This E3, there’s a fairly good chance Microsoft announces a new Halo game, as it has been nearly three years since the release of Halo 5: Guardians. However, a new rumor suggests we could see as many of three games from the Gears of War series, as well.
According to Polygon, Microsoft could be planning to announce three wildly different games under the Gears of War umbrella. One of these is allegedly Gears of War 5 — it’s a given that this game is in development, though with Gears of War 4 only releasing two years ago, it’s unlikely its successor would be ready for release in 2018.
The second rumored game will be a real-time strategy title in the same vein of the two Halo Wars spinoffs. Given the amount of lore and history written into the Gears of War series already, this seems like the perfect opportunity to explore less familiar territory. Microsoft would be wise to examine Halo Wars’ success relative to its sequel, however. The first game offered us an opportunity to see the early stages of the human-Covenant war, while the sequel’s tale was fairly inconsequential for the series as a whole.
The third game is rumored to be a battle royale title, which shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Gears of War 4‘s multiplayer was better-received than its campaign mode, and expanding this to include 100 players could transform how people play. With any luck, it will be a free offering, as the recent success of Fortnite: Battle Royale has shown that’s the best way to attract new players.
Xbox fans should have plenty of other games to look forward to this E3. It’s highly likely we see Forza Horizon 4 announced, and Playground Games’ racers have been among the best games on the entire system. We’re also hoping to get another look at Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and we’ll get a chance to see how Crackdown 3 has been improved since its delay late last year. Microsoft’s E3 press briefing will take place on Sunday, June 10, at 4 p.m. ET. It will be viewable, in addition to other services, on Mixer. During last year’s event, those who used Mixer to watch the event were given free games, including Rare Replay.
