On your feet, soldier

Canadian developer The Coalition has opened a vacancy for a Senior Gameplay Designer, specifically citing that the successful applicant will be working on a new project in the Gears of War franchise. The vacancy, which went live yesterday, was spotted by the news outlet GameRant.

While there are no clues as to whether the project is a straight sequel, a remaster, or some form of spin-off, The Coalition is looking for applicants with experience in "3CS", (Character, Camera, Controls), which certainly suggests an over-the-shoulder third-person affair. The job listing coincides with recent rumors that the studio had been pushed to can two unannounced games purely to focus on ??the lucrative and hugely popular shooter franchise.

//twitter.com/IdleSloth84_/status??/1621186685873651712?s=20

Giant Bomb writer Jeff Grubb has previously suggested that the next title from The Coalition will be Gears 6, which will be the first sequel since the release of Gears 5, which launched on PC and Xbo??x platforms in the fall of 2019.

"This was all reflected in the layoffs that happened at Microsoft, which did hit The Coalition a little bit," said Grubb on the Game Mess Mornings Show. "The studio is now going to move on fully to Gears 6. I say now, it has likely moved on to Gears 6 in full over?? the course of the last year, but, definitely, that will be their next game."

Still, regardless of whatever title The Coalition has on deck, it is clearly still in its early production stages. As such, fans of the franchise �whether pro-Gears or pro-Horde �will still have quite the wait ahead before they will find themselves revving their Lancers and donning their stompin??g b?oots once again.

The Coalition is Hiring for a Gears of War Game [GameRant]

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Don your best curb-stomping boots

A new report suggests that Xbox subsidiary The Coalition may have canned the production of two unannounced titles in order to begin work on the sixth mainline entry into the dystopian shooter series, Gears of War.

Speaking on the Game Mess Mornings show, Giant Bomb writer and frequent spoiler Jeff Grubb suggests that the studio had been working on multiple projects, including the aforementioned two new titles, additional support for Halo Infinite, while also helping Epic Games with its Unreal 5 tech demo The Matrix Awakens. Grubb suggests that the team may have been pulled from all of the above projects to start working on Gears 6 �a continuati??on of t?he popular and hugely successful Xbox series.

//twitter.com/IdleSloth84_/status/162118?6685873651712???s=20&t=8HHmV4uZcmpzHgcaWvhOBw

"This was all reflected in the layoffs that happened at Microsoft, which did hit The Coalition a little bit. The studio is now going to move on fully to Gears 6. I say now, it has likely moved on to Gears 6 ??in full over the course of the last year, but definitely, that will be their next game."

The most recent mainline entry in the Gears series, Gears 5, launched on PC and Xbox One in 2019, and follows the story of former rebel outlier Kait Diaz, as she attempts to stem the flow of the Horde hivemind and uncover the roots of her own connection to the subterranean species. The sequel was praised for its impactful and visceral action, as well as offering another intriguing and dramatic chapter to the ongoing Gears of War narrative.

While there has been no official word from The Coalition, it is common belief that the studio was expected to continue the Gears franchise at some point on Gen-9 hardware. Even if Grubb's sources are correct, it is unlikely that we'll be seeing Gears 6 rev its chainsaw bayonet anytime in the immedi?ate future.

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More information is coming out about how these layoffs will hit Xbox studios

Microsoft confirmed earlier today that it will be laying off 10,000 employees. Reports have since circula??ted about how those layoffs affect studios within?? Microsoft, including those behind some big Xbox games.

Bloomberg reports that the Microsoft layoffs have affected workers at both 343 Industries and Bethesda, according to their sources. The scale of the cuts is not clear, but Bloomberg's report notes that some of those affected include longtime Xbox veterans, who have been at the company for over a decade. In a follow-up tweet, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier says it sounds like the Halo Infinite team got ?"hit hard," citing an email to staff from 343 head Pierre Hintze.

Kotaku also reports that 343 and Bethesda were affected, as well as Gears developer The Coalition.

In addition to layoffs, it seems like movement is also being made around 343 Industries. Schreier reports that Joseph Staten, who was brought on to help bring Halo Infinite development to ?a close, is leaving 343 to return? to Xbox Publishing.

More details ha??ve been emerging throughout the day about how t??hese cuts have affected Microsoft.

A shift for Xbox

In a public letter addressing the cuts today, CEO Satya Nadella confirms the 10,000 layoffs will take place from now through Q3 of fiscal year 2023. The news arrives one year after Microsoft announced its plan to purchase Activision Blizzard, a deal which is currently caught up with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

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If you already have them, you'll get a reward

You'd be excused for not realizing that Gears 5 has a map builder, and just as some of us are finding out about its existence, the feature is going away. On Twitter today, the Gears of War developers announced plans to remove the map builder �but with a fun twist. The two related Gears 5 map ach??ievemen?ts will be unlocked automatically for all players.

These achievements are related to the Escape mode, specifically:

• I Made It All by Myself (10) â€?Create and publish an Escape Hive.
• Homegrown Give (10) â€?Complete a Featured community build Escape Hive.

According to The Coalition, if you already got the Escape Hive achieve?ments before the map builder's departure, you'll get an "exclusive banner" and 10,?000 coins, respectively.

//twitter.com/G??earsofWar/status/1518999780390748160

While the tweet didn't specify an exact timeline, I just hopped into Gears 5 through Xbox cloud streaming and, after hitti??ng the main menu, both achievements popped for me.

More games should handle achievements this way

I've absolutely engaged with map makers and other supplemental conte??nt in games purely to round out my achievement/trophy lists. And with games often shedding content in their old age, the completionist community has?? made a point to always call out time-limited or otherwise questionable unlock criteria so that players are informed with plenty of advance notice. I get why "retired" achievements and trophies aren't always handed out, but it should be the standard practice; it should be future-proofed, if possible.

So why is Gears 5 ditching the map builder, anyway? Presumably, too few players engaged with community-created ?Hive maps for it to be worth dealing with from either an ongoing technical, cost, or customer support standpoint. These modes tend to be pretty finite. I'm not trying to downplay this for folks who liked the map builder, but the writing is often on the wall. Maybe next time the mode will be more exhaustive and have more visibility.

In today's map builder removal announcement, The Coalition noted that it's focused on "future projects." The next Gears and a new IP? I hope those rumors pan out.

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Shifting Gears

Gears of War studio The Coalition has announced today that it's moving into next??-gen development and using Unreal Engine 5. The studio says it will be developing on Unreal Engine 5 for "multiple new projects" in the coming years, but don't expect an announ??cement of those titles for some time.

Today's announcement notes that shifting to a new engine for development is a big underta??king, so The Coalition ??says it will "not be announcing any new projects or titles for some time."

Gears 5 will still receive Operations 7 and 8, and there will be more store updates and new content through?? the end of the year. As for new games, the studio says it is eager to show what it's working on "when the time is right."

The Coalition has been hard at work over the last year or so, bringing Gears 5 to 120 FPS on the Xbox Series X and launching both Gears Tactics and the Hivebusters mini-ca??mpaign. Whatever they can put together with a new Unreal Engine will certainly be ??something to see. 

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Hivebustin' makes me feel good

Gears 5 has gotten a steady cadence of multiplayer support ever since it launched in fall 2019. Next week, it gets something no Gears game has gotten since 2011: Singleplayer st?ory DLC.

We learned in October that The Coalition is planning a story expansion for Gears 5. It's called Hivebusters and it tells the backstory of Team Scorpio (later renamed Team Xbox One X), who makes up the trio in Gears 5's Escape mode. This DLC chronicles the?ir f??irst mission as a squad.

Today, Xbox released this launch trailer for Hivebusters and confirmed that the add-on comes out on December 15. It carries a $20 price tag, but it's free for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Note the "Ultimate." If you only subscribe to the base level Game Pass, you'll have to buy Hivebusters.

The trailer's worth a watch just to see old m??an Hoffman if nothing else. There's a curious bit at the end where they willingly get gobbled up by some Pouncers. A??s for gameplay specifics, Xbox confirms the expansion will run about three hours and supports three-player co-op (split-screen and online). 

Gears 5: Hivebusters Expansion Arrives December 15 with Xbox Game Pass Ultimat?e [Xbox Wire]

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Welcome back to Gridlock

Gears 5 got a lot mo??re technically-impressive with the launch of Xbox Series X. Versus mode runs at 120fps now, input latency has been reduced upward of 57 percent. The Coalition has managed to squeeze a ??lot more performance out of this old dog.

The Coalition has also managed to squeeze a lot more content into it. Today's Operation 5 update is the largest in Gears 5 history, and it brings 5 new maps into the fold. Two of them, Nexus and Regency, are brand new. Three of them are retreads from Gears and Gears 2 as Gridlock, Clocktower, and River join the rotation. I've sunk a lot of hours into Gridlock over the years.

There are also seven new characters debuting on the multiplayer roster. Dizzy and his iconic cowboy hat, Tai Kaliso, Anya Stroud, Skorge, Lambent Drone, Lambent Grenadier, and Lambent Theron Guard. Anyone who played classic Gears of War during the original trilogy ??will recognize everyone here.

Accompanying the content additions is a handful of quality of life improvements. In Horde and Escape mode, characters have been separated from class so you can mix and match to your delight. Other features are: "A suite of Ranked PvP updates, PvE balance updates for decoupled classes, new heroic cosmetic rarity, all-new daily and weekly PvE ??challenges and rewards, 13 new achievements."

There's one more exciting inclusion. The WWE's New Day will be introduced as playable characters in Versus mode. Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods will be bouncing off walls with their Gnashers blasting away. Following Batista's lead, Gears 5 is now a place where? wrestlers go to become immortalized in non-wrestling games. At least they already have the body types as the meaty, muscular COGs.

Gears 5: Multiplayer Relaunches Today with Operation 5: Hollow Storm, Twice the Con??tent Since Launch [Xbox Wire]

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One more COG in the machine

Gears 5 isn't dead. Well, technically, no one thought it was. Developer The Coalition has been steadily supporting the multiplayer side, as Gears continues to make a push to be an esport game. But, in a surprising move, Gears 5 is getting some post-launch content that no game in the series has gotten since Gears of War 3: Story DLC.

In an interview with IGN, The Coalition confirms that Gears 5 is getting an add-on in December that's called Hivebusters. It features Keegan, Lahni, and Mac, which is the trio of protagonists in the Escape mode. It's not a giant piece of content, as it's estimated to take three or four hours to play through. It's also coming to PC, Xbox Series S/X, and Xbox One, along with optimizations for new consoles. No other details were given, including a story overview or whether this is a free or paid-for add-o?n.

That's far from all that Gears 5 has in store for the Xbox Series X launch. It's getting a big update that adds New Game+, 120fps support in Versus mode on both Series S and X, and (most importantly) the ability to replace Marcus with WWE star Batista in the campaign. Nothing like throwing the emotion and lore of four other Gears games -- and especially a super big plot beat toward the end of this game -- out the window so that your long-beloved character can be swapped out with a Monster Energy c?an.

Here's an unexpected and most welcomed improvement though: The Coalition has managed to significantly reduce input lag on next-gen consoles. Both Xbox Series S and X see a reduction in latency by 36% in the campaign and 57% in Versus. I w??asn't even really aware that was on the table in terms of next-gen perks. More responsive controls are obviously nothing but a good thing.

All of this goes live alongside the Xbox Series X launch on November 10. We're likely to learn more about the story add-on a lit??tle bit after that.

Gears 5 Story DLC Is Coming Later This Year [IGN]

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Strategic crossover

Gears fans should play Gears Tactics. It's not an essential part of the lore and it's not the classic Gears formula, but there's a lot of familiarity in Gears that translates well to turn-based str?ategy. I know I'm going to be lobbying for its inclusion in some Game of the Year discussions.

As if being a totally quality game weren't reason enough, here's another carrot on a stick: Gears Tactics protagonist Gabe Diaz will be a playable character in Gears 5 multiplayer. All you have to do is play Gears Tactics on PC or Xbox to unlock him. Gabe joins the roster on November 17, one week after Gears Tactics emerges on Xbox.

Playing a separate game isn't as arduous in this case because of Xbox Game Pass. Both Gears 5 and Gears Tactics are included with Xbox Game Pass, so there's no need to own both of them in order to unlock Gabe. One subscription will?? have you covered.

Gabe brings another branch of the Diaz family tree to Gears 5. He's Kait's father, and nothi?ng says Daddy Daughter ??Day like curbstomping some Locust. Don't let him die in multiplayer, though. Canonically, the Rustlung has to do him in.

Gabe Diaz Coming to Gears 5 [Gears Tactics]

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Dave drops Drones

?Would you like to pick up a naked monster and slam it into chunks? That's it. That's the lede, the highlight, and the premise of the whole damn article. Grapple a nude beast an??d powerbomb it so forcefully that all its limbs going flying in separate directions.

WWE star Batista is already part of the Gears 5 COGs, but now his trademark finisher has been turned into a multiplayer execution. The Batista Bomb stands tall among Gears of War's other classic executions like the Curb Stomp and the Longshot Sledgehammer. It is equal parts savage and ridicu?lous. Pause the trailer at 14 seconds and that Locust's expression screams "[Record scratch] Yep, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation."

Unlocking the Batista Bomb is easy enough. Just play Gears 5 between now and April 18. Then,?? and only then, you will be fully equipped to pick up a naked monster and slam it into chunks.

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Gears loses an important COG

Longtime Gears leader Rod Fergusson is stepping away from the franchise he helped build. In a move announced on Twitter, Fergusson is headed to southern California to take up the mantle as the head on Diablo. 

Starting in March, I will join Blizzard to oversee the Diablo franchise. Leaving is bittersweet as I love our Gears family, the fans, and everyone at The Coalition and Xbox. Thank you, it has been an honor and a privilege to work with you all. pic.twitter.com/0FuO3RFYSQ

— Rod Fergusson (@GearsViking) February 5, 2020

Fergusson's involvement with Gears of War goes back to the series' origins. He was the executive producer on the first three games, serving as Gears creator Cliff Bleszinski's right-hand man and second in command. After Microsoft acquired the rights to the Gears property from Epic, Fergusson moved to Vancouver to head up The Coalition, Xbox's subsidiary that focused entirely on Gears.

The departure comes soon after the launch of Gears 5 and before the strategy spinoff Gears Tactics releases in April -- although the latter is primarily developed by Splash Damage and not The Coalition. Fergusson won't see out the second Gears trilogy, but he will help usher in a new age of Diablo by steering the ship on the long-awaited Diablo IV.

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Another Xbox Game Pass success story

Gears 5 is a big game in a few different ways. It's big in that it's robust, packed with more content and modes than ever before. It's big in that it's important, the latest entry in one of Xbox's flagship series. And, it's big in that it's popular, expected dividends after the original Gears trilogy helped sh??ape the?? direction of modern triple-A shooters.

Today, Microsoft announced that Gears 5 had the best launch of any of Xbox's first-party games during the Xbox One generation. The first week attracted more than three million players. That's more than double Gears of War 4's debut. You have to go back to Halo 4 in 2012 to find an Xbox Game Studios title that exceeded three million players during its first week. Also, Gears 5's PC player count is nearly triple that of Gears of War 4's.

Gaudy, yes -- but all of this is expected rather than extraordinary. Gears 5 is the crown jewel of Xbox Game Pass in 2019, the absolute most popular and anticipated game that people can play at launch because of a $10 subscription. Gears of War 4 and Halo 4 didn't have that luxury. They relied on $60 one-time purchases, whereas the lion's share of Gears 5's player base presumably comes from Xbox Game Pass. (And, Gears 5? coming to Steam plays some s?ort of role in this success story.) 

Microsoft is likely to continue advertising its accomplishments through raw player counts without ever divulging actual sales or number of Xbox Game Pass downloads. These figures will always look impressive when compared to pre-Xbox Game Pass numbers. Records will continue to be broken -- although, Gears 5 might not be surpassed until Halo Infinite arrives. This is the ecosystem of Xbox?? games now. It all rings sort of hollow, but that's fine. These triumphs speak less to the quality of any individual game, and more to the tremendous value of Xbox Game Pass as this subscription service becomes increasingly essential for Xbox owners.

Gears 5 breaks records as biggest launch for ??any Xbox Game Studios game this generation [Xbox Wire]

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Still plenty of war

It was the best of Gears, it was the worst of Gears. It was an amplification of everything every Gears before did well, and it was a maturation of everything those same games struggled with. It was an identity crisis, a dysmorphic preoccupation with fixing shortcom?ings? that weren't actual shortcomings. It was bittersweet, but more sweet than bitter.

Gears 5 is the best Gears game to date, but just barely. In its second go-round, developer The Coalition shows a real proclivity for wringing every drop of tension out of a firefight and for constantly crafting larger-than-life sequences. However, as the new-guard stewards of Gears, the studio puts its mark on the series with game design that's already dated. It's not nearly enough to sink the whole effort, but it's enough to anchor Gears 5 down.

Gears 5 (PC, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: The Coalition
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Released: September 10, 2019
MSRP: $59.99; included as part of Xbox Game Pass

Not surprisingly, Gears 5 picks up right where Gears of War 4 l?eft off. There are macro- and micro-level stories being told. The large-sca?le conflict revolves around bringing the Hammer of Dawn network back online in order to protect the COG capital city from the Swarm; the more-personal narrative deals with protagonist Kait's lineage and how she comes to terms with it. The former propels most of the gameplay, but the latter is undeniably more interesting.

Although Gears 5 employs the ghosts of its past (again) to make a splash, it's Kait's conflicts that lend the most emotional heft. Her moments of revelation, despair, determination, pain -- it's mostly all effective and nuanced, whereas past Gears titles' handling of similar moments came off as hamfisted. Kait's relationship with Del, who accompanies her for the entirety of the campaign, is natural and empathetic. He's a great sidekick, and their camaraderie adds weight to an already-heavy choice that Gears 5 asks players to make.

Gears 5 navigates its narrative more elegantly than any previous game, and it imparts a very real sense that this is Gears growing up. The action is similarly elevated in a way that feels... bigger? Setpiece sequences pack explosive punches the way everyone has come to expect. Combat, howeve?r, ratchets up the pressure, always stretching shootouts slightly past the point of comfort. It's intense. The Coalition has done a magnificent job designing weaponry, enemy patterns, and arenas that prevent the player from sticking to the same piece of cover until everything's dead. A certain degree of mobility is necess?ary, and that makes it all the more dangerous.

But, the best complement to all the shooting is all the not-shooting. Gears 5 is confident enough to rely on long periods of quiet, asking its characters to take in the environment and the exposition. It's some of the most fascinating moments Gears 5 has to offer -- espec?ially a mid-game robot-guided tour through a carnival of horrors -- because it affords the opportunity to think and absorb. Then, when the bullets start flying again, it? sounds that much louder because it's contrasted against silence.

All of that is stitched together by Gears 5's most flagrant miss. The Coalition has introduced a pseudo-open-world component, as the middle acts are strung along by vehicle traversal that's lifeless and unexciting. Piloting a skiff through huge and barren areas, it's an uninspired way to make Gears feel less linear. It also brings the pacing to a screeching halt between chapters. As it's implemented, this approach to an open world is a relic?? in 2019 -- something that would've seemed novel many years ago but doesn't hold up to present game design standards. It's not all bad, though; at least it facilitates an impressive setpiece: a race against a train through a lightning storm.

Likely the biggest justification for the open-world system is that it's in service of adding side missions. These are ?found in locations that are off the critical path, always signposted by a flag. Side missions are rudimentary and not very well-varied. They're nothing more than quick combat sections, usually only a single wave of enemies. But, their rewards make life significantly easier.

Gears 5's other (and better) major addition concerns Jack, the do-it-all robot that supports Kait for the entirety of the campaign. The world is littered with resources to upgrade Jack's capabilities, and the side missions unlock its ultimate abilities. In the early game, Jack see??ms sup?erfluous -- a decent companion but not a necessity. Later, Jack becomes more essential. Abilities like flash freezing enemies and deploying a giant barrier shield open up new combat opportunities rather than just cowering in cover until it's time to strike.

The Gears 5 campaign is a tale of competing interests. When it's comfortable enough to stick to Gears' roots, it does those things better than any game before it. The story and the action are unmatched (and I don't think this is just recency bias kicking in), proving that The Coalition absolutely knows how to create a Gears game that can transcend anything in the original trilogy. But, when Gears 5 tries to forge its own identity, it's a split decision. The Jack stuff can stay but the open world has? to go.

However, Gears 5 is more than just a campaign. Three dedicated multiplayer modes capture the essence of Gears in different ways. The purest is probably Horde, the beloved cooperative wave-based onslaught that boils Gears down to its base experience. This iteration expands on classes, outfitting each player with a role to play within the team. Tanks draw fire, engineers build things, etc. A neat addition is Jack as a support class, a robot buzzing around and helping out where needed rather than the traditional Gears goal of just putting bullets in everythin??g. It's a Horde mode that emphasizes and requires strategy more than ever before.

Versus is still the competitive draw, pitting players against each other in five-on-five modes that have been a staple of the series. Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Guardian, and more -- it's a?ll back, mostly untouched from previous iterations. The notable addition is Arcade mode, which leans more toward casual rather than super serious. It's a team race to 50 kills, and each kill you personally rack up earns you a skull. These can be used to purchase new weapons: a few skulls for some sort of minor improvement, or a lot of skulls for the heavy artillery. Arcade is fine and it?'s fun in short spurts, but it doesn't have the appeal to lure the competitive players away from their wall-bouncing Gnasher battles.

Last (and least), there's the brand new Escape mode. Escape drops three players in the center of a Locust hive, planting a bomb with the intention of blowing the whole thing up. The idea is to, you know, escape. A steady-moving wall of poisonous gas to their back forces players to keep running through rooms. If feels very antithetical to the Gears formula to dash past enemies without ensuring everything's dead. Its urgency can be exhilarating, though. Escape subverts what Gears&nb??sp;should be, and that's interesting. But, of all the modes, it's the most fleeting. It doesn't have the depth that established modes have. That means most players will just find it a pleasant distraction, not their go-to game.

The Coalition has achieved a lot with Gears 5. The writing and action often rivals the best moments in the series, even surpassing its predecessors at times. The overall package is the most robust Gears has ever seen. But, the big structural alteration feels like an unequivocal misstep. Gears 5?? is a rousing success, but it could've done without the needless change.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Evolution for evolution's sake

Gears 5 takes risks, more than just dropping the "of War" from the title. There are structural changes so that developer The Coalition can sincerely call this the biggest Gears game ever. In service of that goal, it works. Gears 5 feels huge at times.

But, in service of feeling like a Gears game, sometimes those changes are too much. Gears 5 strays from its roots and that's commendable. But there's also a cognitive dissonance when the formula feels different from what we've come to expect from Gears over the past ??13 years. Sometimes bigger isn't better.

Gears 5 (PC, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: The Coalition
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Released: September 10, 2019
MSRP: $59.99; included as part of Xbox Game Pass

It's not always like that though. Halfway through the campaign, and I'm just now being introduced to Gears 5's major overhauls. The build is deceptively slow, con??sidering that there's always something explosive and ridiculous afoot. The end to Act 1 had me rolling my eyes with astonishment, convinced I wouldn't see something more delightfully stupid in video games this year.

For a long time, Gears 5 feels exactly like the Gears everyone expects. Heavy-handed exposition stitched together by loud setpieces. Corridor shootouts that lead to more corridor shootouts. So much shouting. Gears has never been subtle and i??t's not about to start now. 

Sometime in Act 2, it changes. Steering a skiff, we're asked to traverse a snowy pass at our own leisure. There are optional locations that probably hold side quests, collectibles, or resources. There's a map to help navigate. It's big and it's bleakly barren. It's quiet. It's starkly not-Gears.

That's all kind of just a diversion. Once back in pursuit of the critical path, Gears 5 returns to form. The locales are self-contained and rife with detail. The combat sequences are punchy and tense. The story can continue. Gears is best when the setting is small so that the action can be focused. That's when i??t can hit the hardest.

That being said, Gears 5's combat is predictably excellent. This cover-based shooter shows no signs of aging. Waiting in cover, popping up for a few seconds of sustained fire, ducking back down, hitting an active reload, repeat until everything's dead -- that's a loop that never really gets old. (Also, I still m?aintain that active reload is one of gaming's neatest simple mechanics.)

There's another relatively-major addition. Jack, the robot t??hat always accompanies you, can be upgraded. Components are hidd??????????????????????????en throughout the levels that let you enhance Jack's abilities. Apart from Jack's passive traits, he has active abilities that can be swapped out. For instance, you can switch between having shock traps or an area-of-effect scan that highlights all enemies.

It's a superfluous but inoffensive system. Jack's abilities aren't really necessary except for sections where they're shoehorned in. However, Gears 5 features three-player cooperativ??e play, leaving one person? to control Jack. Under these circumstances, Jack's build would be far more useful and important.

Gears 5 focuses on Kait, and unraveling her lineage is a narrative I want to see through to the end. It's a personal story, a cue this game carries over from Gears of War 4. The? original trilogy was, for the most part, a tale of large-scale conflict. The tonal shift with the new games isn't necessarily more interesting, but it's more intimate.

Thus far, Gears 5 is shaping up to be a solid Gears game, even if I'm not keen on the new things it's trying. Gears works best as a linear cover-shooter, not as something with "open-world" sensibilities. Sometimes things don't need to evolve. Sometimes you just want to keep wrecking shit with the cha??insaw gun.

_{[This review in progress is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Demo for the film

I guess all that campaigning to star in the Gears of War movie has paid off. In Gears 5, players will be able to assume the identity of Dave Bautista and kill some grubs. The former WWE superstar announced his inclusion in The Coalition's upcoming sequel on Twitter, today, with?? the message of, "It's about fucking time." Yeah, it definitely is about time.

With Bautista, Halo: Reach, and Terminator: Dark Fate all being included, what's next for Gears 5? Will we see an Evil Dead crossover just to further crush our dreams of Ash being in Mortal Kombat 11? Maybe w??e can get The Rock and recreate some Smackdown moments online?

Dave Bautista [Twitter]

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Tactical insertion

The Gears of War franchise got a lot of love at E3 2018. In addition to confirming the existence of Gears 5 (which no one thought was under debate), we also got the sort of satirical Gears Pop! and Gears Tactics confirmed as spin-offs for the grisly, dudebro series. Both were looking to take the IP in completely different directions to cater to different niches, which is always a good thing. Tactics was announced as a PC exclusive, though, so many didn't expect it to ever hit the Xbox One. Thi?ngs have changed, it seems.

At Twitter this past week, The Coalition studio head Rod Fergusson confirmed that Tactics will indeed be heading to Microsoft's console. Being developed by Splash Damage (known for Brink and Dirty Bomb), it seems the studio's work on both Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and Gears of War 4 got it upgraded from helping with multiplayer to creating a unique entry. It certainly is a g??ood fit for the series, which has always put an emphasis on "stop and? pop" shooting.

We still don't have a release date, but Gears Tactics will indeed be hitting PC and Xbox One when it do?es eventually launch.

Gears Tactics Is Coming to Xbox? One, Too, The Coalition's Rod Fergusson Confirm??s [WCCFTech]

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Unexpected but perfectly welcomed

Gears 5 formally arrives on September 10 on Xbox One and Windows 10. We've known that much since E3. However, a lingering question mark has been when the Steam version would launch. It's reasonable to think Microsoft might give itself a little timed-ex?clusive advantage by appearing on its own platfor?ms first.

That won't be the case. As part of the info dump from gamescom, Microsoft revealed that Gears 5 is coming to Steam day-and-date with the Xbox One and Windows 10 versions. Additionally, Gears 5 is available for pre-order on Steam now. (Actually??, Steam currently lists the release date as Septembe??r 9 instead of September 10.)

It was definitely up in the air, too. Until recently, the Gears 5 Steam page read "Planned release date: Coming soon." But, those fears are assuaged as Microsoft continues to treat?? Steam users with renewed consideration.

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We'll need all the help we can get

Some familiar-but-entirely-unexpected faces are showing up in Gears 5. Those other space mar??ines are gonna join the fight. 

As part of today's Inside Xbox presentation from gamescom, it was revealed that a Halo: Reach character pack is coming to Gears 5. Noble Team's Emile-A239 (the guy with a skull etched into his helmet) and Kat-B320 (t?he squad's second-in-command and spiritual best friends with the Carmine brothers) will both be playable characters in Versus and Horde modes. They'll also have their own unique Ultimate abilities in Horde. Emil has a Drop Shield and Kat has a hologram decoy.

Xbox mentions that the Halo: Reach character pack also com?es with the following: Noble Team Jack skin, Noble Team Banner, Noble Team Blood Spr??ay, Noble Team Mark, and the Noble Team Weapon Set.

This isn't the first-announced crossover content for Gears 5. In late June, The Coalition showed off Sarah Connor and T-800 characters Terminator: Dark Fate. So, if you think being a Terminator will give you the leg up o??n the battlefield, well, you're probably right. Those things are way less squishy than humans.

Microsoft hasn't yet revealed sales plans for the Halo: Reach pack, but it's being packaged with some premium bundles. It's included with the Ultimate Edition of Gears 5 on ?Xbox One, Windows 10, and Steam. It's also thrown in for anyone who's an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber.

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Wave goodbye to traditional horde

Horde mode is going to have a different feel when Gears 5 launches in early September. Character selection is no longer a co?smetic preference; it's a strategy.

During today's Inside Xbox at gamescom, developer The Coalition debuted Gears 5's Horde mode. The biggest evolution is that it functions akin to a hero shooter. Each character has their own Ultimate ability. For instance??, Kait has a ??cloaking maneuver, and JD can call in air strikes.

In a fun twist, players can also select Jack as their playable character in Horde. Jack is the robot "Jack of All Trades" sidekick that has accompanied COG soldiers ever since the first Gears of War game. The Coalition says "Jack doesn't need cover," and mentions?? that it can hack enemies and buff nearby players. It'll be interesting to see if Jack can be just as useful as a standard character.

This format is a significant departure from the way Gears 4's Horde 3.0 worked. That was set up so that each person played a class, but any character could represent any class. There was also a card system for earning new skills and perks as the match progressed; a similar card system is in place for Gears 5's Horde but with some tweaks. But, now you have to select your character wisely. Your team compo??sition might be the key to your survival.

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His laser eyes aren't a new weapon, unfortunately

Not long after players fire up Gears 5 n?ext month -- assuming they go straight into the campaign and not the versus mode or the horde mode or the Escape mode -- they'll earn an achievement that nods knowingly to a we??ll-worn gaming meme. That alone isn't surprising, but the man behind the meme steered one of Xbox's biggest competitors until recently.

Gears 5 went gold ahead of its September 6 launch. Alongside that milestone, developer The Coalition revealed the game's achievements. The campaign's first achievement is called "My Body is Ready" and it's earned by completing boot camp (presumably the tutorial section). The phrase "my body is ready" was turned into Nintendo ex-president of North America Reggie Fils-Aime's catchphrase after he said it live on-stage at E3 2007 during a Wii Fit presentation:

Fils-Aime retired in April, going out as one of the more popular and beloved executives the video? game industry has ever seen. That means Fils-Aime has time to notice and acknowledge the reference, publicly thanking Xbox head Phil Spencer?? along the way:

I hope the team shows off the “My Body is Ready†achievement! Nice tip of the hat my friend @XboxP3 //t.co/X6Q5AuZeoB

— Reggie Fils-Aime (@Reggie) August 9, 2019

It also means Fils-Aime now has all the time in the world to play Gears 5. Go get Seriously 5.0, Reggie. ??Put that ??time to good use.

Here are Gears 5's achievements (minus de?scriptions of story-based ones that might act as spoilers):

Campaign achievements:

• My Body is Ready (5GS) -- Complete Boot Camp
• It Takes Three to Make a Thing Go Right (10) -- Complete an act of Campaign in 3-player co-op
• Jack of One Trade (5) -- Comple??te an Act of the Campaign as playa??ble Jack (any difficulty)
• I Was Born in a Crossfire Hurricane (10) -- Use Jack's Flash ab??ility to stun 3 enemies at once in Campaign
• Back Atcha (10) -- Get a kill with ricochet bulle??ts using Jack's Barrier Abilit??y
• Back on Your Feet, Soldier -- (10) -- Use Jack's Stim upgraded ability to revive a DB??N?O friendly in Campaign
• Shock and Awe (10) -- Use Jack's Shock Trap ability?? to shock 6 enemies at once in Campaign
• Seraninja (10) -- Use Jack's Cloak ability to cloak and execute 3 enemies befor??e de-cloaking in Campaign
• An En??emy Among Us (15) -- Get a kill with a Hijacked Pounder, Warden, Stump, and Elite Hunter in Campaign
• Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie (10) -- Use Jack's Fetch ab??ility to acquire each Heavy Weapon in Campaign
• Jack of? All Trades (25) -- Acquire all of Jack's Ultimate upgrades in Campaign
• JA?CKed Up! (25) -- Fu??lly upgrade Jack's Abilities and Passives in Campaign 
• Relic Hunter (10) -- Equip 3 Relic ??Weapons at one time in? Campaign
• Relics of the Past (20) -- Kill an enemy with every Rel?ic Weapon in Campaign
• Not There to Buy a Timeshare (10) -- Unlock during Act 1 o?f the Campaign
• And... He's All Yours (10?) -- Unlock during Act 1 of the Campaign
• Now I Gotta Get Up Again (10) -- Unlock during Act 1 of the Camp??aign
• A Mouthful of Boom (10)?? -- Unl??ock during Act 1 of the Campaign
• It's Time We Fight Them Together (10) -- Unlock during Ac??t 2 of the Campaign
• Jameson Shipping Depot (10) -- Unlock during Ac??t 2 of the Campaign
• That Old COG Technology (?10) -- Unlock during Ac??t 2 of the Campaign
• Let's Get You Some Answers (10)&nb??sp;-- Unl??ock during Act 2 of the Campaign
• We Need the Old Plan (10) -- Un?lock during Act 2 of the Campaign
• Safe ?and Sound ;(10) -- Unlock du??ring Act 3 of the Campaign
• Cutting It Clo?se (10) -- Unlock during Act? 3 of the Campaign
• Throw a Switch, See What Happens (10) -- Unlock ??during Act 3 of the Campaign
• Let's Keep Piss??in It Off! (10) -- Unlock ??during Act 3 of the Campaign
• Then We Watc??h Each Other's Backs ??(10) -- Unlock during Act 4 of the Campaign
• You Know I Ain't Going Out Like That (10) -- Unlock d??uring Act 4 of the Campaign
• Discovered the True Threat to Sera (20) -- Comp??lete all Acts of the Campaign (Any Difficulty)
• All Aboard the C??razy Train! (25) -- Complete all Acts of the Cam?paign on Insane
• It's Not Hoarding if Your Stuff is Cool (?15) -- Colle?ct all Campaign Collectibles
• Pennies from Heaven (10) -- Scavenge su?pplies from all fallen Condors in Act 2 and 3

Escape and Map Builder achievements:

• Pass the Soap (5) -- Pass through a refuge shower with 3 Hivebusters in the same shower cubicle
• Master of My Domain (25) -- Complete an Escape Hive on each difficulty
• Who You Gonna Call? Hivebusters! (10) -- Complete 5 Escape Hives as each one of Mac, Lahni, and Keegan
• The Three Muskateers (15) -- Inflict 9,000 damage in Escape while 3 Ultimate Abilities are active
• On the Razor's Edge (10) -- Get 100 kills while inside Hivebuster Venom
• Brought a Knife to a Gun Fight (25) -- Complete an Escape Hive without firing a shot on Master Difficulty
• Who's Your Escape Main? (10) -- Reach Character Level 15 with a launch Escape Character
• Master Escape Artist (20) -- Reach Character Level 15 with Mac, Lahni, and Keegan
• I Made It All by Myself (10) -- Create and publish an Escape Hive
• Homegrown Give (10) -- Complete a Featured community build Escape Hive

Horde achievements:

• Can't Stop, Won't Stop (25) -- Beat 50 consecutive waves of Horde (Any Difficulty)
• Who's Your Horde Main (10) -- Reach Character Level 15 with a launch Horde Character
• Compulsive Hoarder (20) -- Reach Character Level 15 with Kait, JD, Del, Marcus, Fahz, and Jack
• And I'll Form the Head (10) -- Kill a Boss in Horde while all 5 players have active Ultimate Abilities
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (20) -- As Jack, convert one of each weapon to Power using the Forge in Horde
• Withdrawal Symptoms (20) -- As a team, collect Power from all 4 Power Taps within one wave of Horde
• Perky's Revenge (10) -- Get a kill with 3 Perks active in Horde

Versus achievements:

• Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship (5) -- Play a match of Arcade
• One Sec, I'll Be Right Back (10) -- Switch characters in an Arcade match and kill an opponent who previously killed you
• Where's My Product Endorsement Deal? (10) -- Win 5 matches of Arcade
• My Place in the Machine (5) -- Complete placement matches for a Ranked Playlist
• Grind Season (25) -- Win a Ranked March in each week of a Ranked Season

Progression and Other achievements:

• Sire, Interrupted (5) -- Kill a Sire while it's kidnapping a teammate (any mode)
• A Good Plan, Violently Executed (15) -- Execute 100 Rejects (any mode)
• You've Got a Friend in Me (5) -- Make a new Ally in Gears Allies
• Did We Just Become Best Friends? (10) -- Reach Level 5 with an ally in Gears Allies
• BFFs (15) -- Complete a Versus match with a team of four Level 5 Gears Allies
• Once More from the Top (20) -- Re-Up!
• One, Two, Three Sorties (5) -- Complete all 3 Objectives for Tour of Duty in a day
• Corporal Punishment (10) -- Reach the Rank of Corporal in a Tour of Duty
• Sergeant at Arms (15) -- Reach the Rank of Sergeant in a Tour of Duty
• LOOTenant (20) -- Reach the Rank of Lieutenant in a Tour of Duty
• I'm the Captain Now (25) -- Reach the Rank of Captain in a Tour of Duty
• Generally Awesome (50) -- Reach the Rank of General in a Tour of Duty
• Seriously 5.0 -- Chapter 1 (100) -- Complete Insane Campaign, Master Horde & Escape Launch Maps & Characters, Get 20 Re-Ups, and reach General in a Tour of Duty

??Gears 5 Has Gone Gold -- Celebrate with Our Full Achieve??ment List [Xbox Wire]

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More skulls than Predator's trophy case

It's nearly time for the first widespread hands-on with Gears 5. It comes this weekend via an alpha technical test for all Xbox Game Pass subscribers ?on both PC and Xbo??x One. Heads are gonna roll.

A few days ago, we learned that this multiplayer stress test will feature the new Arcade Deathmatch mode. Today, developer The Coalition explains how Arcade Deathmatch works. It's a mode that counts kills, as the first team to stack 50 bodies is the winn??er. However, the "Arcade" part of the name comes into play in an interesting way.

As this trailer demonstrates, players accrue skulls by getting kills and assists. T??hese skulls functionally act as a currency. They're used to buy more powerful weapons; naturally, the better the weapon, the more expensive it'll be.

It's a fun angle that could turn the tide of battle at any moment. As the trailer points out, anyone can spend skulls at any time. A strategic purchase in the middle of a firefight could give you the firepower you need to come out alive. Also, skulls aren't tied to any sort of killstreak. They're permanently banked ??until you spend them.

It seems as though no one will be able to accuse Gears 5 of lacking for things to do. Campaign, cooperative play, Horde mode, the new Escape mode, and competitive multiplayer which is even getting new game types -- it's a lot. Who knows if this Gears will be better than ever, but i?t's undoubtedly bigger than ever.

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Bring home the bacon

Get that Lancer revved up, as this weekend sees the coming of the first Versus Tech Test for Microsoft's upcoming shooter Gears 5??. allowing Xbox Game Pass subscribers and pre-order customers the opportunity to get an early glimpse at the sequel's body-splatting ?multiplayer mode.

Running from July 19 to July 21, players will have the opportunity to check out Gears 5's Arcade Deathmatch mode, a first-to-50-kills battle between two teams of five. As opposed to some of the simply aesthetic character choices of early Gears games, Gears 5 makes each character their own distinct type, complete with passive skills and personalised loadouts and upgrades. Despite these changes, the trailer still shows a heavy emphasis on cover-breaki??ng, melee attacks and the all-important headshot.

A second Tech Test is planned for next weekend, and will hopefully add some new modes and features to the gory action. You can find out more about the tech test and Gears 5's new modes over at the official website.

I was a huge fan of the Gears of War games, particularly the multiplayer, but have taken a sabbatical since Gears of War 3 (No Myrrah, no point). But I have to admit that my trigger-finger is itching, and it might be time for me to don the oversized boots and f??alsely-inflated sense of self-importance once again.

Gears 5 launches September 10 for PC and Xbox One.

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Decision was made solely by The Coalition

[Update: A recent Tweet from The Coalition's Rod Fergusson clears up some confusion with the initial story. From what Variety had quoted, it sounded like Fergus??son changed his mind after Truth Initiative brought up concerns. Tha?t is contrary to the truth, though.

"Just to clarify, I've always been anti-smoking and have pushed back on having it in Gears since day 1," Fergusson wrote. "There was no smoking to remove from Gears 4 or 5 because there never was any smoking to begin with. And as long as I'm in control, there never will be." I wasn't under the impression that Fergusson previously agreed with smoking, but at least the record has been set straight. The original story can be found below.]

Gears 5, the latest entry in Microsoft's long-running Gears of War series, will not be featuring any tobacco imagery a report from Variety reveals. Concerns from anti-smoking non-profit Truth Initiative brought to Turner Broadcasting's ELeague esports division resulted in Gears developer The Coalition agreeing that smoking is bad and has no place in its game. In a decision made solely by the developer, this and all future Gears installments will not contain references or iconography related to ??smoking?.

"I've seen firsthand the devastating impact of smoking," said The Coalition studio head Rod Fergusson. "It's always been important for me to not use smoking as a narrative device, which is why we made the conscious choice to avoid highlighting or glorifying smoking in 'Gears 5' and throughout the Gears of War Universe moving forward."

Many of us likely don't even remember characters smoking in previous Gears of War games, but apparently, there have been scenes of occasional tobacco use. After this was brought to the attention of The Coalition, the studio began work on scrubbi??ng out ??the imagery in future titles. Seth Ladetsky, senior VP of Turner Sports Sales, explained that the process has been in the works for months and is the right image for not only the game but Turner's esports league.

"This took a lot of time and a lot of good thinking. It's the right image for EL??eague — and the game itself — to project," Ladetsky stressed. He further elaborated that studies show a correlation between exposure to tobacco products in entertainment and higher incidents of smoking adoption. "As you ??remove these images, it does have an impact," he said.

As for why news of this is breaking now instead of closer to the game's September launch, it has to do with a tournament taking place this weekend. ELeague will be holding the "Gears Summer Series Invitational" today and tomorrow with sponsorship coming from Truth? Initiative. Getting all of this news out there is merely a publicity stunt, even if it's for a good ca?use.

CEO and president of Truth, Robin Koval, agrees too. "In the midst of the pervasive reemergence of glamorized smoking imagery in pop culture, we commend [The Coalition] for taking smoking out of 'Gears 5' and ELeague for featuring this tobacco-free game during this weeke?nd's competition. We are hopeful that this decision will encourage other game developers and streaming tournaments to follow this lead and level up the?? gaming experience by going tobacco-free."

I initially scoffed at this story because of the M-Rating that the Gears series carries. Kids shouldn't be playing this game anyway, so why does it matter if smoking is depicted? As I read more of the story, though, I can see the stance that everyone involved is taking. I've also witnessed the effects that smoking can have on someone and how their lives can be ruined by it. You also have to consider how something like Gears, despite carrying a mature rating, is targeted more at teenagers than adults. Factor in the rise of streaming and how people of any age can watch and this decision starts to become clearer. While it seems ??dumb at face value, I agree with The Coalition's decision here.

'Gears 5' Will Eliminate A?ll Smoking Depictions After Concerns? Raised by Youth Anti-Tobacco Org (EXCLUSIVE) [Variety]

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Hands-on at E3

In some ways, Gears 5's Escape mode is a subversion. This series has been so entrenched in Horde mode ever since Gears of War 2, you and all your teammates hunkered down in the, well, trenches. Stay immobile, pop up at opportune times, keep everyt?hing at a distance.

Escape is the opposite of that, but it scratches? the same itch in a satisfying way. In Escape, teams of three are dropped into the center of a Locust hive. They plant a poison bomb to exterminate the hive, and then they rush away. The name is very literal.

The result is that you're always pushing forward, because a poison cloud is always at your back. Move too slowly ??and you'll inadvertently exterminate yourself. Move too quick and your teamwork might break down. There's a balance to be struck.

Communication is particularly paramount in Escape because some of the typical Gears trappings aren't present. Ammunition isn't readily available. Some directions are dead ends. It's not quite a linear march straight through the enemy forces. There's more strategy involved -- even if Escape doesn't aim to be among the likes of Rainbow Six Siege when it comes to team-oriented shooters.

There's a class component that draws easy comparison to Overwatch, though. Each character serves a different role, which is mostly defined by a slow-building ultimate ability. Keegan drops ammo for the whole group, Lahni has an electric knife for brutal melee attacks, and Mac provides cover behind a giant shield. Knowing when these ultimates are best used is something tha??t surely comes with experience.

For the seasoned groups of veterans, Escape has plenty of opportunities to ratchet up the difficulty. There are seven modifier categories, and they do things like make enemies tougher and h??ave ammo boxes yield even fewer bullets. You can pick the level of challenge, and more modifiers means more experience points. Escape has a progression system for unlocking character customization options and whatnot. (It's currently unkno??wn if Escape has its own progression or if it feeds into the overall multiplayer progression that's shared across modes.)

We finished our playthrough in eight minutes, which feels like a good length for this sort of mode. It felt longer considering the urgent nature of trying to escape. Any more time and the tension might've started to overwhelm and grate a bit. But, after one round, I found myself thinking "Yeah, I'll play more of this when Gears 5 comes out in September." It's perfectly adequate as far as these sorts of th??ings go -- and that's perfectly acceptable. 

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Brothers in Arms

Something disastrous almost happened this morning. Jordan, an important COG in the Destructoid machine, was nearly gutted by a mon??ster! It would've been a real low point fo??r his blogging career, to have been torn apart limb by limb as a Swarm Snatcher drags his viscera across the Xbox Showcase. Who even knows if worker's comp would pay out for that!

Lucky ?for him, I was there to lend a bro a helping hand. These are some guns ??that don't need active reload.

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It'll debut on TBS on June 14 at 11PM ET

eSports!

Today during their Inside Xbox briefing (a concept that Sony just joined in on, on top of the existing Nintendo Direct presentations), Microsoft unveiled a new six-part documentary called ELeague Gears Summer Series: The Bonds and Betrayals of Brotherhood. It's actually part tournament, part drama; a?nd will begin airing on TBS on June 14 at 11PM ET.

The idea is to follow "six of the most well-known players worldwide," chronicle their stories, and have a big finish at the ELeague Arena in Atlanta for the actual tournament. Microsoft promises to showcase players who have an "intense connection" to Gears, with an "unprecedented look" at their passion.

Interestingly enough part of the series will focus on the subjects' transition from Gears 4 into Gears 5, which could easily be the most fascinating bit. Witnessing pros go from game to game, having to pick up new tech and drop old habits along the way is one of the most unsung parts of the esports phenomenon. That sentiment also applies to League of Legends and other MOBA patches that fundamentally shake things up or change/rework characters entirely, wh??ich could shake up the meta so severely that it could be considered an entirely new game.

I guess what I'm saying is, I'm jazzed to watch Bonds and Betrayals of Brotherhood. The more insight we h?ave into the people who participate in esports, the better.

Via Upcomer Esports

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They're so cute and weird

Maybe the most off-kilter announcement from Microsoft at this year's E3 was Gears Pop! -- a mobile game that's Gears of War&nb?sp;by way of Funko Pop. This series that has long been about large muscly men being as masculine as possible suddenly has an entry where they all have silly inflated cartoon heads.

Gears of War developer The ?Coalition has now shown off the first look at gameplay, and we have a much better idea of what this actually aims to be. It's a competitive multiplaye?r game where each side tries to advance on the other with the ultimate goal of taking their fort. The video jumps into gameplay around the three-minute mark.

All the familiar faces are there (Marcus, JD, Kait, and more in this demo) and they all play certain roles. For instance, Marcus is extraordinarily speedy which allows him to get to cover quickly. Kait ignores all immediate threats and beelines to the fort's ??turrets; it's kind of a kamikaze mentality but it chips away at the opponent's defenses while providing ample distraction for your other troops to get some offense in. Matches only last three minutes, so it seems crucial to make use of the little time you have.

The fan service doesn't stop at the char?acters. There are ultimate abilities like unleashing a Hammer of Dawn attack to obliterate whatever poor sucker's sitting underneath it. Also, in a weird concession, COGs fight alongside the Locusts. It's seemingly necessary because both sides need a weak horde rush attack.

There might be a decent little mobile strategy game hiding here, as long as it isn't inundated with pay-to-win systems. Gears Pop! ??soft-launches in a few regions soon. It'?ll get its global launch on both Android and iOS devices sometime in 2019.

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As revealed by StoryLab Productions

As 343 Industries is to Halo, The Coalition is to Gears of War. That is to say: These are the developers who are trusted to be the primary gatekeepers to Xbox's most important properties. Those franchises are so ingrained in the studio's reason for existence that each is actually named for something from their respective in-game universe -- 343 Industries for 343 Guilty Spark and The Coalition for The Coalition of Ordered Governments.

That's why it strikes as somewhat noteworthy that The Coalition is apparently involving itself in some sort of new property, which we've learned from an entirely different company. An entry on StoryLab Productions' Projects page lists "New IP with The Coalition Studios" as one of the games it's working on. There are no other details, just that it's something new and that it's with the Gears of War team.

A quick look at StoryLab's completed projects paints the picture that it's also a Gears of War team. Apart from creating a couple of films, StoryLab's games-related work is restricted to acting as support on Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and Gears of War 4.

These are the kind of things that get announced on their own timelines, so we're not expecting to learn much more until an official reveal. But, it is important to remember that The Coalition is a subsidiary of Mi??crosoft, so this is almost certainly going to be considered Xbox fir??st-party and published by Microsoft Studios.

Also, there's no real guessing as to how big or small this new property might be. The Gears of War studio is almost definitely staying mainly focused on Gears of War stuff. The Coalition's involvement could be super tangential with just a few folks dedicating their attention toward it. However, hearing that The Coalition is involved with a new property immediately brings back memories of the developer's time as Black Tusk when it was working on a new game. That was shelved and Black Tusk was renamed something more Gears-y. Maybe, fingers crossed here, this is a revival.

Projects [StoryLab Productions via reddit]

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Horde Frenzy is 'only' 25 waves

Tomorrow, The Coalition is coming out with a shorter, more "intense" version of Horde mode in Gears of War 4. Dubbed Horde Frenzy, the new variant is 25 waves long (half the normal length) with bosses appearing every 5 waves. It's still a time commitment -- the developers are clocking Frenzy runs at 60 to 90 minutes -- but it?'s much more approachable than the standard version, to be sure.

Horde Frenzy will be playable on A?valanche, Dawn, and Forge Blitz to start, with Normal Ironman and ??Insane difficulty options available. First-week players will also earn 50 percent bonus XP.

This is a good step, but I fee??l like they can (and probably should) go even shorter. To that end, The Coalition says it'll be "listening to your thoughts and feedback on this mode as we look to the future."

Gears of War 4 - Horde Frenzy [Gears of War]

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New skills, maps, difficulties, and achievements

Heading into E3 2017, The Coalition is prepping its "biggest ever update" for Gears of War 4.

For current players, it's a Horde-centric call to action on June 6, with 15 new skills (3 for every class), the ability to pus?h skills up to Level 6, new loot drops from boss?es, increasingly absurd difficulties called Inconceivable and Ironman (also accessible for the campaign), and 20 new achievements.

For would-be players, a 10-hour trial for Xbox One and Windows 10 is coming with access to Act 1 of the story and all of Horde and Versus. That'l??l be downloadable?? from Friday, June 9 to Thursday, June 15 (though you don't have to put your time in during that window). What's more, "Everything you earn in the Trial is yours forever – including achievements, Cards, and Campaign progression."

Aside from cosmetics and Windows/Xbox cross-play in Ranked, the game is also adding two maps: the appropriately named Avalanche from Gears 3, and the close-quarters Rust Lung from Gears 3.

Amusingly, I bought Gears of War 4 in large part for Horde mode but, plot twist, I've yet to try it. Like, not even once! I intende??d to go through the campaign first to get my bearings, except instead of doing that, I put in no more than half an hour and proceeded to somehow never boot up the game again.

How's your year i??n video games going? Clearly, mine has been ridiculous.

Rise of the Horde [Gears of War]

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