Is the Gears of War Trilogy Collection a Blessing or a Curse for Fans?

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The Gears of War series has been closely associated with the Xbox brand since it was first introduced by Epic Games and Microsoft in 2006. Debuting as a critical and commercial hit, selling more than 3 million copies solely on Xbox 360, the original Gears of War game helped establish the cover shooter genre and influenced numerous other well-known games like Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Warhammer 40K: Space Marine. Over time, it has earned a spot among Xbox’s most iconic franchises alongside Halo and Forza, with regular updates on both Xbox and PC platforms for nearly two decades now.

It’s looking like “Gears of War” may no longer be exclusive to Xbox platforms, as a trusted source, eXtas1s, hinted in a recent YouTube video that the series could make its debut on PlayStation soon. eXtas1s suggested that Microsoft is working on a remastered collection of the first three “Gears of War” games, which would launch simultaneously on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC at release if it indeed exists. This potential compilation has been circulating rumors for a while now, and if it’s true, it could have both positive and negative impacts on the “Gears of War” franchise.

The Rumored Gears of War Collection Has Some Major Pros and Cons

Gears of War 2 and 3 Could Finally Be Freed From their Xbox 360 Prison

While the first Gears of War game has been re-issued on both Xbox and PC, the subsequent installments, Gears of War 2 and Gears of War 3, were initially released only for Xbox 360 and have yet to be ported to other platforms. However, these games can now run smoothly at 60 FPS on modern Xbox consoles such as Series X/S due to their backwards compatibility feature.

It’s been surprising that Gears of War 2 and 3 haven’t appeared on PC platforms, especially since Microsoft has been distributing its games through Steam, Epic Games Store, and other storefronts for close to a decade now. They’ve even ported many other Xbox exclusives like Halo: The Master Chief Collection to the PC. If there’s truth to the rumors about a Gears collection, it would mean that Microsoft is addressing one of its long-standing oversights by making these critically acclaimed third-person shooters accessible to an even larger audience across not just PC but also PlayStation platforms.

The Gears Collection Could Make Gamers More Interested in a Gears Sequel Instead of a Prequel

A potential concern about the supposed Gears of War collection is that it might create unrealistic expectations for the series’ future. Players who discover the Gears of War series through this compilation may anticipate following the rest of the franchise’s story in Gears 4 and 5, only to find out that the next installment won’t be a sequel, but rather a prequel. This could leave fans who are eager for the next chapter in the Gears of War saga disappointed.

During the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft and developer The Coalition unveiled that they were working on a new “Gears of War: E-Day”, which is a prequel to the initial series by 14 years. This revelation sparked enthusiasm among Gears fans, but some were disheartened as it wasn’t “Gears 6”. Initially, The Coalition mentioned they had no plans to deviate from the storyline set in “Gears 4” and “5”. However, considering the length of game development nowadays, a direct sequel to these games might not be released for quite some time. Consequently, those who expect to play “Gears 6” soon by purchasing the rumored Gears of War trilogy collection may find themselves let down.

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2025-02-04 23:34