Gears of War

Gears of War is a military science fiction video game franchise created by Cliff Bleszinski and Epic Games, now owned by Microsoft and developed by The Coalition. The series launched October 7, 2006 with the original Gears of War as an Xbox 360 exclusive and has sold over 40 million copies. It is best known for its cover-based shooting mechanics, which influenced a generation of third-person action games, and for the emotional weight of its story, particularly the relationship between Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago. The franchise is currently building toward Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel developed by The Coalition.

The World of Sera

Gears of War takes place on the planet Sera, a world that mirrors Earth in many ways until Emergence Day, when the Locust Horde erupted from beneath the surface and began a war of extermination against humanity. The Locust are a race of creatures who lived underground in a subterranean network called the Hollow, driven to the surface by the Lambent, a glowing form of imulsion-infected life that corrupts and destroys everything it touches. Humanity, represented by the Coalition of Ordered Governments, fights back with soldiers called Gears, named for the symbol on their armor. The original trilogy follows the war across three games. The later games shift to the next generation dealing with the aftermath.

Gears of War Games: The Epic Era

Gears of War (2006)

Marcus Fenix is broken out of prison by his best friend Dom Santiago and rejoined to Delta Squad to deploy the Lightmass Bomb into the Locust tunnels. The game introduced cover-based shooting as a refined mechanic, the Lancer assault rifle with its chainsaw bayonet, and one of the most distinctive visual styles of the generation. It sold over three million copies in its first ten weeks and established the franchise immediately. The co-op campaign, with one player as Marcus and one as Dom, was one of the generation’s best.

Gears of War 2 (2008)

The sequel expanded everything. Larger set pieces, more varied environments, and the emotional gut punch of Dom finding Maria. The scene where Dom ends her suffering is one of gaming’s most affecting moments. The Horde mode, added as a multiplayer feature, became one of the most copied game modes of the generation. Gears 2 is the franchise at its most confident.

Gears of War 3 (2011)

The conclusion of the original trilogy. The truth about Adam Fenix, the sacrifice Dom makes, the final confrontation with the Locust and Lambent. Gears 3 earned every emotional moment it asked for because the previous two games had done the work. Dom’s death is one of gaming’s defining moments. The campaign can be played in four-player co-op. Beast mode let players control the Locust. The ending is appropriately hollow for a war story.

Gears of War: Judgment (2013)

A prequel developed by People Can Fly following Baird and Cole before the events of the original game. Received the most mixed reception in the franchise. Generally considered the weakest entry. The more arcade-style structure divided fans of the series.

Gears of War Games: The Coalition Era

Gears of War 4 (2016)

Set 25 years after Gears 3, following Marcus’s son JD Fenix and his friends Kait Diaz and Del Walker against a new threat called the Swarm, evolved from the defeated Locust. An older, retired Marcus appears and is one of the best things about the game. The new characters took time to establish themselves but the foundation was solid. Horde mode returned with significant improvements.

Gears 5 (2019)

The most ambitious game The Coalition has made. The focus shifted to Kait Diaz as she investigates her family’s connection to the Locust. Semi-open world sections added exploration to the formula. The game featured a controversial choice at its ending that affected what happened to two major characters. Whatever you chose, one of them died. Gears 5 was the right move for the franchise creatively even if it did not reach Gears 3’s emotional heights.

Gears Tactics (2020)

A turn-based tactical game set before the original Gears, developed by The Coalition and Splash Damage. Follows Gabe Diaz, Kait’s father, 12 years before Emergence Day. Well received for making the tactical format work with Gears’ characters and world.

What’s Next

Gears of War: E-Day is in development at The Coalition. Set on Emergence Day itself, the day the Locust erupted from underground and changed everything, it will feature a young Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago at the beginning of their story together. People Can Fly, who made Gears Judgment, is co-developing. E-Day has the potential to be the most emotionally significant entry in the franchise since Gears 3, because everyone who plays it already knows where Marcus and Dom’s story ends.