10 Video Game Franchises Microsoft Needs To Win The Console War

2. Gears Of War

Ever owned an Xbox? Then you've played Gears of War. So popular were Marcus Fenix and co.'s inflato-armed adventures that at some point or another you've either seen one of the much-loved 'chainsaw kills', heard John DiMaggio's voicework as Fenix barking out a "Sweet!" as he reloads, or been a devout follower of the franchise since the beginning. In a weird turn though Gears went from being one of the most identifiable series' on Microsoft's console, through one shaky instalment in Gears: Judgment, to almost complete obscurity. Design-head and public face Cliff Bleszinski left developers Epic, and since then there's been barely a jot of a Gears 4, 5 (or whatever they're calling it) even existing. Exist it does though, as new developer Black Tusk Studios (headed up by Gears 2 man Rod Fergusson) are at the reigns this time round, tweeting out confirmation something badass this way comes. It's pegged for a big E3 reveal later this year, so here's hoping its a worthwhile instalment to the series' canon this time.