Will Microsoft finally give PC gamers the one series they should already have?

(Image credit: Xbox)

Gears of War is finally coming to PlayStation!

At least that’s what most folks are excited about in the latest Xbox announcement. I’m more excited that this version of the game, Gears of War: Reloaded, is coming to PC and delivering native 4K assets and zero loading screens. But I’m also annoyed.

You see, we had Gears of War on PC a year after the Xbox 360 launch, and then we got the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition on PC after that, and now we’re getting yet another remaster of the same game via Gears of War: Reloaded.

But tell me, what happens when you beat this new Gears of War game? I’m sure you’d want to play Gears of War 2 and then Gears of War 3. Well, guess what? Neither of those games ever made it to PC or literally any other platform. PC gamers got absolutely no love for the past 17 years, and Microsoft did that to its second biggest game franchise.

But before I give myself a hernia, let’s talk about what Gears of War: Reloaded brings to the table, and what that could mean for the franchise looking ahead.

Gears of War: Reloaded, again

So Microsoft finally brought Gears of War to the PlayStation. Why now? Well, Xbox did announce Gears of War: E-Day last year, which takes place 14 years before the original game. Gears of War: Reloaded is a great way to introduce people to the franchise and prepare them for the upcoming game, since they’re directly tied.

Unfortunately, Gears of War: E-Day’s launch on PlayStation hasn’t been announced, but I imagine if Reloaded does well on the PS5, then Xbox will make that effort. But before I go any further, let’s jump into what awaits in Gears of War: Reloaded.

Officially announced on the Xbox blog, Gears of War: Reloaded will support HDR and Dolby Vision, which’ll enhance the overall color and contrast. Then there’s Dolby Atmos surround sound that’ll improve the soundstage. Variable refresh rate and super resolution with improved anti-aliasing will make the visuals look smoother and sharper.

Then there’s the actual art of the game. Xbox is delivering 4K assets and remastered textures, enhanced post-processing visual effects (color grading, motion blur, bloom, etc.), and improved shadows and reflections. And then there’s the greatest quality of life update — no loading screens.

Despite being bitter about the forgotten Gears titles, I’m excited for folks to experience the introduction to one of my favorite franchises. The best part is that Gears of War: Reloaded offers cross-play and cross-progression across all platforms — all games should be like this.

I hope this means that Xbox will finally take steps toward remastering Gears of War 2 and Gears of War 3. The only way to play those games currently is if you own an Xbox console. Ugh.

Gears of War: Reloaded is set to launch on August 26, 2025, for $39. It’ll arrive on day one with Game Pass, and those that already own Gears of War: Ultimate Edition will receive a free upgrade to Gears of War: Reloaded.

Rami Tabari is the Reviews Editor for Laptop Mag. He reviews every shape and form of a laptop as well as all sorts of cool tech. You can find him sitting at his desk surrounded by a hoarder's dream of laptops, and when he navigates his way out to civilization, you can catch him watching really bad anime or playing some kind of painfully difficult game. He’s the best at every game and he just doesn’t lose. That’s why you’ll occasionally catch his byline attached to the latest Souls-like challenge.