Gears 6 Very Likely To Be Fully Open-World, Says Industry Insider

Since the Xbox 360 era, the Gears franchise has always been welcomed with a great deal of positivity. The Coalition is said to have been working on Gears 6 for a while, and anticipation for the next game is steadily growing.

Not much has been revealed about the game, but a recent leak has hinted at an exciting new direction for the series. According to a report, Gears 6 may utilize an open-world formula for a fresh take on the series.

Why it matters: The Gears franchise has become one of the biggest Xbox IPs since the days of the Xbox 360, making each new entry a significant release for the console platform.

The latest leak comes from Nick Baker, a popular leaker who has accurately reported on various leaks in the past. During the recent XboxEra Podcast episode, he said:

“It[Gears 6] is a little bit further along than some might think, and there is a strong possibility that it may be a full open-world game.”

The possibility of Gears 6 being fully open-world was previously discussed when The Coalition switched to Unreal Engine 5, which was claimed to enable higher-quality visuals, larger and more interactive settings, and more.

Gears has traditionally focused on a linear campaign, but Gears 5 delved a bit into a semi-open world format, allowing players more room for exploration than previous entries from the series.

However, this rumor suggests that Gears 6 is looking to go all in on this design, potentially becoming the first open-world title in the series since its inception in 2006.

Recently, Microsoft has also used the open-world formula for another iconic Xbox IP. Halo Infinite marked a shift to an open-world map, potentially encouraging The Coalition to follow suit for Gears.

Previous reports claimed The Coalition canceled two small projects in order to focus on Gears 6, suggesting the team is giving the project complete attention. Another insider recently claimed that Gears 6 is shaping up to be a pretty impressive game.

Nonetheless, an open-world format for Gears 6 sounds exciting, potentially opening up new avenues for the series. The IP has received criticism for not evolving enough over the years, and this change may also address such concerns.