We’re still processing the fact that we can play Forza Horizon 5 on PS5, but the floodgates are well and truly open for Xbox franchises going multiplatform.
Outer Worlds 2 is coming to Sony’s system later in the year, but before then, there’s the small matter of Gears of War making its debut on PS5 via the Reloaded edition of the first game.
Revealed last month, the game promises audio and visual improvements, no loading times, and HDR support among other things, but there’s one thing it can’t do: be found as a physical copy on Xbox.
Despite assurances that the company still has plans for physical media last year, if you want a physical copy of Gears of War Reloaded, you’ll need to be a PS5 owner.
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Gears of War: Reloaded – PS5£39.99 |
While the revamped version of Gears of War is available for £39.99/$39.99 on Amazon right now, Xbox players will have no choice but to buy it digitally if they want to own it (at the time of publication, as this could be subject to change), although there is some comfort.
Not only will the game also be on Xbox Game Pass at launch on 26th August (as well as its PC counterpart), but if you already own the Gears of War Ultimate Edition from back in 2015, you’ll get the new version for free.
Still, physical collectors (particularly those who have existing hard copies of the franchise to date) will no doubt be disappointed.
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Gears of War: Reloaded – PS5$39.99 |
Gears of War: Reloaded is also getting a cross-platform multiplayer beta, giving players a chance to dive into some classic curb-stomping action ahead of launch.
The first beta kicks off on 13th June and runs through to the 15th, focusing on Team Deathmatch across a trio of returning maps: Gridlock, Raven Down and Gold Rush. A second round follows the week after, running from 20th to 22nd June. Both weekends begin at 12pm PST.
There are three ways to secure access to the beta:
- Pre-order the digital version of Gears of War: Reloaded on Xbox Series X/S, PC (Microsoft Store or Steam), or PS5
- Be a current Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscriber
- Own a digital copy of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition purchased before 5th May
For those looking to play via Game Pass, Xbox players have also recently found a way to get 13 months of Game Pass Ultimate for under £75, using Microsoft’s own membership conversion policy to sidestep the usual £14.99 monthly fee (working out at around £5.76 per month, instead).
By letting their subscriptions lapse, then stacking 36-months worth EA Play codes before reactivating Ultimate, players are taking advantage of a 3:1 conversion ratio that turns three years of EA Play into a full year of Game Pass Ultimate, plus an extra month of top for good measure.
