Gears of War 5 was announced at E3 2018 and is set to tie up the loose ends of Gears of War 4. The Coalition has confirmed that the Locusts will play a large part in the game when it arrives in 2019.
The Gears of War series is one of Microsoft’s trump cards when it comes to the Xbox. It’s got its own iconic look, remaining one the most visually dark and grim series that can be seen in gaming, with weapon and character design that is instantly recognisable.
This one is set to be a sequel to Gears of War 4, picking up where it left off 25 years after the original trilogy, with The Swarm being the primary threat. Interestingly, developers The Coalition and publishers Xbox Game Studios have decided to name the new instalment Gears 5, dropping the ‘of War’ portion of the name completely.
Our main character is Kait Diaz, who is an Outsider of Locust descent. She’s joined by the more familiar characters JD Fenix, the son of longtime series protagonist Marcus Fenix, as well as Delmont Walker.
Here’s everything to know about Gears of War 5, or Gears 5, as Microsoft is referring to it. Also read our Gears 5 preview from E3.
When will Gears of War 5 be released?
We’ve always known that Gears of War 5 would be released in 2019, but we didn’t have a specific release date until E3 2019. During Microsoft’s E3 2019 keynote extravaganza, the company revealed that Gears 5 is set for release on 10 September 2019, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers able to access the game up to four days before release.
And, just like every other game in the series, Gears 5 is set to come to PC and Xbox One as a console exclusive.
Latest Gears of War 5 Trailers
Here’s the announcement trailer from E3 2018, giving us an introduction to the story.
The E3 2019 trailer focuses on the Escape gameplay mode, where four players are tasked with infiltrating a hive, planting a bomb and getting out in one piece. We’ll let you enjoy the finer details, outlined in the below trailer:
At Gamescom 2019, just weeks before the release of the game, we were treated to a new Story Trailer.
We also got a Horde Mode trailer, which revealed that Halo characters Emile-A239 and Kat-B320 will join Gears 5 for this mode if you purchase the Gears 5 Ultimate Edition, or download the game through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Gears of War 5 Setting and Gameplay
From the trailers, we can see a much more narrative approach to the new Gears of War game. Gears of War 5 seems to focus on Diaz and her rather ambiguous story, with some fairly heavy foreshadowing regarding her extended family and mental state. The little part of the story that we’re given in the trailer seems great, so we’re very much looking forward to it.
In terms of gameplay, we’re looking at the Gears of War that we know and love – big guns, lots of shooting and violence. Gears has always done a lot to help you really dislike the enemy you’re fighting which adds a solid level of satisfaction when blasting your way through levels.
And, as revealed at E3 2019, Gears 5 will sport a number of multiplayer modes, including the standard Arcade mode and a new mode called Escape. As briefly mentioned above, Escape forces four players to team up, infiltrate a hive, plant a bomb and get out unscathed – and while it sounds easy, we imagine it’s anything but.
As you would expect, the game looks stunning too. The character visuals, in particular, are very impressive, and this is helped by the voice acting which is top notch in the trailer we saw.
We’re looking forward to a return to form for Gears of War with this installment.