Though Halo is often crowned the go-to Xbox franchise, there’s no denying the legacy that Gears of War has behind it. With five mainline entries and spin-offs to dive into, those earlier games still hold up, but a little polish could take them to new heights. That’s what the rumored Gears of War Collection is set to do, and fresh rumors claim it is currently in a testing phase behind closed doors.
That’s according to YouTuber and The Infinite Podcast host ‘Middleagegamegy’, who purports that “speaking of Unreal Engine 5 […] the Gears [of War] Collection is being internally tested as we speak.” While the YouTuber doesn’t know exactly what games are included, he claims that “I just know it is currently being internally tested, the build is finished, [and] they’re playing it now.” The rumored Gears of War Xbox bundle is supposedly developed by The Coalition, who have been overseeing the franchise since 2015.
That relationship began with the release of Gears of War Ultimate Edition, a remaster of the original 2006 title – one of the best Xbox games ever made. Like you, we’ve been pining for more Gears action since Gears 5 in 2019. Don’t get us wrong, Gears Tactics was a lot of fun, but we’re ready to get stuck back into the Gears we all know and love. Speculatively, we reckon that the Gears of War Collection will consist of updated versions of the first three entries, at the very least.
With Gears of War 4 releasing in 2016, and still holding its own today, the older titles in the series arguably more TLC to bring them up to standard. A rejuvenated version of Gears of War 2 already has us jumping around in excitement. Currently, the second Gears game is available to play for free, as it lives amid the best Xbox Game Pass games around.
The Gears of War Collection continues to maintain an almost mythical presence, as rumors pertaining to its arrival began gaining momentum again last January. However, this rumor extends all the way back to May 2022. As the YouTuber reports, this collection would use Unreal Engine 5, so we know it’ll at least look the part. We just hope it can retain the feel of the original games, as mauling Locust foes with a chainsaw just hits a bit different to most shooters out there.
If the build is finished as it is claimed in the podcast above, it is possible we could see an initial tease for it at the upcoming Xbox Developer Direct. This showcase will also give us our first look at the Indiana Jones game from Bethesda. We’re already theorizing what could appear, so be sure to check out our Xbox Developer Direct predictions.