Not much has been said about the future of Epic Games’ successful, Xbox exclusive mega series, Gears of War, and for now, that is just fine. But with the overwhelming financial gain and massive critical acclaim the series has generated over the years cannot be ignored forever. The games still remain a staple of Microsoft exclusive titles that seem to be running few and far between, so it would take a fool to expect, no matter how the last game left off, that Microsoft or Epic Games would let such a money making machine dwindle off into the distance. Will there be a Gears of War 4? Is the future of this franchise nonexistent or is there still some creative gas left in the tank? Let’s go over some of the possibilities the future of the Gears of War series may hold, and tackle some of the features and story that we may come to expect.
First we will begin with when this game might be announced or released. With Epic Games recently unveiling screen shots from its latest engine, Unreal Engine 4, it would be safe to assume that any future iterations of the Gears series would appear on that engine. Epic has no doubt been working tirelessly on this technology, and creating a game with a proven track record utilizing this technology could be a good selling point. It seems as if every game created in the most recent generation of console and PC gaming has used Unreal Engine 3, and Epic would certainly want to continue that trend with its latest creation. Seeing a Gears of War game on an updated and more polished version of a popular engine just may help Epic continue to dominate the market. This of course would most definitely require the next Gears game to be played on the upcoming generation of consoles. With Microsoft and Sony having yet to officially announce their new hardware, the transition from this generation to the next seems increasingly imminent. The game will more than likely release on one of these consoles, completely created using Unreal Engine 4. And with Microsoft seeming to be a bit short handed in the exclusives department over the past couple of years, you can bet that they will try to keep the license exclusive. But don’t count Sony out. Epic has stressed their interest in creating a popular game for multiple platforms in the past, and if Sony has anything to say about it, they will try their best to steal away another Microsoft selling point.
When we last left Marcus and the rest of the Gears, he had just removed his bandanna, took a seat on the sand and breathed a sigh of relief. The ending of Gears of War 3 left everyone feeling as if the series had reached its conclusion, much like the Halo series did with its third installment. Not so fast. You witnessed just how quickly Microsoft resurrected the Halo franchise when exclusives began dropping and you can expect they will do the same with Gears of War. With the game running on Unreal Engine 4, primed for a new generation of consoles, this game could be a great tool to use in putting more next generation Microsoft consoles into homes worldwide. Only a fool would believe that this is the end of Gears of War, as most companies will generally squeeze the life out of any popular franchise in order to make a buck. And that is exactly what Gears of War is, a money making machine. So what story can we expect from the next Gears game?
As mentioned before, the game had a pretty solid closing, leaving everyone feeling finished and satisfied unlike other popular titles (ahem…Mass Effect 3). So what might Marcus and the Gears encounter on their next go around? With the Locust having been all but eradicated, and the Lambent threat no longer existent, the likelihood of the gang facing another, much tougher opponent, seems like the best bet. The story for Gears of War was nothing amazing, but the characters were intriguing and the main plot has lots of appeal. It was something that we had already seen, yet never seen before. Alien invasions are nothing new to gaming, but for them to come from within the very soil upon which you stand was a fresh take on a tried and true idea. You can expect the story to take a turn towards the bizarre, with fresh new enemies, and perhaps a touch of the old ones.
As for the multiplayer, Gears of War has nearly always hit the nail on the head, using nearly to describe the lackluster experience from the second installment. Gears of War 3, however, was packed full of different modes, maps and unlocks. The game was really complete in terms of DLC, map varieties and a plethora of different modes such as Horde, Beast, Co-op and your basic Deathmatch battles. Expect the next Gears to build on that even more. With the success of the additional modes like Beast and Horde, you can very well anticipate that Epic will cater to fans of these gameplay styles. More waves in Beast mode, for starters, would be a good indication of their intent to build upon a successful product. You can also guarantee that old favorites such as Gridlock and Mansion will make an appearance for those who want a little nostalgia and wouldn’t mind seeing older maps re-imagined on a brand new platform and engine.
So, there it is. The next Gears will more than likely play host to a new console, as well as a new Unreal Engine. The story will likely seem a bit out of left field, with the Epic team having to create a whole new enemy in an already existing universe, but it shouldn’t be an issue. The multiplayer will most certainly be bolstered a bit, with a larger focus on the Horde and Beast modes. Regardless of whether or not you think Gears might be done, the fact still remains that it is one of Microsoft’s very few exclusive hits. combine that fact with Sony having more and more first party exclusives, and you can ensure that Gears has yet to see its final day. Now, tell us what you think. Did we get it all wrong? Is Gears of War finished? Did we insinuate anything that you think to be completely false, or was their anything we missed? Let us know what you expect from the next Gears of War title. What are your hopes for the franchise? What do you want to see from the series. Let us know in the comments below.
