Gamers Can Test Out Gears 5 Starting July 19

Get ready to sharpen your gun-mounted chainsaws. Starting July 19, Windows 10 and Xbox One players can test multiplayer game modes from Gears 5, which is set to debut on September 10. Developer The Coalition is rolling out the demos via "two focused test periods."

Gears of War rose to prominence in the early 2000s for its focus on cover-based shooting, brutal executions and ridiculous weapons made possible by the magic of science fiction. It was mostly popular on the Xbox 360. A PC version of the first game came out in 2007, but subsequent entries in the franchise wouldn't jump from console to PC until Gears of War 4 debuted nearly a decade later.

The Gears of War Tech Test will be open to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass for PC subscribers on Xbox One and Windows 10, respectively, as well as those who digitally pre-order Gears 5 from the Microsoft Store.

The tests will offer access to three game modes--Arcade, Escalation and King of the Hill--on two different maps. Players will also be able to experiment with two new features: a training mode appropriately called Bootcamp and "a mini Tour of Duty, where you’ll complete Medals to unlock exclusive Tester Weapon Skins to take into Gears 5." Completing all three Medals will unlock a Tester Banner.

The first test period will run from July 19-22. The second period will run from July 26-29. Testers can download the preview starting July 17 as well as in-between test periods, but they won't be able to play the game, of course. The developer warned that these tests are mostly supposed to see if its servers can handle an influx of players, so don't be surprised if something crashes.

Recommended Specs

Here are the recommended specs for the Gears of War Tech Test: