Gears of War: Ultimate Edition just got even more Ultimate: by playing this fall when it launches, you will also unlock access to the entire Gear of War collection through the Xbox One’s upcoming Backward Compatibility, according to a post on the Xbox wire. Fans who purchase the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition — either by itself, or as part of the Xbox One bundle — and play between August 25 (when it launches) and December 31, 2015 will gain access to Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, and Gears of War: Judgment through Backward Compatibility when it launches in the fall.
That’s all in addition to the Ultimate Edition itself, which remasters the original game, “painstakingly reimagined from the ground up with stunning next-gen graphics, recaptured and rebuilt cinematics, new achievements and modernized gameplay for an even better experience.” It also adds new maps, modes, missions, and achievements; an additional difficulty level to challenge veterans of the game; and early access to the multiplayer beta for the upcoming sequel, Gears of War 4, which was also revealed during Microsoft’s E3 presentation this past June.
Backward Compatibility to the Xbox 360, a long-requested feature for the Xbox One, was also announced at E3 2015. A growing body of Xbox 360 games will be playable on the Xbox One with the addition of new console features such as Game DVR, Snap, and screenshots. DLC, achievements, and cloud saves will all carry over.
The entire Gears of War series will be eligible for Backward Compatibility when the feature launches publicly this coming fall. The original Gears of War is currently available in the feature’s trial for Xbox One Preview Program members, if you just can’t wait.
First created by Epic Games in 2006, the Gears of War franchise of third-person shooters set the bar for over-the-shoulder action on the last few generations of consoles. The action relies heavily on strategic use of cover, leading to a proliferation of battlefields strewn with chest-high walls in shooters. Microsoft purchased the franchise from Epic in 2014, handing development over to its studio The Coalition (formerly Black Tusk Studios, formerly Microsoft Vancouver).
