Gears of War 2019, is Going to be a Big Year

The Gears of War franchise is going to have a big year in 2019 with three possible games across multiple platforms, along with other areas of growth. To start, this exclusive franchise has had some solid growth over the years. It started in the Xbox 360 era and really grew alongside that platform. When Microsoft fully purchased the IP a few years back they immediately begun fast track development and we're starting to see that really kick off this year. At the current point they have a premium showcase of what the Xbox platform can do in the form of Gears of War 4.

An older title, yes but one that is Xbox One X Enhanced at a native 4k resolution across the board. It is also a Xbox Play Anywhere title being a strong showcase of what buying it once digitally for either Xbox One or Windows 10 PC and owning it at both places can do for value. On top of that, it's in the Xbox Game Pass which is their subscription service similar to Netflix and it is also one of their long term games as services titles.

I believe the last point might actually add the most value as the game has received non-stop updates since it launched in late 2016. While these updates are going to slow down towards Gears 5, it's incredible to see the title still having fresh content right up towards the next release in 2019. There are new skins, things to unlock and events to take part. Few games received that type of support over their lifespan.

Another element as to why it's going to be a big year is that there's a possible three Gears of War games releasing over the year. The tent pole is of course Gears 5 which is a deeper look at Kait as the next chapter unfolds. Few details are available, but it definitely seems to be an evolution on the fourth entry and it will certainly up the stakes. Another interesting thing to consider is that after The Coalition proved themselves with four, they're going to mix things up further and do something a tad more creative.

Another release in the year is a mobile effort titled Gears POP! While this won't cater to the more hardcore of the audience, personally I'm looking forward to it. I think this one will land with a new audience that might further help expand the brand as the series is more than just a game. It has comics, books and other merchandise. There's also a movie on the horizon, but few details have been given other than Universal is working on that. They're headed the Halo route for expansion and that's smart for the brand.

Another extra release that might come out is Gears Tactics which is a different type of take on the franchise being turn based and for Windows 10 PC. I believe with keyboard support on Xbox One consoles, we might see this head there as well. We may very well also see Xbox One X enhancements for more of the Gears Backwards Compatible games as two and three are looking wonderful with the 4k upgrade. Whatever does happen, 2019 is going to be a big year for the franchise and one of expansion as they look to build this series further. You can read our review for Gears of War 4 below or check out the hub for further coverage on the franchise.