After a rocky start to the Gears of War: Reloaded multiplayer beta weekends due to matchmaking and connectivity issues among other complaints related to the limited content and time to play, developer The Coalition responded on social media with the statement, “We heard you. More maps. More modes. More time.”
As a result of the weekend 1 beta players’ feedback, the window for the weekend 2 beta will be extended from Friday June 20th to Sunday June 22nd. Along with the previously planned content including Team Deathmatch and King of the Hill and some fan-favorite maps like Raven Down, Gridlock, Gold Rush, Courtyard, War Machine, and Canals, The Coalition has added the Execution game mode to the selection.
Perhaps the additional play time and game mode won’t be enough to win over some of the frustrated weekend 1 beta participants that were met with server instability and connection errors, but frankly that was the whole point of the betas in the first place. The Coalition wanted to test their servers and make any necessary improvements before the full game officially launches on August 26th, and this is all-the-more important now, as the game is not only going to be on Xbox and PC, but for the first time will feature cross-platform play and progression on PlayStation as well.
This new addition to the Gears of War lineup will introduce new players to the game that kicked off the beloved series, complete with updated graphics, improved audio and visual fidelity, all the DLC from Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and those cross-play features that I mentioned previously. New and returning players alike will have the opportunity to team up with their buddies regardless of what modern gaming platform they’re playing on (apart from Nintendo at present) and get into the gory, tactical, cover-shooting action that the series is known for.
The full release will be available on Game Pass and as a free upgrade to any players who had already purchased the digital edition of Gears of War: Ultimate (the previous Gears of War remaster) before the announcement of the Reloaded edition. It truly seems as though The Coalition is doing as much as they’re able to do right by returning fans while creating a warm welcome for new players to the franchise.
The Coalition studio head Mike Crump had this to say:
“As we approach the 20th anniversary of Gears of War in 2026, we’re reflecting on what this franchise means. It’s about the stories we’ve told, the friendships we’ve built, and the unforgettable moments we’ve shared together. With Gears of War: Reloaded, we’re opening that door to more players than ever,”
I for one enjoyed weekend 1 of the beta and I’m looking forward to more Lancer chainsawing, Gnasher blasting, and Boomshot chaos this coming weekend. Are you excited to return to the series? Did you have fun during the beta? Are you planning on playing this weekend? Let us know what you think over on the Discord!
