Gears 4 takes aim at a 2016 release, no sign of Marcus Fenix

In a move we've been loudly hoping to see for years, we're finally getting a new Gears of War, simply titled Gears 4. It stars two brand new characters, lightning tornados, and chainsaw guns - basically, everything we want to see out of a brand new Gears, so we're off to a good start.

Announced at Microsoft's E3 press conference, the new Gears trailer features our two unidentified protagonists - a woman, and a man who might be named Matthew and is significantly more handsome than Marcus Fenix - wandering through an exceptionally dark cave environment full of glowing locusts pods. While a bit hard to see, the level rings of the close-up horror vibe of the first Gears, suggesting the series is getting back to its roots in the midst of what looks to be a full reboot, if the absence of Marcus and friends is any indication.

Scheduled for release holiday 2016, we have a way to go before Gears 4 is a reality, but the fact that it's now confirmed existent is exciting enough as it is. Check back here until then, and we'll be rolling out more Gears news as it develops.

Get caught up on the rest of E3 2015 – and there's a lot of it – with our hub page.

Ashley Reed

Former Associate Editor at GamesRadar, Ashley is now Lead Writer at Respawn working on Apex Legends. She's a lover of FPS titles, horror games, and stealth games. If you can see her, you're already dead.