The reveal of Gears of War E-Day during the Xbox Games Showcase had fans shouting a united “FINALLY” as if they were a choir. Gears 5 came out in 2019, and the fandom has been aching for some new content for the past 5 years.
Not only is it a great day to be a Gears fan, but the reveal also marks a strong shift within the company. The company has been going through a rough patch for a while now, but it seems they are finally ready to turn the tides in their favor and reclaim some of the spotlight from it competitor.
Will Gears of War E-Day Mark a Shift in the Xbox Journey?
The first game in the series was released in 2006, and it has become a defining franchise for the console. Marcus Fenix is to Xbox what Kratos is to PlayStation. While people laud the original trilogy the most, the fourth and fifth titles are still fun entries. That’s why people were hoping for a new title in the franchise, and Microsoft obliged.
E-Day is a prequel to the entire franchise, set fourteen years before the events of the first game. Players will now see a younger Marcus and Dom as they face the Emergence Day of the Locust horde. The Coalition is working hard to make sure the Locusts are seen as more than just enemies; they want them to be considered nightmares.
E-Day is bringing not just a new story but also new technology to the franchise. By leveraging Unreal Engine 5, the trailer is a glimpse at what The Coalition has built from the ground up. The studio promises the new game will be an unrivaled visual experience, with over 100 times more environment and character details than Gears 5.
Kate Rayner, Studio Technical Director at The Coalition, says the team has infused “the DNA of Gears with the full capabilities of modern gaming technology,” including “over 100 times more environment and character details.” It seems Xbox has had enough of being considered second to PlayStation. The company has been scrutinized for a while, especially with the recent move to close several internal studios. But will this be enough to garner goodwill?
The Coalition Will Take Forward the Gears Series
While the fanbase is not unanimous in their support for the fourth and fifth games, The Coalition has stated it will not abandon the games. This is great news for Xbox and PC gamers, but PlayStation fans will not be happy as the new Gears of War E-Day will not appear on the platform anytime soon.
Now, this isn’t to say we will never see the game on Sony consoles. Phil Spencer has previously stated the company is relooking at its exclusives policy and is already working to bring some exclusive titles to other platforms.
The reasoning was to use the established user base of different platforms to grow in-house franchises. Sony has taken a similar approach by bringing its games over to PC, but there has yet to be a PlayStation game ported over to the Microsoft platform.
Do you think the new game will help improve Microsoft’s public image? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
