The Coalition releases short teaser videos showing what happens when a player scores a kill with the new and gory Dropshot weapon during a Gears of War 4 multiplayer beta match.
Microsoft and The Coalition are starting to ramp up the marketing campaign for Gears of War 4 in advance of the first beta test that kicks off next week. After recently debuting a new CG trailer showing the family link between Marcus Fenix and the new lead character JD, The Coalition has begun to tease the fanbase by revealing short clips of brutal new weapons in action.
Known as the Dropshot, the gun appears to be a new take on the familiar mortar heavy weapon from previous games. The weapon was briefly revealed last month, originating as a piece of construction equipment that has been modified to fire aerial mines with drills attached. Studio head Rod Fergusson posted a short vine showing what a head shot will ultimately do to an enemy. Staying true to its name, the drill drops down on the unsuspecting enemy, drilling down through the head and exploding after a short delay no doubt adding insult to injury.
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A few hours later, a 10 second video appeared on the official Gears of War YouTube page once again showing the Dropshot in action, only this time, showing what the execution will look like with the weapon equipped. Known as Lock, Load, and Launch, new character Kait Diaz is shown in the clip jamming the gun barrel into the enemy, and then launching the corpse across the map. It certainly fits with the bloody style the game is known for and adds a little dark humor as well.
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So far, multiplayer details have been scarce on what players can expect when the beta begins. The Coalition has already confirmed that the Gears of War 4 multiplayer will be locked into 60 frames per second and powered by dedicated servers, but the studio has not confirmed the maps, modes, and weapons that will be available for players. As of now, fans do know that the iconic lancer assault rifle and snasher shotgun are joined by a few brutal looking combat knives, a machine gun known as the Buzzkill and the aforementioned Dropshot launcher.
As expected, the Dropshot will be available during the upcoming multiplayer beta which kicks off on April 18 and runs until May 1. The two phase beta will be open only for those who play the multiplayer side Gears of War: Ultimate Edition by April 11. At that point, a code will be sent over and access granted until the second phase begins on April 25 as the beta becomes open to everyone to try.
Gears of War 4 is scheduled for launch on October 11, 2016 exclusively for Xbox One.