Microsoft's game development studio The Coalition was formed to mainly work on the Gears of War franchise, but that doesn't mean that Gears is the only thing that The Coalition can work on. In fact, The Coalition recently assisted Epic Games with its The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 tech demo, and according to a new rumor, the studio's next game is going to be a completely original IP instead of Gears of War 6.
This rumor stems from proven insider Rand al Thor, citing information that they supposedly got from Windows Central's Jez Corden, also known for accurate Xbox scoops. Fans should take the information with a grain of salt, but if accurate, it seems that the Gears of War 6 release date won't be until sometime in 2024 or 2025. This means that fans of the Gears of War franchise may have to wait, at minimum, three years to get their hands on the next entry.
With Gears of War 6 still years away from release, it seems The Coalition may be releasing a new IP in the meantime. According to the rumor, The Coalition's new IP will release at some point in 2023 and will be smaller in scale when compared to Gears of War, but details beyond that are unavailable at the time of this writing. It seems likely that it will use Unreal Engine 5, though that again is just speculation at this time.
It's worth pointing out that this isn't the first time that there have been rumblings that The Coalition is working on a new IP. Back when The Coalition was known as Black Tusk, it was working on a new shooter IP. However, plans for that game were scrapped when the developer was handed the reigns of the Gears of War franchise. Then in 2018, rumors cropped up again that The Coalition was making a new IP.
Earlier this year, rumors started heating up about The Coalition's new IP yet again, with industry insiders claiming that the project was in the works and evidence found on LinkedIn pointing in that direction. Unfortunately, more specific details about the project have not been revealed, so it's anyone's guess as to what it may be.
If the rumors about The Coalition working on a new IP are true, it's possible fans will learn more about it at Microsoft's E3 2022 press conference, especially if it's aiming for a 2023 release as the rumors claim. Alternatively, fans may not hear about it until its release year, or even later, so it's always best to keep one's expectations in check with this kind of thing.
Gears of War 6 is rumored to be in development.