Following the mammoth success of Gears 5, Microsoft and The Coalition are already looking to the next instalment of the franchise, with the developers apparently drawing inspiration from a very unexpected inspirational source.
Speaking on the Wassup Conversations podcast, Gears 5’s art director, Aryan Hanbeck cited Hulu’s dark dystopian drama, The Handmaid’s Tale, as a huge source of inspiration for the team right now.
“One thing – the guys here will probably laugh if they see this – but I’ve been telling all the artists nonstop to go watch Handmaid’s Tale,” said Hanbeck [via ComicBook].
“The composition, the color, and just the cinematography and symbolism is just off the charts. So, I watched that and I’m like, ‘Wow we gotta find a way to get more of this stuff in Gears 6.’”
The Handmaid’s Tale is a deeply controversial show set in a world where infertility has led to a militant regime under which Handmaids (i.e fertile women) are kept in slave-like conditions to carry children for the rich. It’s about as far away from the Xbox shooter as you can get, but Hanbeck’s right, it’s is a visually striking show.
Note that Gears 6 hasn’t officially been announced yet, but let’s face it, Gears 5 is one of the best games of 2019 so why wouldn’t the team continue on with the series?!
The game, which released earlier this year, has been heralded as one of the best narrative-driven exclusives available for the Xbox One, and it’s hopefully the beginning of a new era for Xbox exclusives.
Speaking of Gears 5, the game is well and truly into the spirit of Halloween after having launched its spook-tacular in-game event known as Pumpkin Ball.
Sharing the news on its social media channels, the game writes: “As Halloween approaches, the dead won’t stay dead long.
“Play Pumpkin Ball in #Gears5 now and earn the event exclusive Frankenstein’s Imago skin by completing 13 matches in the playlist!”
Check out the skin in the tweet below!
Have you been playing Gears 5?
Featured Image Credit: Hulu