Tag: Xbox

Tomorrow night, ELEAGUE Gears Summer Series: The Bonds and Betrayals of Brotherhood concludes on TBS with the sixth and final episode of the docu series focused on the stories and players behind the world of Gears Esports. If you’d like to catch up with the entire series of The Bonds and Betrayals of Brotherhood ahead of the finale, you can watch all five aired episodes through VOD on the Gears Esports website.

Stemming from Xbox’s partnership with ELEAGUE, the six-part docu series focused on the stories and players behind the world of Gears Esports on TBS, the ELEAGUE Gears Summer Invitational was held three weeks ago, crowning Tox Gaming as the inaugural champions of the first Gears 5 esports event. In addition to a thrilling weekend of competition, we announced the first details of the Gears Esports 2019-2020 season, including a partnership with PGL to create a new Pro League.

To continue the Gears Esports journey, be sure to tune-in to the sixth and final episode of The Bonds & Betrayals of Brotherhood airing on TBS tomorrow, Friday, August 2, at 11 pm ET/8 pm PT. The docu series will continue to explore each player’s intense connection to the game and each other as they navigate to become the best players in the world on Gears 5 Esports.

Episode 6 of The Bonds & Betrayals of Brotherhood highlights pro player Justin “Kenny” Kenny’s career in Gears Esports – spanning across numerous titles, teams, and organizations over the years. Kenny reflects upon how the Gears Esports scene has both itself grown and allowed him to grow along with it.

The final episode also provides an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the recent ELEAGUE Gears 5 Invitational event and allows each of the six featured series pro players to reflect upon on their performance competing in the unreleased title. Through the eyes of these players, viewers will get the chance to experience the Gears 5 esports mode, Escalation, and prepare for the upcoming Gears 5 Esports season.

To stay updated, follow @EsportsGears on Twitter and visit Gears.gg. Be sure to also check out ELEAGUE’s channels; @ELEAGUETV and www.ELEAGUE.com.

The Gears 5 Versus Tech Test began last weekend, inviting both those players who have pre-ordered Gears 5 and Xbox Game Pass members to rev up their Lancers and roadie run through their opponents on the way to victory. Thanks to the incredible Gears fans, both new and veteran, who made our initial Gears 5 Versus Tech Test weekend a smashing success. This weekend we’re extending the invitation to join the action to all Xbox Live Gold members as part of Xbox Live Free Play Days this weekend.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ_AzLHaUJc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&autohide=2&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent&w=1020&h=574]

Starting at 10 a.m. PDT tomorrow, COG hopefuls who are new to the Gears 5 fight can enlist in the Boot Camp training mode and then jump right into Arcade, the new game type designed for over-the-top fun. If you’re returning for another round following last week’s Tech Test, be sure to check out fan-favorite King of the Hill, the updated competitive game type Escalation and continue your Tour of Duty, a series of challenges that grant sweet rewards. A new reward has also been added – the Wreath Bloodspray, which can be earned by completing one match during the Tech Test from 5:30 – 6:30 pm PDT on Friday, July 26. No matter your level of Gears familiarity, Gears 5 offers a game type for you.

To ensure you’re ready for battle, search the Microsoft Store for Gears 5 Tech Test and download to your library. The Tech Test is available for download right now, but servers will be offline until tomorrow at 10 a.m. PDT. We also wanted to remind you that online multiplayer will require Xbox Live Gold for Xbox Game Pass for Console members, and that because this Tech Test is to help test our servers, you might encounter some queueing as you start to play. We hope to make Gears 5 a great online experience for all players and Xbox Game Pass members on launch, and this Tech Test will help.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHJGsbywMFY?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&autohide=2&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&start=1&wmode=transparent&w=1020&h=574]

Thanks for your support and we look forward to seeing you online! Be sure to visit www.gears5.com and follow @GearsofWar on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest on Gears 5 ahead of its worldwide launch on September 10.

Gears 5 will release on September 10 for Xbox One, Windows 10 PC and Xbox Game Pass. Early access starts on September 6 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members and Gears 5 Ultimate Edition purchasers. Pre-order details can be found on the Microsoft Store.

As Xbox Insiders, your feedback helps inform the decisions and updates we make on Xbox, from new features to how gamers interact with the console itself. Based on your valuable feedback, we’ve been continuing to iterate on two key experiences on Xbox, delivering you a faster Home experience and evolving the way we support Xbox voice commands to improve the voice experience.

Evolving Home

The Home on Xbox One is the first thing you see when you turn on your Xbox One, and we want to deliver an easy and seamless experience for you to navigate your console. We’ve heard your feedback and have continued to iterate on Home to get you into your gaming experiences faster and keeping more of your content front and center. With today’s update, we’re experimenting with a streamlined user interface.

With this new experimental Home design, the first thing you’ll notice is we’ve removed the Twists from the top of Home in favor of separate buttons that launch your gaming experiences. The goal is to let you jump into Xbox Game Pass, Mixer, Xbox Community and Microsoft Store quicker than ever. We’ve also shifted things around to make more room for your recently played titles.

We need your help testing out the new interface. The new experimental Home rolls out this week to select Xbox Insiders in our Alpha and Alpha Skip Ahead rings. For more details on rollout, keep an eye on the Xbox Insiders section of Xbox Wire. The Home experience will continue to evolve and change based on your feedback, so please let us know what you think and share your ideas for Home at the Xbox Ideas Hub. You may see this layout change and even come and go as we iterate on your feedback.

Changes to voice commands on Xbox One

Last fall, we expanded Xbox voice commands to hundreds of millions of smart devices by enabling Xbox One to connect with Xbox Skill for Cortana and Alexa-enabled devices. Xbox Skill continues to grow and change based on your feedback, including new updates that rolled out earlier this month.

Building on these efforts, we are now further evolving the way we support voice commands on Xbox and are moving away from on-console experiences to cloud-based assistant experiences. This means you can no longer talk to Cortana via your headset. However, you can use the Xbox Skill for Cortana via the Cortana app on iOS, Android, and Windows or via Harmon Kardon Invoke speaker to power your Xbox One, adjust volume, launch games and apps, capture screenshots, and more —just as you can do with Alexa-enabled devices today. We’ll also continue to improve the Xbox Skill across supported digital assistants and continue expanding our Xbox voice capabilities in the future based on fan feedback.

Starting this week, this update will roll out to our Alpha Skip Ahead ring and will fully rollout to all users this fall.  As part of these changes, this update will temporarily disable dictation for the virtual keyboard on Xbox One. Don’t worry though, our team is working to provide an alternative solution and will have more details to share soon.

As always, your feedback is important to us and our partners as we continue to evolve the Xbox One Home and shape the digital assistant and voice command experience on Xbox. We have some exciting updates in the works and can’t wait to share what’s next, so stay tuned for more.

It’s finally here – The Gears 5 Versus Tech Test goes live today to give players their first taste of Versus multiplayer action. Starting at 10 a.m. PDT today, COG hopefuls can enlist in the Boot Camp training mode and then jump right into Arcade, the new game type designed for over-the-top fun where characters become heroes with their own unique abilities, loadouts and playstyles.

Gears veterans will want to check out fan-favorite King of the Hill, the updated competitive game type Escalation and a mini-Tour of Duty, a series of challenges that grant sweet Tech Test exclusive rewards that will carry over into Gears 5.  No matter your level of Gears familiarity, Gears 5 offers a game type for you.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHJGsbywMFY?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&autohide=2&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&start=3&wmode=transparent&w=1020&h=574]

Access to the Tech Test is included with your Xbox Game Pass membership or as part of your Gears 5 pre-order (whether as a separate 5×5 code from a participating retailer or bundled in your digital pre-order). Eligible players can download the game app now and matchmaking will begin at 10 a.m. PDT today. Matchmaking will run through July 22 at 10 a.m. PDT and will be active again from July 26 at 10 a.m. PDT until July 29 at 10 a.m. PDT. To download, simply search for “Gears 5” in the Xbox or Windows Store to pull up the Tech Test on your Xbox One or Windows 10 PC. If you’re an Xbox Game Pass member, you will see the Tech Test available to download in “Recently added” section of the Game Pass library. Online multiplayer will require Xbox Live Gold on console or an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. For players on Windows 10 PC, we have the below chart that outlines minimum and recommended specs for the Tech Test:

Boot Camp

Within the Tech Test, players will find Boot Camp, the perfect way to practice your skills and learn new mechanics before joining the fight in Gears 5. Boot Camp takes you through all the basics, from cover movement to executions, in easy-to-repeat sections perfect for new players and returning veterans alike. Whether you’re learning the ropes or just refreshing your memory, Boot Camp offers an intuitive training mode to ensure you’re ready for primetime in the Tech Test.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ_AzLHaUJc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&autohide=2&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent&w=1020&h=574]

Arcade

Arcade is a brand-new type of Versus experience that encourages approachable gameplay for all types of players. Arcade is the ultimate jump-in/jump-out mode featuring classic characters such as Kait and Marcus each with their own distinct abilities and weapon upgrades. For more details on the Arcade experience, check out the above trailer or jump into the action yourself this weekend.

King of the Hill

The classic King of the Hill action you know and love is back in full force in Gears 5. Battle for supremacy and prove your dominance with a team or solo as you compete to capture and hold territories.

Escalation

If you’re looking for the ultimate competitive experience from Gears 5, Escalation offers thrilling, objective-based play requiring a combination of individual skill, teamwork and strategy. With the introduction of limited respawns, an overhauled weapon system and updated player spawning, Escalation in Gears 5 is more tactically rich and competitive than ever before. So grab some friends, experiment with new strategies and watch each other’s backs this weekend.

Thanks for your support and we look forward to seeing you online! Be sure to visit www.gears5.com and follow @GearsofWar on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest on Gears 5 ahead of launch on September 10.

Gears 5 will release on September 10 for Xbox One, Windows 10 PC and Xbox Game Pass. Early access starts on September 6 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members and Gears 5 Ultimate Edition purchasers. Pre-order details can be found on the Microsoft Store.

Xbox Game Pass provides a curated library of over 100 great games for one low-monthly price, with new games added all the time including the latest titles from Xbox Game Studios on the day they launch. The service is available across console and PC, with Ultimate members receiving access to all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold, as well as access to titles across both platforms.

Following this year’s incredible E3 and the breathtaking reaction we’ve had from our fans, we’re excited to let you know that Xbox will be coming to gamescom 2019 in Cologne, Germany. We’ll be bringing a great line up of games to the event from developers around the world with almost 200 gameplay stations in our booth, including the first public hands-on of both Minecraft Dungeons, Horde Mode in Gears 5 and fans in Germany can also try Project xCloud for the first time.

Here’s a quick overview of what we’ll be getting up to at the show this year:

Inside Xbox live from Cologne
To kick off the week, we’ll be hosting a special episode of Inside Xbox live from the Gloria Theatre in Cologne. Tune in Monday, August 19 at 5:00 p.m. CEST (8:00 a.m. PDT) for the latest news, games, accessories, and features that we can’t wait to tell you more about!

You can catch the show on xbox.com, Mixer, Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

Xbox Open Doors
Held at the Gloria Theatre on Wednesday, August 21 to Friday, August 23, Xbox Open Doors offers fans a multiday experience during the week of gamescom. Entry to Xbox Open Doors is free and fans will be able to participate in community events, game tournaments, panel sessions and other exciting experiences. Stay tuned for more information and announcements about Xbox Open Doors.

Xbox Booth
The Xbox booth will feature nearly 200 gaming stations with a fantastic line up of titles across a variety of genres and platforms, with many of these experiences coming to Xbox Game Pass for Console and Xbox Game Pass for PC at launch. If you’re coming to the show, make sure you pay us a visit – we’re in Hall 8 of the Koelnmesse (access via North entrance).

gamescom will be the first time that fans in Europe will have the chance to jump in and try out many of our newest gameplay experiences from Xbox Game Studios including Age of Empires II Definitive Edition, Battletoads, Bleeding Edge, Gears 5, Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC, Minecraft Dungeons and more. In addition, we’ll have several highly anticipated third-party games available to play at the booth, including Borderlands 3, Doom Eternal, NBA 2K20, and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. Fans at gamescom will also be amongst the first in Europe to get hands-on with Project xCloud and experience the true power of cloud gaming on mobile.

Lastly, at Xbox, we believe that gaming should be safe, inclusive, and accessible for all, and in that spirit we’re excited to announce that our booth is even more accessible to fans at the show this year. This includes Xbox Adaptive Controllers available for nearly every game on the booth, wheelchair access at every point of the booth and sign language interpreting support for all on-booth programming in both English and German.

Windows Gaming Powered by Xbox Game Pass
Featuring Xbox Game Pass for PC titles such as Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and more at our Xbox booth, you can also check out the latest PC gaming hardware at our booth dedicated to gaming on Windows PC. We’ll also have custom-built PCs from BoostBoxx by CSL, the latest gaming laptops and desktops from Acer and other partners showcasing high-quality components that deliver powerful PC gaming experiences. Fans can even try the goliath of gaming chairs, the Predator Thronos!

Visit the Xbox Official Gear Shop
Returning to gamescom in partnership with Game Legends, come and visit the Xbox Official Gear Shop in the gamescom fanshop arena. Fly your gaming colors and show off your fandom for Xbox and award-winning franchises like Gears of War, Halo, and Sea of Thieves with all new apparel and collectibles including the gamescom exclusive Xbox Green Tech Sphere pin!

Show opening times are as follows:

• Tuesday, August 20 – 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. CEST (press/trade only day)
• Wednesday, August 21 – 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CEST
• Thursday, August 22 – 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. CEST
• Friday, August 23 – 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. CEST
• Saturday, August 24 – 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. CEST

Remember to keep your eyes on Xbox social channels for the latest news and updates surrounding Xbox at gamescom 2019 – Mixer, Facebook, Twitter – we’ll keep you updated with all the great activity happening from the show. Can’t wait to see you there!

Are you ever at a Summer BBQ and your friend asks you what kind of food you want off the grill? It can be seriously overwhelming. You’ve got hot dogs, burgers, meat skewers, maybe some corn on the cob with extra salt, lime, and cotija cheese to give it that extra flavor zing…it’s never an easy choice. Well friend, not to put you in a tough position or anything, but we’ve been working the grill for quite a while and we’ve cooked up a lot of games for you this Summer. Our favorite flavor? Hot new games for our Xbox Game Pass friends. Sure, you can play them all, but the hardest part is choosing what to pick first. Grab a plate, we’ve got a lot to go over.

ICYMI, Gears 5 Tech Test is playable beginning Friday, July 19 so cancel your plans and meet up online instead to help test multiplayer! All Xbox Game Pass members get access to play the Tech Test beginning July 19 and July 26, but you can queue up the download starting Wednesday, July 17.

Are you or your friends not already signed up for Xbox Game Pass? New members get their first 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (that’s Xbox Game Pass for Console and for PC and Xbox Live Gold all in one) for just $1!

Games Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass

July 17

Night Call (Xbox Game Pass PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)
A corrupt detective plans to pin a series of murders on you unless you can aid the investigation. As a cab driver working the Paris night shift, pick up passengers, listen to their emotion-fueled stories, and gather clues to solve the mystery in three unique cases.

July 18

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)
A first-rate gaming experience as players are offered tactical freedom to carry out open-world missions as the iconic Snake (a.k.a. Big Boss) in the latest entry of the long-running Metal Gear series.

The Banner Saga 3 (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)
The final dramatic chapter in this critically acclaimed Viking RPG series. As the world continues to crumble around you, how will you protect your allies and what choices will you make as the Darkness draws near?

July 25

For the King (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)
None before you have returned from their journey; can you put an end to the Chaos? A strategic RPG that blends tabletop and roguelike elements in a challenging adventure in either single-player or online and local co-op.

Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)
Play the legendary fighting game with stunning 60fps visuals, over-the-top action, a wild cast of combatants, rocking reactive music, and c-c-c-combo breakers! Includes all 26 characters from Seasons 1-3.

Resident Evil 4 (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)
The survival horror masterpiece comes to Xbox One in 1080p HD with an improved frame rate, a thrilling storyline, and that classic third-person action gameplay you’ve come to love from the long-running Resident Evil series.

Wait, Don’t Forget This Part

See anything you like? Good because the grill looks full and we’ve got more hot dogs on the way. And while we don’t post high quality food pics or slow-mo salt seasoning videos, we do have Instagram and Twitter accounts. It’s there that we’ll reveal our best gaming recipes and whatever other goodness we want to share.

If you prefer delivery, there’s also the Game Pass mobile app where you can remote install games right from your phone. Lastly, if you are more of a keyboard and mouse fan, you can dig into our PC games with our Xbox Game Pass for PC app! We’ll be serving some delicious details on our PC Twitter handle, which goes great with our appetite for gaming. Yup, this is gonna be a tasty Summer.

This weekend, The Coalition announced that Gears Esports is partnering with PGL to create a Pro League for the upcoming 2019-2020 Season of Gears 5 Esports.

Kicking off with the launch of Gears 5 worldwide on September 10 for Xbox One, Windows 10, and with Xbox Game Pass, players from all over the world will be able to sign up and compete in regional ladders and online tournaments for weekly cash prizes. The top teams from every region – North America, Central America, Europe, Asia Pacific and, now, South America – will also be awarded with travel coverage to major international events, where they’ll have the opportunity to play for massive prize pools against the top teams in the game.

Throughout the season, top amateur teams will also have the opportunity to break into the Pro League via online qualification, while the lowest ranking Pro League teams from each division will be forced to fight for their spots.

Next season, the top teams from North America, Central America and Europe can also qualify to compete in an online Pro League. The 2019-2020 Season will feature three major events leading into a World Championship, as well as a number of regional events. The top pro and amateur teams from every region – North America, Central America, Europe, Asia Pacific and, now, South America – will be awarded with travel coverage to major international events.

Photo courtesy of ELEAGUE

The announcement took place in Atlanta during the first Gears 5 Esports tournament where eight of the world’s top teams competed in the ELEAGUE Gears Summer Series Invitational for a prize pool totaling $200,000. Tox Gaming continued their dominating run in Gears Esports defeating Ghost Gaming 3-1 in the finals.

Pre-order Gears 5 on the Microsoft Store or from a participating retailer to get access to the Versus Multiplayer Tech Test, also included with you Xbox Game Pass membership. The Gears 5 Versus Multiplayer Tech Test will be available to download starting July 17 with online play being active from July 19 (starting at 10 a.m. PDT) through July 22 at 10 a.m. PDT, and then active again on July 26 (at 10 a.m. PDT) until July 29 at 10 a.m. PDT.

Follow @EsportsGears on Twitter and check gears.gg regularly to say up-to-date!

In April 2019, Xbox and Turner Broadcasting announced that ELEAGUE, the premium esports content and live event brand from Turner and IMG, would produce the “ELEAGUE Gears Summer Series,” a six-part linear series and live tournament partnership.

Premiering in June 2019, “The Bonds and Betrayals of Brotherhood” has now run four of six total episodes on TBS, introducing the players and stories of Gears Esports and setting the stage for the worldwide premiere of Gears 5 Versus multiplayer. Starting this Saturday, July 13, the best Gears of War players from around the world will battle it out in Gears 5 Escalation at Turner Broadcasting’s elite ELEAGUE studio in Atlanta, Georgia.

The ELEAGUE Gears Summer Series Invitational will be broadcast on Twitch.tv/ELEAGUETV beginning at 10 a.m. PDT/12 p.m. EDT on both Saturday, July 13 and Sunday July 14, kicking off with an exciting announcement on the future of Gears Esports.

Throughout the weekend, eight professional teams will play in the single-elimination tournament, with each match consisting of a best-of-three map competition. The Grand Final will be played as a best-of-five map showdown.

All eyes will be on Tox Gaming, the reigning champions of Gears of War 4 Esports. The Tox Gaming players (formerly Optic Gaming) have over 17 Gears of War trophies to their name, and have dominated the Gears Esports scene throughout Seasons 1 & 2 of The Gears of War 4 Pro Circuit. With the emergence of Gears 5, rival teams Reciprocity, Rise Nation, and Ghost Gaming will fight to establish a new era of Gears Esports dominance this weekend.

ELEAGUE has aligned with some of the most popular titles in the business such as; Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – including the hosting of two CS:GO Major Championships – Overwatch, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Dota 2, EA Sports FIFA 19, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2, Injustice 2, Rocket League, Tekken 7 and Formula E.

Following the tournament, “The Bonds and Betrayals of Brotherhood” will return to TBS on Friday, July 26 and Friday, August 2 at 11 p.m. PDT/EDT.

For more information about Gears Esports, please visit www.gears.gg and follow on Twitter @EsportsGears. Be sure to also check out ELEAGUE’s channels; @ELEAGUETV and www.ELEAGUE.com.

Summer is here which means sunshine, cookouts and of course, gaming with friends after a long day outside. Team Xbox has been busy cooking up new features for the July 2019 Xbox Update, which begins rolling out today. This update includes a new way to interact with Xbox Game Pass, additional countries for the Xbox Skill for Alexa, and new Xbox Skill for Alexa voice commands. Here’s a rundown of what’s new:

New features for Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass offers a curated library of over 100 high-quality games on PC and console, available to download and play at full fidelity for one low-monthly price. Today, we’re rolling a new way to manage your Xbox Game Pass collection.

• Play later – Play later enables you to make a list of games from the Xbox Game Pass catalog for you to come back to on your time, making it even easier to find your next game. Manage your collection from your Xbox console or the Game Pass mobile app and download your games when you’re ready.

Xbox Skill for Alexa – More countries and new voice commands

Last fall, we expanded voice control support by introducing the Xbox Skill for Alexa, which enables you to navigate and interact with Xbox One using voice commands through your Alexa-enabled devices. Today we are adding more supported countries and new Alexa voice commands to see what’s happening on Xbox Game Pass and check in with your Xbox Live friends.

• More countries – We heard our fans around the world loud and clear that they wanted Xbox Skill for Alexa support in their country. Today, we are excited to be adding support for customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Spain. Click here to learn how to set up the Xbox Skill for Alexa.
• New Alexa voice commands for Xbox Game Pass and more – Have you always wanted to be able to use your voice to find out the latest games in Xbox Game Pass? Good news, so have we! The July 2019 Xbox Update introduces the ability to find out what’s new to Xbox Game Pass, what the popular games are, what’s leaving the catalog, and more; simply by asking Alexa. Try saying, “Alexa, ask Xbox what’s new on Game Pass?”Want to stay up-to-date with what your friends are doing on Xbox? You can ask Alexa who’s online, what your friends are playing, and more. Try saying, “Alexa, ask Xbox what are my friends playing?”

  Finally, you are now able to start pairing your controller with your Xbox from the convenience of your couch. Just say, “Alexa, ask Xbox to pair my controller.” to put your console into pairing mode!

  For a full list of what you can say, check out this link.

These updates are based on feedback from our Xbox Insiders who have helped to shape these features. A huge thank you to all our Xbox Insiders for your valuable input and continued participation. If you’d like to help define the future of Xbox and get access to early features, download the Xbox Insider Hub app on your Xbox One or Windows 10 PC today and share your ideas at the Xbox Ideas Hub. You can also visit the Xbox Insider Blog here for the latest release notes and to learn more. Enjoy the July Update and happy gaming!

With Gears Pop! and Gears 5 releasing this year, join the developers and minds behind the Gears of War Universe as they discuss the past, present, and future of this storied franchise at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, July 18^th from 1:00 p.m. PST – 2:00 p.m. PST in Room 5AB. Studio Head Rod Fergusson (The Coalition) along with editor Steve Saffel (Gears of War: Ascendance, Titan Books), author Jason M. Hough (Gears of War: Ascendance, Titan Books), editor Chase Marotz (Gears of War: Hivebusters, IDW Publishing), and author Arthur Gies (Gears of War: Retrospective, Udon Entertainment) share their views on the Gears Franchise. The panelists will discuss their approach to storytelling and go in-depth on the characters and stories behind IDW’s brand-new Hivebusters comic book series and Titan’s upcoming Ascendance novel. Moderated by Gears’ Franchise Narrative Lead Bonnie Jean Mah (The Coalition), this panel will give fans new insight into what’s to come from one of the biggest sagas in gaming. Join the Q&A for a chance to win special giveaway items during the panel!

Then join select panelists in the exhibit hall for signings and purchase a limited advance copy of Gears of War: Ascendance, the newly released Gears of War: Retrospective,and Hivebusters Issue #1.

Gears of War Signing Schedule:

• Gears of War: Retrospective at Udon Booth 4529 @ 2:30-3:30 PM
  • Author Arthur Gies, Rod Fergusson

• Gears of War: Ascendance book signing with at Titan Booth 5537 @ 4:00-5:00 PM
  • Author Jason Hough, Rod Fergusson, and Bonnie Jean Mah

• Gears of War: Hivebusters at IDW Booth 2729 @ #2729 6-7 PM
  • Rod Fergusson and Bonnie Jean Mah

Collect all Gears of War published works on Gearsofwar.com