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How did Microsoft fare at Gamescom this year?
Microsoft has a ton of Xbox exclusives in the pipeline. Gears of War 4, ReCore, Dead Rising 4, Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon 3 -- the list goes on. Here at Gamescom, we've been speaking to the developers behind each title, listening to their pitches and, in some instances, going hands-on. So what impressed us and what didn't? I took 10 minutes with Engadget Senior Editor Aaron Souppouris to break it all down. (Hint: I really liked Scalebound...)
'Gears of War 4' writers are striving for a deeper story
Gears of War has never been known for its deep, imaginative storytelling. Each game is a popcorn-friendly thrill ride, pitting muscular soldiers against an army of bloodthirsty monsters. It's a simple concept: Grab an assault rifle, dive behind some cover and empty your clip until it's safe to move forward. Rinse and repeat. Gears of War 4, the first entry by a new developer called the Coalition, is trying to break that tradition. It's still a brutal shoot-'em-up, but the characters and plot are more complex this time around. More nuanced. So much so, in fact, that for people who have cooled on the franchise, it might be enough to reel them back in.
'Gears of War 4' will require a monster machine to play in 4K
You might have been delighted to hear that Gears of War 4 will take full advantage of your PC, but you might not be quite so thrilled when you realize what it takes to run the game in its full 4K glory. On top of a 4K gameplay demo (below), Microsoft has outlined the Windows version's system requirements... and they're not exactly modest. While you can get by on mid-range 2014 hardware as a baseline, the "ideal" experience (effectively, 4K) demands both a high-end AMD FX or Intel Core i7 processor as well as one of the highest-end graphics cards in recent memory, such as a GeForce GTX 1080 or a Radeon R9 Fury X. You'd better have splurged on your system in recent months, in other words.
Microsoft announces 'Gears of War 4' eSports Pro Circuit
When it comes to Xbox-exclusive multiplayer games, Gears of War is second only to Halo -- and Microsoft is leaning on that popularity for its next big tournament: the Gears eSports Pro Circuit. This ten-month, international gaming circuit kicks off with the launch of Gears of War 4, and will dole out a million dollars in prize money at eight live regional matches. The best part? The tournament is open to professional and amateur players alike -- all you need to qualify is a copy of the game and your own natural talent.
'Gears of War 4' will have plenty of PC-specific features
The history of Microsoft-backed Xbox One games coming to the PC isn't exactly stellar. When Remedy's Quantum Break reached Windows, it was saddled with limitations that were partly dictated by the Universal Windows Platform's own limits, such as frame rate issues and an overall lack of features. You shouldn't run into those problems when Gears of War 4 rolls around, though. As part of a Eurogamer interview, The Coalition has revealed that the cover-based shooter will have ample PC-specific features. You'll get much deeper video settings that include dynamic resolutions, so your ultra-wide display won't go to waste. It'll also take advantage of many-core PC processors, higher-resolution textures and UWP's recently unlocked frame rates, offering a distinct visual advantage to playing on a brawny computer.
Behold the 'Gears of War 4' custom Xbox One S
The Xbox One S isn't even out yet but that hasn't stopped Microsoft from taking the smaller console to the custom shop for the first time. If the base model's white exterior doesn't match your decor, maybe a Gears of War 4 blood red one will. It's ugly as sin (now we know what the "S" actually denotes), packs 2TB of internal storage and has laser-etched "claw marks" left by Gears of War 4's new enemies, the Swarm. Of course, HDR video is here as well, and GoW4 is the first game to take advantage of it.
'Gears of War 4' multiplayer brings the series back to its roots
Excluding Halo, Gears of War is Microsoft's biggest multiplayer shooter: For many players, multiplayer is far more important than the main story-based campaign. That's what made Gears of War: Judgement a disappointment for many long-time players. The multiplayer experience was changed enough that avid GoW fans were left a bit cold. As such, developer The Coalition looked at Gears of War 4's multiplayer as an opportunity to make the best GoW experience it could while sticking to the formula that previously had made it so popular.
The first 'Gears of War 4' trailer is sad (and sounds like it)
We saw Gears of War 4 gameplay footage back at E3 2015, but (in time to hype the game before this year's game show), here's a short trailer that's a bit of a downer. Setting the scene for the son of the main protagonist from all the previous games, 25 years have passed since the last fight, and yet there's still things to gun down with giant machine guns. (And they deserve it for knocking down that tree.) As is the GoW series' wont, we get a cover song to underscore the destructions: Simon and Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence, which will probably sound familiar to most of you.
'Gears of War 4' multiplayer beta starts April 18th
If you've been wondering whether or not Gears of War 4 can live up to the reputation set by (most) of its ancestors, you won't have to wait long to get a good sense of where it's going. Microsoft and The Coalition have revealed that the Gears 4 multiplayer beta for Xbox One starts on April 18th, when existing Gears of War: Ultimate Edition players will get their first shot. An open beta for any Xbox Live Gold member will start a week later, on April 25th, and the whole shebang will wind down on May 1st. Two weeks (at best) isn't a long time to try the game, and there's no single player in the beta, but this test run should let you know whether Gears 4's late-year launch will fill you with hope or dread.
'Gears of War 4' stars 'Dragon Ball Z,' 'Spartacus' actors
Gears of War 4 is set 25 years after the events of Gears of War 3, and its story stars JD Fenix, the son of long-time series protagonist Marcus Fenix, Game Informer reports. He's joined by Kait Diaz, a survivalist who grew up outside of JD's walled-off world, and Delmont "Del" Walker, one of JD's best friends from boarding school and the army. After a mysterious military incident, Del and JD find themselves in the wild -- in Kait's territory, in fact -- and that's where the game kicks off. But, it's not going to go very far without a handful of talented voice actors.
Play 'Gears of War: Ultimate Edition' in 4K on your PC today
You have to hand it to Microsoft for trying surprise announcement/availability on for size for its latest release a la Adele, Drake or Kanye West. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition hits PC today. If you'll remember, the PC port was announced back at E3 last year. But following its console-based counterpart's release last August, Redmond's been mostly radio silent on the topic.
Engadget giveaway: Win an Xbox One Gears of War Ultimate Edition courtesy of GameStop!
GameStop was nice enough to drop off an Xbox One Gears of War Ultimate Edition console to our offices and we're looking to pass it along to a lucky Engadget reader this week. This bundle includes a free download of the game, plus early access to the upcoming Gears of War 4 beta. There's also a second wireless controller thrown into the deal, so you can face your opponent head on rather than losing to an anonymous tween with far more time on their hands than you. Just head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this gaming package courtesy of GameStop. Winner: Congratulations to Cory B. of Uniontown, OH!
Playdate: Taking stock of 'Gears of War: Ultimate Edition'
Gears of War practically defined the Xbox 360. And as is the recent trend, it's getting a fancy schmancy remaster that runs at 1080p and 60 frames per second. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is the first project from the new Gears studio, The Coalition, and it worked as a sort of training exercise for the team to learn what the series means before shipping Gears of War 4. So what's that mean for you and me? Well, that today starting at 6 pm ET / 3 pm PT we're going to broadcast two hours of Ultimate Edition on Twitch. Perhaps best of all, we've got a special surprise for you: Microsoft has given us a custom white Xbox One adorned with Gears of War graphics. Want in? All you have to do is enter below during the broadcast. Giveaway winner: congratulations to Jesse L. of Toronto ONT.
Buying 'Gears of War: Ultimate Edition' gets you past games, too
It's all well and good that Gears of War: Ultimate Edition lets you relive the original game in the series, but what about the other three titles? Don't worry -- you'll get those too. Microsoft and The Coalition have revealed that anyone who buys Ultimate Edition between its August 25th launch and the end of the year will also get access to all of the Xbox 360 Gears games through backward compatibility. They won't look nearly as polished as the remaster, of course, but you also won't have to dig out your old copies (or buy any games you don't have) just to follow humanity's fight against the Locust from start to finish. While it'd be nicer if this offer lasted so long as Ultimate Edition was available, this is still a big deal in an era when some studios are only interested in letting you replay one game from a much larger franchise.
Epic Games is the latest hacking victim
Not even a chainsaw bayonette (or the stealthy gent up above) could stop Epic Games from falling prey to hackers. The Unreal Engine-maker sent emails to members of its forums announcing that unauthorized access to usernames, email addresses, passwords and birthdates may have been accessed by an intruder. From the sounds of it, the only channels affected were related to Bulletstorm, Gears of War, Infinity Blade, UDK, and older Unreal Tournament titles.
'Gears of War: Ultimate Edition' and 'Killer Instinct' will come to PC
Microsoft hasn't offered a whole lot of affection to PC gamers in recent years, but it's making some reparations for that today: the company's Phil Spencer has revealed at the PC Gaming Show that both Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and the 2013 version of Killer Instinct will come to Windows 10. He didn't have much to say about when these ports will show up, or whether or not they'll have any new tricks up their sleeves. However, Iron Galaxy Studios' Dave Lang has confirmed Spencer's hint that KI will have Fable Legends-style cross-platform play that lets you brawl with your Xbox One-toting friends.
'Gears of War 4' starts a new saga in late 2016
What, you didn't think The Coalition would stop its Gears of War revival with a remastered version of the original game, did you? Sure enough, the developer has announced Gears of War 4 (or as it was shown on screen, Gears 4) for the Xbox One. There isn't much to say about it yet, but it's definitely not a straight-up continuation of Marcus Fenix's story -- he's nowhere to be found in the preview clip shown at E3, and the enemies aren't the usual Locust you've come to know and hate. You'll know the full story when this fourth Gears game ships in late 2016. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
'Gears of War: Ultimate Edition' lands August 25th, beta starts today
Yes, the leaks were accurate. Microsoft and The Coalition have taken the wraps off Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, a remastered version of the original Gears of War for the Xbox One. The cover-based shooter is getting the obligatory visual upgrade, including 60-frames-per-second graphics -- important when you're ambushing an unsuspecting multiplayer rival. Ultimate Edition launches on August 25th, but a free public beta is starting today. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
'Fortnite' would be a fun game, if it weren't so complex
When Fortnite started teaching me how to build a fort, its gentle tutor voice told my pickaxe-wielding warrior to never forget this simple rule: Remember to make a door. When you build forts in Fortnite -- in addition to about a billion other activities -- you want to make durable fortifications protecting a glowing portal from ravenous zombies that want to destroy it. That fort is no good if you can't get out of it or re-enter it to make improvements on the fly. Still, Fortnite creator Epic Games doesn't appear to follow the game's own advice. While a brilliantly simple, edifying puzzle of collaboration and creativity lies within, it's buried beneath myriad layers of confounding busy work and mechanical complexity. Right now, Fortnite doesn't have a door.
Microsoft ban for 'Gears of Wars' leakers only knocks them offline
Remember that Xbox One Gears of War remaster leak from a few weeks back? Well, the folks who gave word about it and then proceeded to upload video of the game in action have apparently had their Xbox Live accounts "permanently disabled" and supposedly "all of their Xbox One privileges" have been blocked according to an email from the game's testing agency that was obtained by Kotaku. As Microsoft tells us, that isn't quite the case; it's more of a soft ban that means the affected accounts can't go online: "To be clear, if a console is suspended from Xbox Live for a violation of the Terms of Use, it can still be used offline. Microsoft enforcement action does not result in a console becoming unusable. Suspensions for both consoles and accounts are determined by looking at a number of factors. To avoid enforcement action including suspension from the service, users should follow the Xbox Live Terms of Use and Code of Conduct."
