It seems Gears of War 4 might be heading to PC as well as Xbox One, if a listing on a UK Retailer’s website can be trusted. Microsoft’s next installment in the Gears of War franchise is in development by studio The Coalition, but little aside from the gameplay shown at E3 2015 has been seen or heard regarding the game’s release.
Gear of War 4has been listed on retailer GAME’s websitefor release on Xbox One and PC. While it’s confirmed by IGNthat the game wouldn’t be coming to last gen hardware, the PC listing is somewhat of a surprise, since nothing has been officially stated regarding a Gears of War 4pending release on the platform. While the Gears of War 4listing could just be an error, it is worth some speculation. It wouldn’t be the first time Microsoft released the franchise on PC, and the company has hinted at wanting to support the platform more in the future.
Gears of War 4 was shown off at Microsoft’s E3 2015 press conference this past June, and while little is known about the game, we do know it will release sometime next year. The gameplay showed a gritty, dark sequel to Gears of War 3 . In the gameplay (see the video below), Gears of War 4 seems to follow a Gears soldier named JD, as well as an unnamed woman in the video. As the two work their way through the dark, beaten and abandoned town, a heavy storm is sweeping through, destroying structures and hiding their path from view. The gameplay video shows the two Gears soldiers fighting off enemies, including one scorpion-esque enemy with devastating projectile attacks.
More will undoubtedly be revealed next year, likely at E3 2016, but it’s interesting to speculate about how Gears of War 4 would perform on PC. Players on the platform are particularly discerning when it comes to resolution options, multiple graphics settings for the best customization to fit their hardware, and of course a port that takes full advantage of the PC’s superior hardware. While the rumor is unconfirmed by Microsoft, it’ll be intriguing to look at how the game could be on PC if Gears of War 4 is indeed heading that way.
This wouldn’t be the first Gears game to hit PC. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition was also announced by Microsoft at the PC Gaming Show at E3 2015 in June, though nothing has really been heard from the publisher since that day. Rod Fergusson made a point to mention that Gears of War on PC would support mouse and keyboard, as well as gamepad controls, unlimited frame rate, and resolutions up to 4K, so plenty of visual goodies will be available for PC players. Yet, since that announcement, The Coalition has largely gone quiet on the status of the PC version. The silence has unsettled fans who are already wary of Microsoft’s desire to embrace PC gamers as of late.
Gears of War previously released on the PC back when Microsoft enabled it’s critically-panned “Games for Windows Live” service. Released in 2007, Gears of War on PC included many maps and content that was available on the Xbox 360, though that content has now been released with the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition on Xbox One. At the time, many fans were upset Gears of War lost it’s Xbox 360 “exclusivity,” though Gears developer Epic Games stated that the game was developed under the Games for Windows moniker, allowing the developer to release the game on the platform. A Mac version was announced, though it was never actually finished.
How do you think Gears of War 4 would do on PC? Think it will actually make it to the platform? Sound off in the comments below.
[Images via Microsoft]
