The launch of Gears 5 was reportedly the most successful in the franchise’s history. However, fans have not held back in expressing their criticism, particularly with the game’s progression and microtransactions.
The question on everyone’s mind is this: where does the game go from here? This is now a cause of concern after the developers removed the loot boxes and the map packs. Plus, the replacement features left much to be desired.
According to Gears 5 chief Rod Fergusson, his team is still feeling its way through and learning along the way. He explained that the latest iteration of the game has an entirely different economy compared to its predecessor.
In dealing with these technical issues, Fergusson said it would take time to resolve them. He stressed that his team is not the type that will back away from a challenge. He added they would continue to evolve until they get things right.
Gears 5 offers a battle pass system that provides free cosmetic unlocks. However, these mostly feature blood sprays and banners that are hardly noticeable. Meanwhile, frustrated players need to pay as much as 10 USD for cosmetic upgrades such as executions and skins.
However, Fergusson and his team are unperturbed and are taking criticism with a grain of salt. According to him, there is no magic wand that will enable them to address all the issues raised against the game. He noted that even minor changes take time to carry out.
The metrics which determine a game’s success continue to shift. Although Microsoft announced that the release of Gears 5 was its biggest launch week, the figures say otherwise. For instance, the game’s launch in the UK was just a fraction of what its predecessors earned.
Industry experts say the subscription era has finally arrived. Gears 5 alone lured in more than three million players during its first weekend. This figure is twice the number of subscribers Gears of War 4 brought in.
With this development, Gears 5 is considered Microsoft’s most successful first-party launch since the release of Halo 4. The new game has performed three times better than its predecessor on PC and is Microsoft’s most impressive debut on Steam to date.
However, It is worth noting that these figures do not reflect the poor performance of Gears 5 in the UK charts. Gears of War 4 performed 4.5 better during its launch, while Gears of War 3 sold 20 times more.