Microsoft Studios, The Coalition
It’s pretty insane to think that Walmart potentially leaked everything that may be shown off at E3 2018.
A slew of video game pre-orders recently went up on the retail giant’s Canadian web page. Among those pre-order’s was basic box art for Gears of War 5. Fan debates erupted over the validity of this alleged leak – there are folks who think the announcement of a new Gears of War is coming soon, while others think that event is farther off than we think.
It’s no secret that Microsoft has been struggling to give its Xbox platform the type of 1st-party IP’s that keeps its fanbase happy. With the Xbox One brand struggling to keep up with the competition, it’s time for Microsoft to show the gaming public that they’ve been cooking up sure-fire hits. Which is why I think they’re prepping another entry in the Gears of War franchise.
Here’s what to expect from Gears of War 5, when you should expect it, and why.
Note: This article is speculative only. We are not claiming to have any official Gears of War 5 news, we are making educated estimations and speculating about the next Gears of War game.
Why We Should Expect a Gears of War 5 Reveal
Microsoft Studios, The Coalition
Back in January 2018, Phil Spencer revealed that the Xbox Games Pass service will release Xbox One exclusive games on the same day as its global release. In an Xbox Wire blog post, Phil made sure to mention that the Xbox’s subscription service will include “future unannounced games from Microsoft Studios including new iterations of our biggest Xbox One exclusive franchises such as Halo, Forza and Gears of War, on the same day they launch.”
Judging by that comment, it’s fair to say that Microsoft’s 1st-party development studios are hard at work on new entries for each IP. The Coalition, the main development studio working on Gears of War, are most likely putting together the next mainline entry in the series.
Microsoft Studios, The Coalition
With E3 2018 coming down the pipeline, it would make sense for Microsoft to bring out all the big guns and re-inspire confidence in those who’ve stuck with the Xbox brand. Gears of War 4 ended on an obvious cliffhanger that made it clear that there’s a lot more story to be told. The game’s post-credits scene even showed series veteran Oscar Diaz making his presence felt as he fought his way out of the stomach of a Snatcher. There’s plenty of unfinished business to attend to regarding the J.D. Fenix, Delmont “Del” Walker, Kait Diaz vs. The Swarm struggle.
When You Should Expect It
Microsoft Studios, The Coalition
Gears of War 4 launched back in 2016. UK development studio Splash Damage has focused on making sure the game’s multiplayer suite stays fresh and fun post-launch. Back in February 2018, the studio posted up various job listings for positions such as artists, storyboarders, programmers, and engineers. These job listings were mainly put up to seek out new talent that can work on the Gears of War franchise. It’s evident that Splash Damage has been working on developing the most important aspects of the next Gears of War alongside The Coalition.
Microsoft Studios, The Coalition
During an interview with Digital Spy, studio head of The Coalition Rod Ferguson made a statement regarding the future of the franchise. His quote came months before the release of Gears of War 4 and alluded to the fact that Microsoft is sure to keep the IP alive as long it keeps succeeding financially. Gears of War 4 garnered favorable reviews and sold well (it ended up being the third best selling game in the United States back in October 2016). Here’s Ferguson’s quote from the aforementioned Digital Spy interview:
One of the things that’s nice about Microsoft’s investment is that we know, unless this does horribly, we’re probably going to do another one. That’s made it easier to design moving forward. In the past, when we were doing Gears 1, Gears 2 and Gears 3, there was a lot of doubt, we didn’t know whether there would be another one, so we just had to get everything in right now. Here, we’re able to look at it, recognize a great idea that doesn’t quite fit right now, but it’ll fit in the next one. It’s made it a lot easier.
Microsoft Studios, The Coalition
Gears of War 5 makes sense as a big mid- to late-2019 release instead of a late 2018 one. If it were truly slated to release in 2018, it seems like we would have all heard or seen something official about it by now. Gears of War 4’s open-ended finale and Microsoft’s huge investment in the franchise makes it pretty clear that another entry should be on the horizon.
What We Should Expect From Gears of War 5
Microsoft Studios, The Coalition
Gears of War 4’s plotline revolved around a new threat to the human race – The Swarm. Once the game wrapped up, it became clear that they’re still a huge menace that needs to be eradicated by the COG and the Outsiders. These two factions may still have issues with each other, which could lead to even more interesting story threads in the next entry.
Gears of War 5 should look to continue right from the conclusion of the last game and stick with the last entry’s thematic mix of horror elements and intense gunplay. An improved rendition of Horde Mode, additional weaponry, new characters, and fresh competitive multiplayer/co-op elements should be expected as well.
Microsoft Studios, The Coalition
One of the big questions that needs to be answered in Gears of War 5 is who Kait’s grandmother rally is. Reyna, Kait’s mother, handed her a necklace that came from her own mother. What makes that family heirloom so intriguing is the fact that it looks similar to the symbol that adorned Queen Myrrah of the Locust Horde. Does this mean that Reyna and Kait have some sort of familial connection to the main villain from the original trilogy?
If so, that would make for a very intriguing plotline for Gears of War 5. It would also be cool to learn even more about the relationship between J.D. Fenix, Marcus Fenix, and Anya Stroud, plus the inner workings of The Swarm.
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