There is a multiplayer beta coming for Gears 5, and the developers at The Coalition have released a video of the Escalation mode. This is one of the three modes that can be tried out in the Versus beta. Escalation is already known from Gears of War 4 but has received a new look for the upcoming installment.
What mode is it? The developers at The Coalition have now shown real gameplay for the upcoming shooter Gears 5 for the first time. What was demonstrated is the Escalation mode, which fans of the series may already know from Gears of War 4.
In Escalation, two teams of five players each face off and must capture three rings located around the map. You can think of it similarly to the Control mode in Destiny 2. Each ring that is captured generates one point per second. The team that reaches 250 points first wins a round.
If a team captures all three rings or eliminates the entire opposing team, this counts as a Domination Victory and an immediate win of the round. The team that wins seven rounds first wins the match.
After each round, new weapons are placed on the map, and the respawn time for players decreases.
What is new about Escalation? In Gears 5, there is a limited number of lives. Each player starts the match with five lives. After each round, players receive one life back, as well as five lives at halftime.
This new system is designed to make the game more tactical and exciting. Players need to weigh whether it’s worth rushing in aggressively or playing defensively and cautiously. After dying, they can decide whether to jump back into the game immediately or save their lives for another round.
Gears 5 showcased its Escape mode at E3 2019. There is also a dedicated Map Builder that was introduced in its own video.
When does the beta take place? Before the release of Gears 5 on September 10, 2019, a multiplayer beta will take place shortly, during which three Versus modes can be tested.
The so-called Technical Test will occur over two weekends at 7 PM German time:
- July 19 to July 22
- July 26 to July 29
Anyone who has pre-ordered Gears 5 or is a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can participate. You can download the beta starting on July 17.
