Gamescom 2019 kicked off in Cologne, Germany today and Microsoft helped to bring the event in with a bang, showcasing Gears 5‘s Horde mode for the first time. Putting a new spin on the wave-based player vs. AI survival mode that kickstarted a craze amongst competing games, including Microsoft’s own behemoth Halo franchise via the addition of Firefight, things have now come full circle for Xbox. The gaming hardware and software manufacturer revealed a Gears 5 Halo character pack DLC scheduled to launch alongside the game.
Joining the Terminator Dark Fate collaboration which allows players to control the likes of Sarah Connor in the Gears 5 multiplayer suite, announced at E3 earlier this year, the Halo: Reach Character Pack will let Gears of War fans interact with yet another famous science fiction franchise within developer The Coalition’s new game. The sixth installment in the Halo franchise and a direct prequel to the original Xbox launch title Halo: Combat Evolved, the game’s cast of Spartan soldiers — known as Noble team — will be playable outside of the Halo series for the first time.
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Their ranks include Emile-A239 and Kat-B320, who can now fight alongside the Gears faithful, including the cover heroine, Kait Diaz, as players combat swarms of alien enemies across the Horde and Versus modes. Not just that, but players can also kit non-Halo characters out in Noble Team cosmetics, including a Noble Team Jack Skin, Noble Team Banner, Noble Team Blood Spray, Noble Team Mark, and the Noble Team Weapon Set.
Anybody that purchases Gears 5 Ultimate Edition, or actively subscribes to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, will receive the Halo: Reach Character Pack at no additional cost. There’s been no word on alternate purchase methods just yet, but it’s reasonable to assume the content will be made available standalone at some point; if not at launch, then at a later date. Gears 5 is now available for preorder on Xbox One, Windows 10, and Steam. It’s scheduled to launch on September 10, though Ultimate Edition owners will gain early access on September 6.
