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Gears Tactics turns the shooter into an XCOM-style strategy game in 2020

Gabe Gurwin
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Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft announced the Gears of War spin-off Gears Tactics a few years ago, and since then we have learned very little about the very different take on the franchise formula. Now, we know that we won’t be waiting too much longer before we can dive into its gargantuan campaign and start picking our shots. Gears Tactics is out on April 28, 2020, as revealed at The Game Awards 2019.

Set before the main Gears of War series — before Marcus Fenix brought the fight to the Locust horde — Gears Tactics is set at the start of the Locust War. Despite being so early in the war, the game will still feature many of the same weapons the series is known for, including the Lancer assault rifle and the Hammer of Dawn satellite weapon.

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The XCOM-style combat in Gears Tactics is turn-based, requiring you to pick your every move carefully to take down enemies efficiently. You can also personalize your characters, and we imagine you’ll be able to name them in order to feel truly terrible when you accidentally get them killed during a routine mission.

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The campaign will last more than 40 hours, and those who pre-order the game will receive a special Thrashball Cole character pack as a bonus. The bonus is also awarded to those who get the game via Xbox Game Pass on PC.

Every. Move. Matters.

Gears Tactics arrives April 28, 2020: https://t.co/mC4MVt0HHt pic.twitter.com/LDajC0A3wX

— Gears of War (@GearsofWar) December 13, 2019

Gears Tactics has only been confirmed for PC on the April 28 date, but we have previously heard that it will also be coming to Xbox One. Given that the Halo Wars series and XCOM itself have also been made available on Xbox One, the chances are very high that it will arrive a short time later.

Gears Tactics was far from the biggest announcement Microsoft had to make during The Game Awards. The company also revealed the final design for its next-generation console, the Xbox Series X. It will resemble a PC in its form factor and will come with a new controller, which has a share button so you can easily record your favorite gaming moments.

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Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
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