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'Gears 5' multiplayer test starts July 19th

Not everyone can join in, however.

The Coalition and Microsoft have offered a peek at Gears 5's cooperative Escape mode, but how does its competitive gameplay fare? You might find out very shortly if you're committed to the franchise. The companies are launching a Multiplayer Technical Test for the cover-based shooter that will run for two weekends, July 19th through July 21st and July 26th through July 29th. It'll be available to download for Windows 10 PC and Xbox One owners starting July 17th.

The test includes Arcade, Escalation and King of the Hill game modes, a Bootcamp for practice and a short Tour of Duty

There is a catch. You'll need to have already paid for Gears 5 in some form, whether through a pre-order or an Xbox Game Pass subscription. This is a test in the truest sense -- the developers are doing this to verify their servers, and the early access is a bonus. It might be welcome if you're aching for some new Gears gameplay in your life, though, and it could be useful if you're a Game Pass subscriber who just wants to know if the finished title will be worth your time.