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As Xbox fans patiently settle in until more news and details arrive about the recently revealed Gears of War 4, Microsoft and The Coalition are making the wait a little easier with Gears of War Ultimate Edition. Even though the title was leaked ahead of its official reveal at E3 2015, fans were still excited to find out that this game completely remasters the first title from the critically acclaimed series.
And with only a week remaining until Gears of War Ultimate Edition becomes available, Microsoft decided to tug at the nostalgic heartstrings of longtime fans by way of the game’s official launch trailer. Featuring a very familiar song, the trailer not only proves to be a great look at what’s new but also serves as a fitting tribute to the past.
The original “Mad World” trailer became an instant classic back in 2006 and stands to this day as one of the best video game commercials of all time. To celebrate the launch of Gears of War Ultimate Edition, the team at The Coalition decided to offer a subtle nod to the franchise’s history by once again utilizing the melancholy song by Gary Jules.
The launch trailer opens with CG footage from the 2006 hit title, and then transitions seamlessly into new in-game footage from the Ultimate Edition. In addition to 60 frames per second and 1080p resolution, Gears of War Ultimate Edition is also adding 90-120 minutes of new content, improved lighting and textures, technical enhancements, and completely redone motion capture.
Even for those who may not hold the first Gears in high esteem, Microsoft has made a compelling case by offering access to all four previous Gears of War games through the Xbox One’s new backward compatibility feature. Considering that the Ultimate Edition now comes with standard Xbox One consoles, this deal is also a nice incentive for potential buyers who would be actually getting four games instead of just one.
Fans curious as to why only the first game was getting the remastered treatment instead of the entire series like 343 Industries managed to do with The Master Chief Collection recently got their answer. The Coalition studio head and Gears of War co-creator, Rod Ferguson, explained that the project was meant to help the development team get acquainted with the Gears universe and mechanics, and trying to do the other games would have required even more time and man power. For perspective, simply finishing work on Gears of War Ultimate Edition alone took the team 16-18 months.
What do you guys think of the “remastered” Mad World launch trailer? Let us know what you think below.
Gears of War Ultimate Edition hits Xbox One on August 25, 2015 with a PC version coming at a later, unannounced date.
Source: Xbox YouTube
