Gears 5 'Allies' system lets you and your friends earn bonus experience

What you need to know

  • Gears 5 launches in September on Xbox One and PC.
  • The game eliminates the season pass and loot crates.
  • You can play the technical test right now.
  • You can preorder the game for $50 on Amazon.

Gears 5 launches in September and The Coalition keeps on providing us with new details about the game. Recently, Gears 5's Multiplayer Design Director discussed servers and balance tuning. The franchise will feature 60 Hz servers for the first time with this installment, and there is one tuning setup across core and competitive multiplayer modes.

There's a technical test going on right now which you can take part in. If you've preordered the game or are an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you can simply download the file and play it on Xbox One or Windows 10. When you're playing, you'll notice that there's a new "Allies" system in place. If you play with friends, you earn "Honor" and upgrade your in-game relationship to the next level. You'll also be awarded bonus experience at the end of every match.

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This is definitely an interesting take on getting friends to play with each other. Other titles, namely Destiny 2, feature similar mechanics and they work rather well. However, only time will tell how it fares in Gears 5.

If you're playing the multiplayer test, you'll notice that the game looks stunning and runs at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second (FPS) on Xbox One X. Gears of War 4 ran at 4K 30 FPS during the campaign and 4K 60 FPS during multiplayer. This time around, both modes are the same frame rate.

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

Asher Madan

Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.