Xbox has not been faring well in the market recently, and the last time it proved to be a worthy competitor to PlayStation was in the seventh generation of consoles. Then, IPs like Gears of War were exclusive to Microsoft’s console lineup.
As the latest entry in The Coalition’s third-person series has been announced at the 2024 Xbox Game Showcase, fans cannot help but notice a pattern. This speculation is particularly profound because it also concerns the upcoming console lineup for Phil Spencer’s company.
Optimistic Xbox Fans Connect the Dots and Speculate About Microsoft’s Upcoming Console Lineup
The 2024 Xbox Game Showcase was spectacular and featured fantastic titles that fans loved. While the showcase omitted some franchises like Halo, it was a matter of outrage for some loyal fans of the franchise; it was one of the best showcases in 2024.
Xbox Games Showcase Recap: The Best & Most Surprising, to the Worst and Most Obvious Reveals, Ranked
The showcase also had Gears of War E-Day, a prequel to the first game. What’s essential in this information is that the upcoming Coalition title doesn’t have a known release date yet. But 2026 is also the franchise’s 20th anniversary, and there might not be a better contender for a next-gen launch title than E-Day. Parris Lilly, who is a notable industry insider, also shared this on his Twitter account:
2026 is the 20th anniversary for Gears of War, makes A LOT of sense to launch new hardware with E-Day 😉 pic.twitter.com/SIQBQ0IO1u
— Parris (@vicious696) June 11, 2024
Another user speculated that the IP’s 20th anniversary could be the perfect time for launching the next-gen console lineup from Microsoft:
2026 – New Xbox launching with Halo, Gears and Forza. alongside Perfect Dark and maybe something else..
Does this not sound like the 360 launch to y'all?
— Helltato (@MattOmni) June 11, 2024
While it might be optimistic to look forward to something like this happening, given how Lilly has been responsible for quite a few legitimate leaks relating to the console company. The media personality and also having hosted the Xbox Showcase.
Parris Lilly Was Right About a New Gears of War Game Being Announced This Summer
As stated, in the past, the media personality Parris Lilly has been responsible for genuine and trustworthy leaks and rumors. Gears of War: E-Day’s announcement in the 2024 Xbox Showcase was predicted by Lilly on the Kinda Funny Podcast.
So, while all of this contributes to Lilly’s credibility as an industry insider and for things over at Microsoft, one thing to remember is that Phil Spencer’s gaming company is far from what it was in 2006.
When Microsoft entered the video game market, it was the new kid on the block, but now it is a corporate behemoth, and expecting decisions similar to the ones it has made in the past might not be valid. Regardless, it is inevitable that Phil Spencer and the company have been immobilized by PlayStation in the current generation, meaning that the upcoming generation is its best bet.
What do you think about this speculation regarding Microsoft’s upcoming console lineup? Do you think the company’s eagerness to defeat the PlayStation could tempt it to take such a step? We would love to know your thoughts in the comments below.
