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Gears 5 Pre-Load Is Up + What's Up With Gears 4 & 5

Mista

Banned
Gears5_Web-5d66ca1bb98ef-1024x576.jpg


We’re releasing What’s Up a day early this week because we’ve got a WHOLE BUNCH of exciting news to share coming out today. Here’s What’s Up in Gears of War this week:

  • Gears 5 Pre-Download has begun!
  • Gears 5 Early Access now begins September 5th at 9pm in your regional local time
  • Launch Maps and Hives Revealed
  • Watch Gears 5 played LIVE today
  • Characters Explained
  • Ranked Weapon Skin Rewards revealed

LAUNCH MAPS AND HIVES




We are excited to reveal our full lineup of Launch Maps and Escape Hives for Gears 5! Get a first look in the trailer above.

In Gears 5, we’ve set out to build the most varied lineup of arena-style maps for Versus and Horde to date, with an increased focus on dynamic map elements that spice up the battlefield and break-the-mold maps like our two-lane map Exhibit.

For Escape, 4 Hives are available at launch, with new Hives dropping practically EVERY WEEK with new rewards to claim from their depths. At launch, there will be 11 maps (7 arena-style, 4 Hive-style) available with 50+ Tiles available from day one to use in Map Builder.

It doesn’t end on launch day though. Alongside free new Multiplayer Maps and Tiles released in every Operation (more on those soon), we’ll be updating Map Builder to support Versus and Horde so YOU can make your own maps.

Combined, we can’t wait to see a future where our marquee brand new map releases are married with the creative passion of the Gears community! If you’d like to know more about our Launch Map lineup, check out our in-depth blog here.


CHARACTERS EXPLAINED

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In Gears 5, we’re taking your favorite characters to the next level with unique playstyles across a variety of modes that make them more than just a cosmetic choice.

As we get ready for launch, we’ve put together all you need to know about Characters in Gears 5 (including details on them being forever-earnable and more!). Read it here.


DIVISION REWARDS

We know many of you are eagerly anticipating what Rewards you can chase in Divisions.

During a Ranked Season, you’ll be rewarded with a variety of rewards every week for your Division Placement, including opportunities to add some killer-looking weapon skins to showcase your skills.

MASTERS DIVISION

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The most elite in the world in each playlist get the opportunity to take home the ultimate bragging rights – our animated flaming Masters Skin. Emblazoned with the Masters Emblem, this skin is going to be one of the most exclusive and elite in the game. Can you earn it?

BRONZE TO DIAMOND

Placing in any Tier is an achievement in and of itself, so in Gears 5, we wanted to take the quality of our placement weapon skin rewards up a notch from Bronze to Diamond – from the purple sheen of our Onyx skins to the oxidized green of the Bronze skins.

01_Dropshot_Bronze_Ranked_Rare-5d66bdd899472.jpg

02_Boomshot_Silver_Ranked_Rare-5d66bddf42a69.jpg

03_LongShot_Gold_Ranked_Epic-5d66c7b17bf12.png

04_Markza_Onyx_Ranked_Epic-5d66bde6adee3.jpg

05_Torque_Diamond_Ranked_Epic-5d66bdee75fed.jpg


We’ll go into more detail on Divisions and how Rewards work soon.

BONUS CONTENT

We’ve had a lot of requests to get a better look at the content that comes with the various editions of Gears 5 and the incredible merchandise / hardware releasing this September. Look no further!

HALO: REACH CHARACTER PACK – GEARS 5: ULTIMATE EDITION

Halifax_UE_HaloReach_MerchImage_1920x1080_NoText-5d660f31853b0-1024x576.png

HaloJack_GIF-5d66be8897539.gif

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06_Emile_BloodSpray_Epic-5d66be04aa74c.jpg

08_Halo_Markr_Epic-5d66be08c012a.jpg

07_Halo_Banner_Epic-5d66be0e95a1d.jpg


The Halo: Reach Character Pack, including the Noble Team customization items, are included with the Gears 5: Ultimate Edition and the only way to access this content at launch.

This set is planned to be purchasable in the Gears 5 Store at a later date.

ICE KAIT AND JACK CHARACTER SKINS

G5_KaitJack_IceBlock-5d66c5325af90-579x1024.jpg


The Ice Kait character is a permanent exclusive for Gears 5 Xbox One X owners or Kait Winter Armor Xbox Controller owners.

The Ice Jack character is a permanent exclusive for Gears 5 Xbox One X owners only.

ICE LOADOUT WEAPON SKINS – SEAGATE HARD DRIVE BONUS

G5_Iceblock_Lancer_Right-5d66c4de8cc29-1024x570.png


The Ice Weapon Skin loadout set is available at launch through purchases of the 5TB Seagate Game Drive Gears 5 Special Edition, with the Ice Lancer also available in the 2TB version.

This set is planned to be purchasable in the Gears 5 Store at a later date.

CARBON FIBER JACK CHARACTER SKIN – GEARS 5 COLLECTOR’S EDITION (US ONLY)

CarbonFibreJack-5d66c16ca20dc.png


Carbon Fiber Jack is a permanent exclusive for Gears 5 Collector’s Edition owners.

THE FUTURE OF GEARS 4

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With the dawning of new game comes the twilight of the one before it.

This moment is bitter-sweet for us at the studio. Gears 4 was our first true entry into the Gears saga and a huge learning experience for all of us. We’re incredibly proud of what Gears 4 achieved, and how our time together with the community over the past three years has shaped what Gears 5 has become. Thank you truly, deeply, for all your support since October 2016. It’s meant the world to us.

In terms of the future of Gears 4, here’s what to expect:

RANKED PLAY

The current Ranked Season will continue through to January 2020. In January 2020, with the vast majority of the game’s population moving to Gears 5, we will be removing all aspects of Ranked play from Gears 4.

In its place will be a new series of playlists across Core and Competitive. These playlists will have relaxed latency and skill rating rules for matchmaking to make finding matches easier in a significantly reduced population. With Ranking removed, all quit penalties will be disabled.

EVENTS

Events will no longer occur in Gears of War 4, as our focus is on Gears 5 to our maximum capabilities.

MIDNIGHT OMEN / FLAMING WEAPON SKINS

In order to ensure the ‘Better Than Bacon’ and ‘I Like Em Crispy’ achievements remain unlockable without event support, the Midnight Omen and Flaming Weapon Skins will become craftable with our Playlist Update in January 2020.

XP BOOST

As with past sunsetted Gears of War titles, we will be exploring the possibility of introducing a permanent XP boost across the game. At this point we are unable to promise this change, but it’s on our radar.

That’s all from us! When we’re back in our regularly scheduled Thursday What’s Up next week, Early Access will be starting to roll out around the world. SO CLOSE.

See you next week – in What’s Up and in Gears 5. GEARS 5!
 

Lupin3

Targeting terrorists with a D-Pad
Maybe then it applies on both regular and ultimate pass

It probably does. I've never heard anything about XGP Ultimate needed for Gears 5 Ultimate, but can't say for sure, of course. I only know that it works for me, with Sep. 5th as the early access date! :)
 

Allforce

Member
So you gotta download the entire 50gb right now eh? I'm so in need of a bigger hdd I hate cleaning out the fridge for this shit all the time...
 

Mista

Banned
Is it? I only have XGP for PC, and have access to Gears 5 Ultimate.
Seems like you won’t be getting the early access. Both regular game pass and ultimate gets to get the ultimate edition but the early access applies only to ultimate game pass subs or the people that buys the ultimate edition
 

crumbs

Member
Haven't been following this at all, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that this is available early for XGP Ultimate.

Is 54GB for the whole game or just the campaign? Gears 4 was over 90GB (at least on the PC) when it launched, so that would be a significant reduction.
 

pqueue

Member
is this one going to be on Steam as well since the Halo games will be in the future), or just Windows 10 store?
 

Lupin3

Targeting terrorists with a D-Pad
Probably not intentional or you've signed up for ultimate without realizing it.

Did you do the dollar upgrade thing?

I did earlier, but it all ran out. Didn't have XGP at all for a couple of days. Now I can sign up for ultimate again, so I don't have it.
 

Lupin3

Targeting terrorists with a D-Pad
Seems like you won’t be getting the early access. Both regular game pass and ultimate gets to get the ultimate edition but the early access applies only to ultimate game pass subs or the people that buys the ultimate edition

It says I can start playing September 5th. Is there an earlier access?
 

Mista

Banned
It says I can start playing September 5th. Is there an earlier access?
No this is it. Weird, Xbox support told me that all game pass subs can download Gears 5 Ultimate edition but only game pass ultimate subs will get the early access
 

Lupin3

Targeting terrorists with a D-Pad
No this is it. Weird, Xbox support told me that all game pass subs can download Gears 5 Ultimate edition but only game pass ultimate subs will get the early access

Well, what do they know? :messenger_grinning_smiling:
 
No this is it. Weird, Xbox support told me that all game pass subs can download Gears 5 Ultimate edition but only game pass ultimate subs will get the early access
I think they meant Xbox gamepass ultimate can play. People with just gamepass can play Tuesday
 

Mista

Banned
I think they meant Xbox gamepass ultimate can play. People with just gamepass can play Tuesday
Yeah we talking about the early access here. Seems the regular game pass subs won't have the benefit of early access
We'll wait and see. Clusterfuck! Ultimate edition, super combo chicken edition.....Its ridiculous
 

Lupin3

Targeting terrorists with a D-Pad
I hope you get in the early access though. Also hit me up with your GT if its fine with you
I'll add you to my list and GAF Xbox Club

Yeah! I'll just upgrade to Ultimate for a buck if the September 5th is wrong for me, no problemos!

GT incoming.
 

Lupin3

Targeting terrorists with a D-Pad
They have (just) now changed XGP to Ultimate in the Win 10 app for Gears 5 Ultimate. Although I have already installed it, since it earlier today told me only XGP was needed. Gonna be interesting to see what happens come September 5th. If I press "play" it tells me to wait since it's too early. Perhaps it'll work anyway.
 

urmie

Member
From my understanding, folks with Game Pass Ultimate get Gear 5 Ultimate? Is that correct?

I checked my install and all I see if Gears 5 standard. None of the Ultimate content is installed as of yet. (Terminator pack, etc)

When I check the page for Ultimate, it doesn't say Install but Buy, unlike the standard edition which showed Install Now.

Same on my Xbox One X.
 
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Kagey K

Banned
This time in 1 week many of us will already be 3 or 4 hours into the campaign. I personally can’t wait to see where they go next, and am going into blinder mode now.

Why spoil anything when it’s this close?
 

nikolino840

Member
I have read the preview in an italian blog,seems Amazing,a mix between the Classic gears and new stuff,Is a bit open world but like metro Exodus not like Skyrim
And a companion like recore with skills to upgrade
 

Starhowl

Member
Trying to finish Gears 4 on Insanity at the moment. Halfway through, not sure if I'm gonna make it in time for September, the 9th.
 
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