Gears of War remains one of the biggest brands Microsoft – or any company – has to offer. The original trilogy on the Xbox 360 was a major success, but the subsequent release of Judgment didn’t exactly get fans excited to see where the series was going to next. Black Tusk Studios now has control of the third-person juggernaut, which means that there’s a whole new team thinking up exactly how it’ll add a new layer of excitement to the Cogs. The developer won’t be without external pressure, though, as Microsoft Studios boss Phil Spencer recently Tweeted that the first game will need to “reignite” the franchise.
“Still working through plan,” Spencer wrote when asked about the game’s release date. “I can say first original Gears of War from Black Tusk has to reignite franchise and grow it. Won't be a quick turn.”
It sounds like Spencer wants the first entry in the Xbox One series to remind people why Gears of War is such a key brand, which sales of the last game indicate is something that some fans forgot. After that, it’s all about keeping the gravy train rolling.