Gears of War 4

COVER PHOTO REVEALED

Anticipation has been building for Gears of War 4 ever since it was revealed last June during Microsoft’s E3 press conference, but very little was known about the game until recently. It’s been nearly five years since Gears of War 3 wrapped up the bestselling Xbox 360 trilogy and three years since prequel Gears of War: Judgment. But the end of the wait for the next chapter is finally in sight. EW can exclusively reveal that Gears of War 4 will launch globally Oct. 11 on Xbox One.

Set 25 years after the conclusion of the trilogy, Gears 4 features new characters facing a new threat over a harrowing 24-hour journey. EW has your first look at the cover art for the game, which gives a closer look at the three main characters (JD Fenix, Kait Diaz, and Del Walker) and shows some new weapons (say hello to the Buzzkill), new enemies, and if you look closely, a statuesque cameo by a familiar face from the franchise.

“‘Weathering the storm’ was sort of our line for the key art … because we wanted that idea that the environment and the weather in particular is a big part of Gears 4 and how it affects the characters and the story and the gameplay,” said Rod Fergusson, studio head of developer The Coalition, which took over the franchise when Microsoft acquired it from Epic Games. “Having the three heroes on there was important, and then allowing them to showcase what’s new and represent themselves we thought would be cool.”

EW spoke with Fergusson, who has worked on every Gears of War title, about following up the epic trilogy, creating memorable new characters, and the series’ greater focus on competitive multiplayer. But not Horde mode. He wouldn’t talk about that.