'Gears 5': Release Date, Preorder Info, E3 2019 Updates, and More Details

Avid Gears of War fans have been waiting for this for a long time. The Coalition Studio, Xbox, and Microsoft delivered big during E3 2019 when they presented Gears 5, including a new trailer focused on the “Escape” feature debuting with the game and revealing a Terminator tie-in that includes one of the franchise’s most beloved actors lending their voice to the game.

Shortened from Gears of War down to the simpler Gears 5*, the next installment of the franchise will follow protagonist Kait Diaz. The centers on Kait’s story, which follows her as she searches for the meaning behind the strange dreams she’s been having that may be connected to the necklace she inherited after her mother’s death.

Here’s everything we know about Gears 5, including how and where to pre-order, what new features are included in the game, the plot, the new trailer, and so much more.

When Is the Gears 5 Release Date?

Gears 5 will be released on September 10, 2019. However, if you go for with the Gears 5 Ultimate Edition or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, you’ll be able to access it four days early on September 6, 2019.

Is There a Gears 5 Beta?

Yes? Microsoft is offering a “Tech Test” that allows fans to test out the game’s Versus mode and a few other multiplayer features. The Gears 5 beta starts on July 17, to qualify you’ll need to pre-order the game or have a Game Pass subscription.

What Is the Pre-Order Date For Gears 5?

You are currently able to pre-order Gears 5 on the Xbox website. Both the Standard version ($59.99) and the Ultimate Edition ($79.99) are available. Both versions of Gears 5 come with 7-day bonus Boosts, the Terminator: Dark Fate character pack, and the Vector Lancer weapon skin. However, if you do go to the Ultimate Edition, you’ll also get an 30-day bonus Boost and the Ultimate Edition Character pack.

Is There a Trailer For Gears 5?

A brand-new trailer for Gears 5, which premiered at E3 2019, included footage from one of the new modes in the game called “Escape.” As shown in the trailer (above), you and your team will have to make your way out of a secure underground vault after emerging from suits designed to keep you in hypersleep. The footage is thrilling, to put it mildly, and the preview of the new weapons within this mode is promising.

The original reveal trailer has been floating around since Gears 5 was first presented at E3 2018. Taking place after the events of Gears of War 4, the video was focused on teasing the protagonist of the game, Kait Diaz, and the war that surrounds her. You can watch the trailer, as well as E3’s 2018 presentation, below.

Who’s in the Gears 5 Voice Cast?

Maybe the most exciting addition to the Gears 5 voice cast is Linda Hamiltion, whose Terminator character Sarah Connor will be joining the game. Best of all, Sarah Connor is a playable character who can be accessed through the Terminator: Dark Fate character pack. It was also revealed during the Gears 5 E3 2019 presentation that you can play as the Terminator, too, but it doesn’t sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger contributed any voice performance to the game (bummer!).

Speaking to Gamespot, The Coalition Studio head Rod Fergusson spoke about the decision to bring these iconic Terminator characters into the Gears of War world and how Sarah and Kait’s stories seem to connect.

“It was just one of those things where we’ve always been fans of the Terminator franchise and we’re here coming back with James Cameron and Linda Hamilton and we’re just very excited. When you look at Sarah Connor as a character, she really resonates with us in terms of how we’re telling Kait’s story. Kait went from this outsider civilian into this warrior who’s trying to save humanity. It’s kind of the same story for Sarah Connor. And so this idea of bringing these two franchises together in a really cool way is exciting to us.”

Another new addition to the team is iZombie actor Rahul Kohli, who lent his voice to Gears 5 to play “the charismatic and confident Fahz Chutani, a character that shares a shrouded and rocky past with JD Fenix and Del Walker,” according to Xbox’s official press release on the casting news.

Gears 5 will also feature some familiar voices. The returning Gears of War voice cast includes:

• Laura Bailey as “Kait Diaz”

• Liam McIntyre as “JD Fenix”

• Eugene Byrd as “Delmont ‘Del’ Walker

• John DiMaggio as “Marcus Fenix”

Tell Me About the New Gears 5 Gameplay Features!

Gears 5 will be introducing some exciting new features to players so that the gameplay experience all the more enticing.

• Escape Mode is “a new, aggressive, high-stakes co-op mode featuring a three-player suicide squad that must work together to take out enemy hives from within.” Players got a preview of this mode during the Microsoft presentation at E3 2019.

• Map Builder: This is a new function debuting with Gears 5. Map Builder lets you “create custom Escape hive maps and experiences to share with and challenge your friends.”

• Versus: The Versus mode will debut in July with the Gears 5 Tech Test and will be included in the Gears 5 release in September. Versus is described as an “all-new competitive game type – Arcade – a frenetic experience built for jump-in, over-the-top fun, as well as the next evolution of our esports mode, Escalation 2.0.”

• Horde: This mode will return in August and will allow players to access new abilities within each character to help them succeed on the battlefield.

• Campaign: It wouldn’t be Gears of War without a campaign mode, right? Gears 5 will be the “first to feature three-player split-screen campaign co-op” as players follow the story of Kait Diaz teased in previous trailers.

How Can I Play Gears 5?

For now, you will only be able to play Gears 5 on Xbox One or Windows PC.

Gears 5 will be out September 10, 2019 for Xbox One and Windows PC.