, HCS Invitational and Anniversary Concert

Halo Fest has released new details about its 25th anniversary celebration in Seattle this December, including a speedrunning showcase with Games Done Quick and a $150,000 Halo Championship Series Invitational.

The event will take place at the Arch Building in the Seattle Convention Center on December 12 and 13, with a 25th anniversary concert kicking off festivities at Benaroya Hall on December 11.

The concert will begin at 7:00 PM PT and run until 9:30 PM PT, featuring a setlist spanning 25 years of Halo music.

"We’ve been developing an entire setlist that takes players through 25 years of this incredible music," the Halo team said.

VIP ticketholders will receive a page of sheet music from the concert score as a collectible keepsake and have access to an exclusive lounge.

Attendees of both the concert and convention can pick up their convention credentials a day early at the concert to skip lines on Saturday.

Cosplay and Maker's Contest registration is now open, and the submission window for the Short Film contest closes on November 2.

The GDQ team will host what is described as the "Super Bowl" of Halo speedrunning, with a dedicated stage inside Halo Fest for fans to watch.

Travel support is being provided for speedrunners to ensure community talent can attend.

A full schedule of speedruns will be released later.

Four special guests, announced in May, will be present for panels, interviews and meet-and-greets.

Fans can get signatures on exclusive Halo Fest posters and cards or bring their own items.

Several authors from Halo novels will also participate in panels and be available to meet.

The HCS Invitational tournament will feature the top eight teams competing for a $150,000 prize pool.

All eight invited teams have accepted their invitations, and a blog revealing the invitees will be released early next week.

Roster lock is set for October 26.

Every match in group play and the bracket stage will be broadcast from an HCS Stage and a smaller featured stage on HCS YouTube and Twitch channels.

An additional $50,000 in prizing is available for attendees across generations of Halo titles in open tournaments.

Artistry will be a significant focus, with two dozen commissioned artists and a small group of prior professional Halo artists creating new work for the event.

The commissioned art will be revealed next week and appear throughout the venue on signs, banners and postcards.

An artist alley will debut at Halo Fest, featuring four community artists creating and selling new art.

An art gallery will also be featured for fans to enjoy more franchise art.

A Halo Fest mobile app will launch in late November for Android and iOS to help attendees handle the event.

The app will include a full floor plan, a customizable event schedule, and a registration system for meet-and-greet timeslots with special guests.

It will also feature a challenge system where completing tasks around the event can win prizes.

A full app preview will be available just before launch.

The event will have a Main Stage and a Community Stage, with broadcast schedules and programming details to be released later.

Redington Cybersport reported in October 2026 that Halo Fest would reveal its full schedule, HCS invitees and mobile app details.