With Gears 5 officially released on Xbox Game Plass, players can dive into the various competitive multiplayer modes. Like other online shooters, Gears 5 boasts a loot box system called “Supply Drops.” However, developer The Coalition has made it so you cannot purchase these Supply Drops with money. While there is a workaround, ultimately you will need to rely on your own skill to unlock Supply Drops.
The best and only way to earn Supply Drops is by gaining experience through playing Horde, Escape, or Versus mode. You cannot earn Supply Drops through playing the campaign, so if you want some of those flashy cosmetics you’ll need to play online. Progress is tied to how long you are playing, so every minute will end up counting towards your next Supply Drop. This can make obtaining them a fairly tedious affair, especially if you aren’t great at Gears 5.
Additionally, you can purchase XP Boosters in the store with Iron, Gears 5’s premium in-game currency. These will boost the amount of experience you earn, but your own individual skill will still matter.
You can purchase XP Boosters increments of:
- 1 Day – 250 Iron
- 7 Days – 600 Iron
- 30 Days – 1,200 Iron
Keep in mind you cannot purchase the exact amount of Iron needed and will need to spend a bit extra to get each Booster. Gears 5 also has a number of promotions running with Chips Ahoy and Rockstar Energy Drinks. If you purchase the special Gears 5 versions you’ll obtain a free Supply Drop. Any doubles you earn in Supply Drops will be converted into Scrap which can be used to buy certain cosmetics.
Finally, The Coalition will certainly be hosting double XP events in the future, which mark fantastic times to grind for Supply Drops. Since there’s no real easy or fast route, just take your time and enjoy the game. If you really want an item, there’s a chance it could appear on the storefront where you can directly purchase it with Iron.