Since it first released in 2019, The Coalition has been updating Gears 5 with new seasons of content called "Operations." Operation 3, released in March, added multiplayer characters Augustus Cole and Clayton Carmine, new maps, a capture-the-flag mode called Gridiron, and more. Operation 4 released yesterday, and among its additions are a complete revamp of the game's store with new ways to earn content.

A blog post put out by The Coalition highlights a number of radical changes to Gears 5's systems in the name of creating a simpler, easier way to get content for players who "felt limited" by time and wanted to meaningfully invest in the game. The scrap and supply systems, which it said were "overly complicated" and did not always provide players the items they wanted, are gone. So is the Totem system, making it so characters can be unlocked whenever someone gets any skin associated with them.

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The Gears store has been retrofitted to make every item from every Operation "permanent" and available alongside new content that will continue to be added every week. That new content will initially only be available through Iron, but after that a new currency called Gears Coins can unlock "nearly every item," barring some esports packs and other select bundles. All of a player's scrap and Totem progress is being converted into Gears Coins, but the currency can be earned by progressing in the game's battle pass, known as the Tour of Duty.

Simplifying the experience for its playerbase and making it easier to unlock old content is a smart move for The Coalition, especially as Gears 5 continues through its long life. It's also a good decision for the future, as Gears 5 has Xbox Series X Smart Delivery, meaning it will be available on the next-generation console for those who already own it.

The Coalition has been putting out a steady stream of balance updates and new content to encourage its fanbase to keep playing, with some of that being available for a limited time. One example was when it added the Batista Bomb finisher as free DLC in April, referencing WWE star Dave Bautista's iconic move through the character based on him.

Though Gears 5 has been a successful game, as has the recent spin-off Gears Tactics, the future of the series has been in flux. In February, studio head Rod Fergusson left Microsoft to oversee Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo franchise.

Gears 5 is available now on PC and Xbox One.

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Source: Gears 5 Blog